27/03/2009

Superquinn Agrees 'Survival' Redundancies

The independent food retailing chain, Superquinn is to tighten its belt and instigate a survival plan to secure the future of the stores.

However, an agreement between management and unions will result in nearly 400 redundancies.

Trade unions Mandate, Siptu and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union (BAFU) have admitted the deal included "some pain" for workers.

This will include a voluntary redundancy package that would see a total of 394 workers leave the company.

The redundancy package will pay four weeks' salary for each year of service with no cap. Workers will also now own 1.5% of the business through a formal profit-sharing scheme.

The unions and the company will set a budgeted net profit annually. When the company exceeds this profit, one third of the difference will be shared directly amongst Superquinn workers.

A pay pause for a provisional period of 12 months has also been agreed. At that point, the company and the unions will review Superquinn's financial position.

Some 3,000 members of the three trades unions were balloted on the deal and it was accepted by a "significant majority", they said.

The unions said in a statement the "highly innovative and progressive" deal could be "a blueprint for how partnership should work in difficult times".

(BMcC/JM)

Related Northern Ireland Recruitment News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

05 August 2016
North Sea Offshore Oil And Gas Workers Reject Pay Offer
A 48-hour strike by North Sea offshore oil and gas workers started on Thursday, 04 August, after company managers rejected an offer from trade unions. Workers in the trade unions Unite and RMT will go ahead with the planned stoppage as part of an ongoing dispute with employers Wood Group.
28 June 2012
Second Day Of Strike For Bord na Móna Workers
Hundreds of Bord na Móna workers have undertaken a two-day work stoppage which began at 12.00 am on Wednesday, 27th June. The Bord Na Móna Group of Unions decided to embark on the strike action due to the refusal of management at the semi-state company to honour pay increases due to workers under the Towards 2016 transitional agreement.
11 February 2010
SIPTU Launches Unpaid Wages Action
One of the Irish state's largest unions, SIPTU has announced a protest at the City Hall in Galway over unpaid wages for construction workers.
21 September 2009
Pizza Makers To Strike Over 'Porn'
There's strike action looming in a catering company in Co Kildare - over 'porn'. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has granted their union, the Technical, Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU), permission for an all-out picket at the factory in Naas.
28 January 2011
Union Leaders Debate Anti-Cuts Strike
Union bosses will announce their next move over government's spending cuts later today. The debate to support a co-ordinated campaign of industrial action is currently undecided. A warning of possible strikes over changes to pension entitlements has been issued by a number of large public sector unions.