Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

I was asked to raise a particular issue that has escalated this week. I refer to the ongoing industrial dispute at the Irish franchise of the Iceland chain over poor conditions, unpaid wages, sick pay and leave. The owner, Naeem Maniar, appears to be using an opaque corporate structure to avoid paying his workers what they are due or engaging with their union, which is the Independent Workers Union. Furthermore, workers who went on strike at the Coolock store on 19 May, whom I met on the picket line, have been targeted through unpaid wages and dismissal. One woman is owed €700 in unpaid wages and was dismissed this week. There is now deep worry among the workers that Maniar will declare bankruptcy and the staff will get nothing.

A few weeks ago it was said that the Minister of State with responsibility for employment affairs and retail business, Deputy Richmond, was due to meet the head of Iceland in the coming weeks. The workers want to know if this meeting has taken place. It appears not. The workers want to know what measures the Government will take to ensure these workers get the wages, sick pay and holidays they are owed. If the Minister cannot answer that question, will he contact the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, urgently, to let us know what exactly is going on with that meeting?

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