Debenhams workers to take protest to the Dail

Debenhams workers are set to take their struggle back to the Dáil tomorrow in their fight for a redundancy settlement.

Former staff have been officially picketing Debenham’s eleven Irish stores for a number of months calling for what they describe as a fair redundancy package.

Over 1,000 staff are calling on the liquidators to the Irish arm of the company to help resolve their demands.

Their goal is to get four weeks pay per year of service, as opposed to the basic two-week statutory minimum currently on offer, which would add €13 million to the cost of redundancy.

They are also angry about how the store has treated employees following the closure of its shops in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford earlier this summer.

Three of those stores are located in Dublin – Henry Street, The Square Tallaght and Blanchardstown.

Jane Crowe, a Shop Stewart from Henry Street, contacted Northside People with details of their Dail demonstration:

“Socially distanced Protest at Dáíl (Convention Centre) , 6pm, tomorrow, Wednesday 2nd September,” she said.

“Five months into their dispute for a redundancy settlement that honours the terms of their agreement with their former employer (four weeks pay per year’s service) Debenhams workers and their supporters will set off from their Henry Street branch at 5:30pm and march to the Dáil

“The workers want to hold to account the government politicians who in July indicated that they would make efforts to broker an acceptable settlement through contact with the liquidator.

“The protest will be organised in a socially distanced manner with participants encouraged to wear masks.”