Workers occupy Woolworth stores in a dispute over redundancy payment.
Workers begin a sit in at Woolworth stores around the country to protest at redundancy offers. The 277 Woolworth employees are set to lose their jobs when the company closes its entire Irish operation on 6 October 1984. The workers consider the redundancy settlement of four weeks pay per year of service, to a maximum £17,000 to be unacceptable.
The workers occupying 15 of the 18 Woolworth outlets are members of the Irish Distributive and Administrative trade union.
A spokesperson for the Woolworth store group warns that if the staff do not return to work quickly, they will take action to regain control. The company also indicates the union members action in occupying the stores would jeopardise the existing redundancy offer.
This report shows Woolworth stores in Bray, County Wicklow and Henry Street in Dublin.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 10 September 1984. The footage shown here is mute.
