Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his comments. Like many people in this country, my first experience of employment was as a worker in a number of Dunnes Stores outlets, where I was a member of the union that subsequently became Mandate. My period of employment at Dunnes Stores was very short. I salute the level of service, cheerfulness and commitment of the staff of Dunnes Stores down through the years, many of whom are women, and, in particular, the service they provide to older customers who might need support.

With regard to this dispute, I regret that the Dunnes Stores organisation has not utilised the industrial relations machinery of this country. I believe it was wrong not do so and that it should do so now as soon as possible. As stated by Mr. John Douglas, secretary general of Mandate, in an open letter to Dunnes Stores: "...as with most disputes between parties they can be only resolved via dialogue between the parties."

In regard to the Deputy's reference to South Africa, it has been my privilege to know personally many of the people who were on strike during those years, because at that time I was honorary secretary of the anti-apartheid movement. The Deputy is correct that there is a resonance among people in Ireland with the Dunnes Stores workers who in the 1980s refused to handle South African oranges. The then Minister for Labour, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, sorted out that problem by restricting the importation of oranges at that time.

We know there is an avenue to a solution for this dispute. Staff of Dunnes Stores should not have had to resort to a strike. We know that the issues in dispute have been before the Labour Court on a number of occasions and that Dunnes Stores management has not engaged in the industrial relations machinery.

Like almost everybody in Ireland, I believe this strike is deeply regrettable, but there is an avenue through which the issues can be addressed and settled, namely, the industrial relations machinery of the State. I would encourage the company to use that machinery. It is very clear from all of the statements by Mandate and other spokespersons for the Dunnes Stores workers that they are happy to engage in an industrial relations process to resolve this dispute. Nobody could put it better than Mr. John Douglas when he said that this matter can be only resolved via dialogue between the parties. I strongly support that.

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