05/01/2016

Labour Renews Call For Fair Deal For Former Clerys Workers

Labour has reiterated its call for the owners of Clerys to meet with their former workers to negotiate a fair redundancy package.

TD Joe Costello made the call following an RTÉ documentary on the closure of the Dublin department store in June last year.

Deputy Costello said: "On the 12 June 2015 Natrium bought Clerys and immediately proceeded to liquidate the company. They fired all the Clerys workers and closed the department store.

"Some of the workers found out they had lost their job via social media. Natrium did not pay the workers any redundancy consequently leaving the State to pick up the tab. This is a totally unacceptable way to treat workers.

"It is appalling that Natrium have refused repeated calls from the workers to meet with them to discuss a fair redundancy package.

"This is fundamentally a matter of human decency. The Clerys workers were renowned for providing an excellent service at the iconic department store. The RTE documentary displayed the negative impact the sudden closure of Clerys has had on the workers and their families. They deserve better treatment.

"Natrium must do the right thing and meet with the workers."

(MH/LM)

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