Roches Stores staff picketed outside their former workplace in Wilton in the suburbs of Cork city yesterday after it was revealed that a proposed takeover by Marks and Spencer (M&S) had collapsed.
As part of a planned M&S deal, 150 full-time workers and 22 part-time employees were to have retained their jobs in the Wilton site following the national closure of the Roches Stores group three weeks ago. However, wrangling over lease conditions caused the deal to fall through.
It is understood the owner of the premises, local businessman Joe O'Donovan, hopes to lease out the premises to four tenants.
The Roches outlet in Wilton closed last month but staff continued to be paid by the firm pending the opening of the M&S store.
Mandate union representative and former Roches employee Lorraine Moylan said workers were "heartbroken" at the job losses.
"We would have loads of young, married couples here paying mortgages, and we also have workers who first joined Roches 27 years ago.
"People have been coming up to us asking if they can sign a petition or anything to help. We thought Marks were taking over. We can't believe this."
After a meeting between union representatives and staff yesterday, Mandate officials indicated talks between the owner of the property and the two companies involved had broken down.
Redundancy negotiations for the 172 workers got under way in Dublin yesterday afternoon.
Brian Moloney, a representative of Mandate in Cork, said: "You can cut the tension with a knife out here. People are really disgusted."
John Douglas, a Mandate official from Dublin, said it was regrettable that rent-roll considerations were being placed ahead of the jobs of 172 people.