Tesco says strike is over ‘local issues’

Tesco management has expressed its disappointment at the one day strike and has called on Mandate to call off another day of action planned for this coming Friday.

The statement said: “We are disappointed Mandate proceeded with its action at our Sligo store as this is a local dispute involving local issues that didn’t warrant a strike.

“Our store remains open throughout and we thank our colleagues and the public for their co-operation.

“The strike breaches the union and the company’s agreed procedures for disputes.

“Tesco urges Mandate to resume co-operation with the industrial relations processes of the State having rejected a conciliation conference at the Workplace Relations Commission on October 24 th regarding the issues in Sligo.

“Mandate should call off its other proposed one-day stop- pages during this busy time as it is inconveniencing customers in the run up to Christmas and only encouraging cross-border shopping in the North West.

“Tesco continues to offer the best pay and benefits in our sector and remains the only major employer in the food retail sector to recognise Mandate.

“Against what remains a very competitive and challenging market place with retail price deflation, sterling weakness and the resumption of cross-border shopping,

“Tesco this year awarded a 2% pay increase for in-scope colleagues. In addition this year we awarded between 2% and 5% bonus meaning most colleagues have received a combined benefit of between 4% and 7 % in 2018 alone, as well as having already received a combined 6% of increases since 2015.

“Tesco also has official accreditation from its colleagues as a Great Place to Work.”