To: Marks & Spencer Team Managers – Killarney
Re: Mandate/Siptu/Marks and Spencer National Proposals April 2021 – Issues Arising
4th February 2022
Dear Member
Please see copy of correspondence sent to the Company regarding above for your information.
Yours sincerely
for Mandate Trade Union
Caroline Clifford
Industrial Officer
REF: LOB/JOR
3rd February 2022
Ms. Patrice Ash
Divisional Head of People
Marks and Spencer Ireland Limited
24 – 29 Mary St.
Dublin 1
By: email and post:
Re: Mandate/Siptu/Marks and Spencer National Proposals April 2021 – Issues Arising
Dear Ms. Ash
Firstly, my name is Lorraine O’Brien, Divisional Organiser, Southern Division, I am a member of the Marks and Spencer national negotiating team and look forward to working with you in the future.
As you are probably aware, the parties concluded the above mentioned agreement in an effort to realign the company’s business model in April 2021 and subsequently a significant number of employees departed the business. During the negotiations, concerns were raised as to the potential negative impact for staff remaining with the business post the redundancy programme. In an effort to allay those fears the company committed to the following Clause 12 of the agreement.
“Staffing Post Redundancy
Marks and Spencer recognise the commitment of staff over the past number of years and the skills and qualities that differentiates Marks and Spencer from other retailers which is the customer experience afforded to all customers by our colleagues. Post the departure of the agreed number of colleagues in each store, the company is committed to keeping the staffing levels under constant review, so as to ensure the operational modelling requirements reflect any future improvements in trading performance. As a result of acceptance of these proposals there will be no fundamental change to the key responsibilities/accountabilities required of the Section Manager or Sales Advisor Grades (Mandate and SIPTU)”
Over the course of the period since the redundancies took place, specifically in relation to the Team Manager population, we are advised that fundamental changes to the key responsibilities and accountabilities have taken place. The Team Managers workload has significantly increased as a direct consequence of the departure of their colleagues and therefore responsibilities and accountabilities have incrementally grown.
Accordingly, we are now seeking to invoke Clause 14 of the said agreement and would appreciate if you would contact the undersigned to arrange a mutually convenient date and time for a meeting.
Yours sincerely
For Mandate Trade Union
Lorraine O’ Brien
Divisional Organiser
cc. Mr. Jonathan Hogan, Assistant General Secretary
All Team Managers