To: All Marks and Spencer Shop Stewards
Re: Company Restructuring Announcement and Planned Shop Stewards Meeting
16 April 2021
Dear Colleague,
As you are aware, on 30th March 2021 the Company announced their intention to launch a Voluntary Redundancy Programme seeking a 245 FTE reduction in staff numbers across the store network. The scale of the redundancies is such that it required extensive discussions and your National Negotiating Committee have been engaged in talks with the Company on 30th and 31st March 2021, 2nd, 9th, 12th and 14th April 2021.
A National Shop Stewards Meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday 21st April 2021 @ 11am at which time a proposal will be available for consideration. The Company have been advised and paid release is being arranged for attendees. The meeting will be held on Microsoft Teams and an invitation via Microsoft Teams will be emailed to all Shop Stewards on Monday 19th April. Please ensure you download the Microsoft Teams desktop or Mobile Apps, whichever is most appropriate for you.
Given the business environment along with the extent of the challenges facing the Company and our members, HR representatives from Marks and Spencer have agreed to address the national group of Shop Stewards from both Mandate and SIPTU. This will happen at the start of the meeting on the 21st April 2021 after which the second part of the meeting will be our opportunity to discuss the proposals emanating from these discussions.
Yours fraternally
For Mandate Trade Union
Jonathan Hogan
National co ordinator