To: All Mandate Members – Nolans
Re: Arrangement for door duty/marshall
Date: 22nd February 2021
Dear Member
Please see below a copy of correspondence received in response to the members queries around door duty/marshall in store. The contents of which are self-explanatory.
We ask that if members have concerns with regards to this practice that they notify Mary Memery Shop Steward who will raise same with Management or to discuss the matter with your manager directly in the first instance.
Should you have any queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact 018870728 or email dublinnorth@mandate.ie. We ask that you continue to encourage your colleagues to join Mandate as we are stronger together.
Regards
John Callan
Industrial Officer
“22nd February 2021
Re; Nolans Supermarket
Dear Mr. Callan
I refer to your letter of the 10th February 2021.
The Company has been operating a meet and greet arrangement for several months as part of its customer service to ensure there is an orderly access and exit and control on numbers operating in the shop. Up to now there has been no issue raised by any of the staff who have been asked to cover for a period of time and the work is shared out between staff.
With regard to the matter of Nolans jackets being shared, this is incorrect. Some staff, if they require a jacket wear their own but if someone is looking for a jacket the company will make one available to them.
There is no issue in ensuring any jackets issued are treated appropriately to ensure they are safe. Again, until now there has been no issue with this either.
There is no selection process in place for doing these duties. Allocation depends on who is on duty, who is available at the time and how busy the shop is.
Based on our experience to date, this practice has contributed to the customer / staff experience, something that the company feels could be lost by using a security person or using the traffic light system.
Recently your local representative approached the company and maintained the way this duty was being allocated, in that the suggestion was it involved just the cashiers, was not fair. In taking on board her observations the company proceeded to extend the number of people who would be requested.
Subsequent to this it was pointed out by the Covid representative that by extending the allocation of duties we could be disrupting the Pod system in place and Covid Protocols within the fresh food departments.
In acknowledging this observation, we have refined who is asked to cover and it is now confined to Cashiers, Managers, Floor and Store Staff.
Our staff are not involved in any confrontation when carrying out these duties and certainly would be at no greater risk than they would be if working on the floor and no safety concerns have been identified to the management. If there are such genuine concerns, we would most certainly wish to be made aware of them so that we could address it.
When your representative raised this locally discussions took place with the mangers and all was explained to her. The subsequent day your representative indicated that she felt she should not be asked to do this due to her seniority. We would restate that no person is being picked on to do this duty and at all times we would try and ensure that we allocate this duty with equity.
I trust this makes the company position clear on this matter.
Yours sincerely,
John Barry Managing Director“