TESCO HAS SAID it is “extremely disappointed” that some employees from Mandate Trade Union will go on strike today and tomorrow.

Workers at the retailer’s Sligo store are due to go on strike today while employees from stores in Carrick-on-Shannon in Co Leitrim are due to go on strike tomorrow.

Employees in Sligo previously went on strike on 6 and 14 December. 

John Douglas, Mandate’s General Secretary, said: “It is unfortunate that our members are forced to strike yet again due to Tesco’s continued refusal to engage with their workers’ union and follow collective grievance procedures.

“Our members don’t want to be on strike, but it seems the company is happy to prolong this totally unnecessary strike for their own reasons.”

Douglas said Mandate members are “very sorry for any inconvenience to the public in the run up to Christmas”.

Mandate claims that Tesco management has repeatedly ignored attempts by the union to discuss its grievances. 

“You can either roll over and take it or you can fight back, and I commend the Sligo and Carrick-on-Shannon workers for choosing to fight back,” Douglas added. 

Christmas week 

However, a spokesperson for Tesco said the series of one-day strikes is “entirely out of proportion as these are local disputes involving local issues that don’t warrant such disruption in Christmas week”.

“Despite the strikes, our stores will remain open tomorrow and Saturday and we thank our colleagues and our customers for their cooperation.

We regret this action by Mandate and the disruption inflicted on our colleagues, our customers and to other businesses in the two towns by these unjustified strikes. It is particularly disappointing action by Mandate for these close-to-the-border towns in the run up to Christmas.

The spokesperson said Tesco “remains committed to resolving this dispute” and rejects Mandate’s claims that the union has been left with no option but to hold strikes.

“We remain committed to the State’s industrial relations machinery as we were before when we accepted a Labour Court recommendation that continues to remain rejected by Mandate. Unlike the union, we continue to respect the industrial relations processes and remain committed to them.

“We request that Mandate, even at this late stage, desist from the industrial action and refer these issues back to the WRC where we are willing to engage with the union.”