Former Debenhams workers stage sit-down protest in Limerick, Ireland

 

18/05/2021 | 11:44 AM

DAVID RALEIGH

A bid by liquidators to have stock removed from the former Debenhams store in Limerick city failed on Monday night, after about 100 ex-staff and supporters staged a sit-down protest at the premises over their claim for redundancy from the ailing company.

Many uniformed gardaí kept a watching brief as members of the Garda Public Order Unit forcibly removed protesters away from entrance gates to the building’s delivery depot.

However, protesters then laid down on the road to stop trucks entering the site.

Ex-Debenhams staff have been picketing outside the building for the past 400 days, conducting a blockade at entry points to try to prevent liquidators from removing stock, as an attempt at leverage behind their demand for fair compensation.

Debenhams closed its 11 Irish stores in April last year amid the first Covid lockdown, resulting in the loss of around 2,000 jobs.

The ex-workers, who have received only their statutory entitlements from their social insurance, claim they were laid off by email, with no notice and no redundancy after decades of service in many cases.

They claim the UK-based retailer broke the terms of a 2016 agreement to pay workers two weeks’ statutory redundancy plus two weeks ex-gratia, per year of service, in the event of redundancy.

“At around midnight gardaí started to block off the roads approaching Debenhams, including access to O'Connell Street and Liddy Street. Workers refused to move when instructed and dozens of gardaí from the Public Order Unit were used to remove workers one by one,” said a spokesperson for the Solidarity party.

“However, when the first truck approached the junction of William St and Henry St and attempted to gain access to the entrances to the loading bay, workers and supporters lay down in front of it. After another stand off between approximately 100 workers and supporters and 70 gardaí, the trucks eventually retreated, and as gardaí started to pack up crash barriers to leave the demonstrators sang 'Limerick, You're A Lady' in celebration.”