Dunnes Stores seems set for another dispute over Sunday trading this Christmas. The company has rejected a Labour Court recommendation aimed at resolving differences with Mandate over pay, and the union is holding a meeting of shop stewards this weekend to decide what to do.
Last Christmas Mandate's 7,000 members in Dunnes Stores agreed to work four pre-Christmas Sundays. The company agreed to pay double time for two of the Sundays, rather than the traditional treble time, and the matter was referred to the Labour Court.
Mandate is furious the company rejected the compromise that emerged. The union did not put the court's proposals to its members. It had been waiting to learn of the company's position.
Traditionally Dunnes Stores paid treble time to staff who worked four pre-Christmas Sundays. However, as it recruited more part-time workers, it reduced the rate for the pre-Christmas Sundays to time-and-a-half. The company resisted union claims for treble time.
In 1995 this led to deadlock, with Dunnes Stores closed on Sundays while Mandate placed pickets. This time both sides discussed the issue through the company's new procedures and sent the problem to the Labour Court.
The court proposed that staff, recruited since October 1994, be paid double time. It suggested that the remainder be paid double time but receive extra leave for each of the days worked.
The company would not comment on the recommendation yesterday.