Former Debenhams workers, the so-called ‘Deise 5’ have ended their occupation of the Waterford Debenhams Store.
The workers vowed that stock will not leave the store until "a just settlement is put in place" for the workers.
They spent five days inside the canteen area of the unit at the City Square Shopping Centre after seizing an opportunity to get entry.
It's been almost 180 days since Debenhams announced an end to its Irish operations.
And the #Dèise5 are OUT. #WLRNews pic.twitter.com/buPaQAT1y1
— WLR (@wlrfm) October 2, 2020
Waterford TDs Fianna Fáil Minister Mary Butler and Green Party TD Marc O Cathasaigh visited the picket line separately this morning.
While they offered support, they stopped short of signing the Mandate Trade Union pledge on the picket.
The staff want the company's liquidator KPMG, the government and unions to sit around a table to end the dispute over redundancy.
They're looking for four weeks redundancy per year of service from sale of the stock or for the State to allow monies owed to it as a creditor by the Liquidator be used to meet the workers' demands.
In a statement Michelle Gavin, shop steward for the Waterford store, said:
"We are sick and tired of words from Government politicians. We want action not words. We want real talks which can deliver a fair deal for the Debenhams workers. If Mary Butler and Marc O Cathasaigh can't deliver that now for the Debenhsms workers then I think a lot of people in Waterford will question what value, if any, they have as public representatives for working people in the city.
"We raised the campaign to heights we never imagined would be possible. We have reinvigorated spirits on the picket line and we have built even more support for the campaign which we will continue to fight - whether we’re inside the canteen or outside on the picket line of the store.”
