The Union of Retail ,Bar and Administrative Workers

Lobbying Organisation The Union of Retail ,Bar and Administrative Workers

Date published 12 Feb, 2021

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Employment

Period 1 Sep, 2020 to 31 Dec, 2020

Specific Details Update Minister on the on-going Debenham's dispute and possible resolution to same

Intended results Introduction of new legislation

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Mandate Trade Union - Gerry Light - General Secretary, Officials, Members. Patricia King, General Secretary ICTU

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? Seeking legislation to protect workers' collective agreements in the case of insolvency - case in point being Debenhams

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (1)

?Met with An Taoiseach and Department Officials (19/11/20) to outline the issue in the Debenhams Dispute and seek appropriate remedies

Meeting (1)

Met with Senior Officials from the DEASP (28/09/20) tp update on all aspects of the Debenhams dispute and seek a change in legislation to ensure workers in a similar situation in the future are treated more favourably

Letter (1)

Letter to An Taoiseach requesting a meeting to discuss the outstanding matters in relation to the current Arcadia business, its impact on our members and redress to resolve the issues (22/09/20)

Meeting (2-5)

Met with Minister Damien English and Officials from the Department to give an update on the current Debenhams Dispute (29/07/20 22/07/20)

Meeting (1)

Met with Sinn Fein Delegation headed by Louise O Reilly and received commitment from the Sinn Fein delegation to support the union to find a resolution to the Debenhams Dispute (22/07/20)

Meeting (1)

Met with Labour Party Delegation Marie Sherlock and Aodhan O Riordan and received commitment from the Sinn Fein delegation to support the union to find a resolution to the Debenhams Dispute (2207/20)

Meeting (1)

Met with Leo Varadkar, Damien English, Robert Troy and various DETE Officials and received and commitment from Government representatives to support the union to find a resolution to the Debenhams dispute (22/07/20)

Meeting (2-5)

met with Minister Robert Troy, Department Officials (Patricia King General Secretary, ICTU and Theresa Hannick) seeking changes to relevant company/ labour law (04/11/20) met with Minister Damien English, Department Officials (Patricia King, General Secretary ICTU and Kevin Duffy author of Duffy/Cahill Report) seeking changes to relevant company/labour law (12/10/20)

Letter (11-20)

?Catherine Connolly, Mairead Farrell, Noel Grealish, Eamon O Cuiv, Hildrgrade Naughton, Anne Rabbitte, Ciaran Cannon, Sean Canney, Claire Kerrane, Dennis Naughton, Michael Fitzmaurice, Joe Flaherty, Peter Burke, Robert Troy, Sorca Clarke, Barry Cowen ,Brian Stanley, Carol Nolan ,Charles Flanagan, Sean Fleming Seeking proposed legislation to reflect Duffy/Cahill Report and the current Debenhams Dispute (24/09/20)

Email (1)

Paul Keogh TD, Wexford regarding redundancy in Mc Cauley's Chemists and availing of the TWSS (29/06/20)

Meeting (6-10)

Retail Sector Group - Meetings with DEASP Officials, Minister Damien English and various interest groups with int he secotry 23/12/2020 16/12/2020 02/12/2020 13/11/2020 29/10/2020 21/10/2020 07/10/2020

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Damien English Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Robert Troy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Connolly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mairéad Farrell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Noel Grealish TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Éamon Ó Cuív TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Hildegarde Naughton TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Anne Rabbitte TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ciaran Cannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Canney TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Claire Kerrane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Fitzmaurice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Flaherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Peter Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Barry Cowen TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Stanley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Fleming TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Alan Dillon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Dara Calleary TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Frank Feighan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Marc MacSharry TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Marian Harkin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Martin Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pearse Doherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Charlie McConalogue TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe McHugh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Padráig Mac Lochlainn TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Thomas Pringle TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brendan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Heather Humphreys TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Matt Carthy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Niamh Smyth TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pauline Tully TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Micheál Martin An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Marie Sherlock Councillor (Dublin City Council)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Louise O'Reilly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)