Usdaw members at Primark in Northern Ireland overwhelmingly back industrial action in protest at pay freeze

Date: 23 January 2012

Usdaw members employed by Primark in Northern Ireland have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action in protest at the company’s attempt to impose a pay freeze for the second year running.

Members voted 93% to 7% in favour of taking industrial action, a result that closely mirrors the result of a consultative ballot held in December 2011, in which 95% of members voted to reject the company’s pay freeze.

Usdaw Reps at the company will now meet next week to decide on the form and timing of any industrial action, which is likely to start sometime in February. Usdaw has informed Primark of the ballot result and urged the company to return to the negotiating table to avoid what would be a costly and damaging dispute.

In 2010, Usdaw members very reluctantly agreed to accept a pay freeze following lengthy negotiations that involved the Labour Relations Agency (LRA). In this year’s pay round, Primark has again refused to offer staff any pay rise and talks again aided by the LRA have so far failed to secure any agreement.

The ballot result comes just days after Primark announced an ‘exceptional’ Christmas trading period and sales figures that were 16% up on the same period last year.

Nicola Scarborough, Usdaw Area Organiser said:

“The ballot result reflects the anger our members feel at the way Primark is treating its loyal and long-serving workforce in Northern Ireland and I hope the company will now recognise this and return to the negotiating table.”

“Most of our members at Primark earn just £6.84 an hour and they are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. With prices continuing to rise and Government cuts to tax credits and other benefits beginning to bite, most people simply can’t afford to accept what is effectively a pay cut for the second year running.”

“There is no question of Primark being unable to afford a rise. Sales at the company continue to increase by double digits and in the past two years Primark has made profits of £644 million. It’s time for Primark to recognise the exceptional contribution its staff are making to this success.”

Notes for Editors:

1. Usdaw has approximately 641 members employed in Primark’s eight stores in Northern Ireland, around 85% of the total workforce. Primark’s eight stores are located in Ballymena, Belfast, Lisburn, Londonderry City, Londonderry Lisnagelvin, Newry, Newtownabbey and Newtownards.
2. Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK’s fourth biggest and fastest growing trade union with over 410,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 20% in the last six years and by nearly a third in the last decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the Union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.