THE MANDATE TRADE union has “cautiously” welcomed Dunnes Stores’ concession of a three per cent pay rise for workers.

The union said management confirmed the move this morning at in-store communications meetings with staff across the country.

Though Mandate said this shows what workers can achieve when they stick together, they said it ultimately does not address workers’ key concerns.

What is of utmost importance, Gerry Light, Mandate Assistant General Secretary said today, is security of hours, with three quarters of workers on part-time flexible contracts.

Any pay increase must be implemented with banded hour contracts to ensure workers have decent and secure earnings from week to week. At the moment they don’t know if they’ll have the hours and the income to pay their electricity bill or feed their families next month. They can’t get a mortgage or a credit union loan because of their low-hour contacts,” he said.

As part of the ongoing campaign, Mandate will be hosting a major national demonstration on 6 June in Dublin city.

Read: Dunnes Stores workers vote for a national protest march in June>

Zero-hour contracts: What companies use them and what’s being done about it?>