Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, Louise O’Reilly TD, has called on the Taoiseach to encourage Tesco to engage with ‘dot com pickers and drivers’, and their trade union Mandate, over unfair roster changes.

The call comes following the company’s decision to unilaterally impose wage-cutting roster changes on workers.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“Recently Tesco Ireland unilaterally imposed significant changes to the rosters of in-store Tesco dot com pickers and drivers – the workers who fulfil and deliver orders made by online shoppers.

“The move, which workers and the Mandate trade union have described as ‘out of the blue’, will cost workers thousands of euros in lost income.

“The changes not only have financial consequences for workers, but there are also work-life balance issues and other indirect costs to the workers.

“It beggars’ belief that such changes were railroaded through, and it is even more astonishing that the company has refused to engaged with workers and their trade union, Mandate.

“It appears that the good will afforded to frontline workers who went above and beyond during the Covid-19 pandemic has run dry at Tesco Ireland and that wage-cutting roster changes are the order of the day.

“It is essential that Tesco Ireland engage with the workers and Mandate to resolve the issues in a mature fashion through constructive dialogue.”