RE: STAFF REQUESTS TO WORK ADDITIONAL HOURS
9th July 2021
Dear Member
Please see copy of correspondence sent to Company regarding above matter for your information.
Yours sincerely
For Mandate Trade Union
Lorraine O’ Brien
Divisional Organiser
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
By email and post
REF: LOB/JOR
9th July 2021
Mr. John McCarthy
Store Manager
Penneys
Patrick St.
Cork
Re: Staff Requests to Work Additional Hours
Dear Mr. McCarthy
Over the past number of weeks this office has been inundated with calls from members in the store who are extremely frustrated that additional hours are not being made available for them to work. It is reported that members are being held at the bottom or mid-range of their bands while at the same time the store has employed upwards of 100 new staff.
While it is understood the new starters are employed on 11 – 14 hour contracts, our members cannot comprehend why so many new staff were employed in the first instance, particularly as they remain willing and available to work either to the top or above their contracted band of hours. Moreover it now transpires that permanent positions have been advertised in store and this has added to the sense of anger amongst long serving, experienced and loyal staff members.
Section 6 of the Mandate Trade Union & Penneys Certainty of Earnings & Certainty of Costs Agreement Review of March 2016 states “arising from this review, the Company reaffirms its commitment to make all reasonable efforts to distribute additional hours/vacancies internally before moving to external recruitment” The fact that requests from existing staff who have a real need to work additional hours continues to be ignored is the cause of increasing tension in the store. Consequently, our members are deeply unhappy and staff morale is at its lowest point.
I am aware there has been attempts to resolve this issue locally but regretfully there was no resolution or plan put in place to deal with the matter. Therefore I am requesting that management conduct a review of staffing and hours with a view to finding a solution which will satisfy our members and meet the needs of the business.
Bearing in mind the depth of feeling surrounding the concerns outlined in this correspondence, your immediate attention to the above outlined would be appreciated along with your response.
Yours sincerely
for Mandate Trade Union
Lorraine O’ Brien
Divisional Organiser