Both sides in the Tesco pay dispute have been asked to resume talks at the Labour Court as a matter of urgency by the National Implementation Body (NIB). Unions representing 9,500 staff at 75 stores have served strike notice for a series of one-day stoppages, beginning next Friday. Tesco has threatened to close all its stores on Friday if the strike goes ahead.
Mandate's general secretary, Mr Owen Nulty, who represents over 90 per cent of the workers, welcomed the NIB's intervention. He said his own union and SIPTU had been available for talks since the threat of strike action first arose. However, he did not say when the unions could be expected to withdraw strike notice as requested by the NIB. The company's director of corporate affairs, Mr Dermot Breen, said Tesco negotiators "look forward to attending the Labour Court in line with the recommendations of the NIB".
However, Mandate is likely to resist withdrawing strike notice until it is sure progress can be made. It is expected talks would not begin before next week.
Tesco is Ireland's largest retailer with 75 outlets and 24 per cent market share. However, its hourly rates is significantly lower than Dunnes Stores.
A company offer to increase the starting rate from £4.85p an hour to £5.14p was rejected by Mandate without being put to ballot. Dunnes Stores starting rate is £5.20p. The top rate at Tesco is £7.41p, compared with £7.50p at Dunnes Stores.