Co Kildare Tesco staff along with over 100 around the country now facing redundancies
Tesco staff in the Midlands and Dublin along are among over 100 nationally now facing job cuts within weeks according to a national trade union.
Mandate Division Organiser Willie Hamilton, says that staff in 18 stores nationwide will be either working under different conditions or have taken voluntary redundancies by Friday, March 9.
According to Mr Hamilton,the ‘majority’ likely to accept voluntary redundancies ‘is a reflection of changing shopping patterns, with more people online shopping.’
It has been confirmed that night time staff in 18 stores around Ireland time hours are left with no option but stop night time hours for day time or accept redundancies.
The Tesco stores impacted by Tesco stopping night time shopping are in Wilton, Co Cork, Tesco Extra in Drogheda, Co Louth, Ennis, Co Clare, Dooradoyle,Co Limerick, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, Celbridge and Newbridge, Co Kildare, Edenderry Square, Co Offaly, Navan and Ashbourne, Co Meath, Bray, Co Wicklow, Galway city and Oranmore, Co Galway along with Ballyfermot, Tallaght and Santry, Co Dublin.
Head of Human Resources at Tesco Ireland, Aoife Donohue, said: “For those colleagues who chose not to move to days and take up the option of working day time shifts we are making available a voluntary redundancy package.This means we'll be able to provide better customer service during opening hours.”
Mr Hamilton anticipates that the ‘majority’ of staff will accept redundancies, but as yet no-one has accepted it.
None of the impacted staff hold management positions with the majority working as sales assistants.
Mr Hamilton said that while the redundancy package is satisfactory, there is now low morale in the stores.
He said: “Staff are highly demoralised at the moment. They now have uncertainty of hours. There is a fear that we will see more and more of these cuts.”
Meanwhile Tesco Ireland anticipate that the majority will accept day-time hours,
Ms O’Donohoe said: “We anticipate that the majority will transfer to day shifts as we have jobs for everyone affected.”
In the UK, Tesco is cutting costs by £1.5bn in a move that involves the lost of 1,700 management jobs.