Debenhams workers today (9th April) mark the first anniversary of the store going into liquidation. Next month sees the anniversary of the start of their strike action, with no negotiated settlement yet in sight.

Earlier last year, Debenhams went into liquidation with the loss of over 1,000 jobs. The sudden announcement, coupled with the Coivd-19 pandemic, denied the workers access a collective redundancy agreement negotiated by their union Mandate.

The staff want the Government to make a recently-established €3 million training fund available for cash payments, plus legislation to make sure this never happens again.

Today’s anniversary will see workers and supporters stage socially-distanced gatherings at the stores. An online rally, via the Stand With Debenhams Facebook page, is also set to take place, with a number of trade union and public representatives speaking alongside worker representatives.

Mandate wants the store and its liquidator to honour redundancy terms agreed with the union in 2016. The redundant staff says Debenhams Ireland had assets in its stock and fixtures that could be used towards honouring its commitments to staff.

Earlier this year, Mandate’s national executive council, and the union’s Debenhams negotiating team, wrote to Fórsa to thank its members for a €10,000 donation towards the Debenhams workers’ strike fund. The Fórsa executive had earlier sanctioned the contribution as an act of solidarity.