debenhams workers show the way to resist mass layoffs Debenhams shut down in April and left 2,000 workers in the lurch. In response, the workers have organised numerous protests outside stores, the high court and the Dáil, while adhering to social distancing, with the support and assistance of Socialist Party members. Since this article was written, 97% of the workers have voted to take industrial action, with a 76% turnout. RuTH COPPINGER looks at the significance of this battle. Debenhams Ireland workers were sacked by email on Easter Thursday — just two days after the company had assured them their jobs were safe. Such callous indifference to workers — some with decades of service going back to Roches Stores and the launch of Debenhams into Ireland in 1996. On April 6, Stefaan Vansteenkiste, Debenhams chief executive, had said the company would go into administration to protect its workers, so it could resume trading once government restrictions were lifted, stating:
“We are working with a group of highly supportive owners and lenders and anticipate that additional funding will be made available to bridge us through the current crisis period.” (Irish Times 6/4/20). One of these ‘supportive owners’ and lenders is Bank of Ireland who part-own the Debenhams parent company, Celine Jersey TopCo Ltd, with what appears to be a vulture fund. Debenhams workers have rightly asked how a bank we bailed out a decade ago, and in which the state has a stake, could be allowed to pull the plug on Debenhams and dump the workers.
Debenhams a test case As millions of workers worldwide are now finding, Covid-19 is an opportune time for millionaire shareholders to cut their losses, cast off their workforces and leave taxpayers to pay minimum redundancy. Debenhams is a test case and the response to it will be the benchmark for other firms. This week the Dalata / Clayton hotel chain announced thousands of redundancies. As did Aer Lingus and Ryanair. More will inevitably follow. Retail Ireland has warned of 110,000 job losses in retail alone. Oasis, Warehouse and Laura Ashley followed Debenhams announcement. Rumours abound of other retail giants like Penneys and Next following SuMMEr 2020 l SocialiSt altErNativE l 15
