Deal lifts strike action threat at Primark

The threat of industrial action at Primark in Northern Ireland has finally been lifted after members of the shopworkers’ union Usdaw members voted 95% in favour of accepting the company’s latest pay offer.

Usdaw had suspended strike action due to take place over the St Patrick’s Day holiday weekend after Primark made an eleventh hour pay offer during talks convened at the independent Labour Relations Agency.

The deal means the hourly rate of pay for shop floor workers at Primark will increase by 4.4% from £6.84 to £7.14 from April. Staff will receive a 1% pay increase from 1 January 2012 followed by a further increase of 1.88% from April 2012. In addition, and also from April, the current Christmas bonus of one week’s pay will instead be incorporated into the basic hourly rate, giving all shop floor workers a total hourly rate of £7.14 an hour.

The dispute was originally sparked by Primark’s decision to impose a two-year pay freeze on its Northern Ireland staff (see Fact Service, issue 10).

Nicola Scarborough, Usdaw area organiser, said: “The positive outcome shows the benefits of the company working more closely with Usdaw on pay and other issues of concern to staff.”

www.usdaw.org.uk/newsevents/news/2012/mar/usdawmembersatprimarkinno.aspx