Brown Thomas staff in Patrick Street, Cork, walked off the job for an hour at lunchtime yesterday in response to a decision by the company to charge for drinks consumed during breaks.
The Mandate union decided that its 130 members at the Cork store would take industrial action after Brown Thomas started charging 20c for tea and 25c for coffee in the canteen. All employees are taking their lunch breaks simultaneously this week to disrupt trade.
This leaves the company with little choice but to operate cosmetic and clothes counters with a skeleton staff made up of non-Mandate union members and senior personnel.
In a statement, management at the store says it has tried to meet Mandate without preconditions but the union refused.
Mandate spokesman Mr Jim O'Connell said there were a number of other issues causing concern to employees at the store.
"The company superimposed charges on the 6th of January on teas and coffees where there was never charges before. But that is only the tip of the iceberg."
Mr O'Connell said other issues to be addressed by management included staffing levels and the withdrawal of a number of employee concessions.