A group of former Debenhams workers were removed by Gardai after they locked themselves inside the loading bay of the store where the retailer had operated on Henry Street last night, saying they wished to prevent the removal of stock from the store.
Around 2,000 workers lost their jobs in April 2020 when Debenhams announced the company was going into liquidation. Since that time workers have been protesting for what they say is a fair redundancy package.
Former staff involved in the Debenhams Strike say they want to prevent stock and company assets being removed from closed stores until the company agrees to four weeks of redundancy payment per year of service for workers.
They gathered at the loading bay for Debenham’s Henry Street last night in response to social media messages that the removal of stock was about to happen. Liquidators KPMG had been granted injunctions by the High Court to prevent demonstrators interfering with efforts to take the stock from 11 stores nationwide.
A fleet of Garda vans arrived at the scene on Parnell Street, where the loading bay was situated at the back of the Henry Street store last night.
Freelance journalist, John Rooney, captured the scene on video last night
https://twitter.com/J1Rooney/status/1385434787192659968
Some of the workers claimed the Garadi had been heavy-handed and that the State was failing to protect worker’s rights.