Speaking this morning, Sinn Féin spokesperson on enterprise, trade, and employment, Louise O’Reilly TD, has said news that news that Marks and Spencer are to close two stores in Dublin and Drogheda has come as a shock to workers and called on the company to engage with employees and their trade union in a bid to ensure workers are either redeployed locally or that they receive a fair exit package.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“The news that Marks and Spencer are to close two stores in Dublin and Drogheda with the possible loss of up to 100 jobs is an incredible shock to the workers, their families and their communities.

“Sinn Féin believes the closure and prospective job losses should necessitate a collective redundancy notification to the Department of Enterprise which requires a statutory 30-day consultation period.

“It is essential that the company engage quickly and in good faith with the workers and their trade union during this period with a focus on saving as many jobs as possible through local redeployment, and saving that, that affected workers receive a fair exit package.

“Throughout this 30-day period the Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment should engage with Marks and Spencer to see if there is any prospect of saving the jobs, and failing that, he must ensure that any redundancies are voluntary and not compulsory. 

“Furthermore, if it is a case that jobs are lost, then the Department of Enterprise must share the profiles of impacted staff with business stakeholders and Chambers of Commerce so local businesses who may be hiring or looking for similar staff are notified.

“This situation reinforces the need for all workers to join, and be active, in their trade union. Workers need a strong voice in the workplace and the only way to achieve this is through trade unionism.

“The affected M&S workers must be the priority here and it is imperative that the government stands up for them.

“I offer my and Sinn Féin’s solidarity and support to the affected workers at Marks and Spencer in Dublin and Drogheda during what is a very difficult time.”