Former Debenhams workers gathered outside Mandate Trade Union this morning to protest remarks made about their new book which compared it to toilet paper.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Debenhams announced that none of its 11 Irish branches would reopen and workers picketed stores for 406 days to fight for redundancy payments.
The book is called "Tales from the Debenhams Picket Line" and chronicles the women spent on strike.
Comments made by the Mandate Trade Union's Vice President Joe Quinn were posted online and showed he compared the book to "sh*t paper".
He wrote in a private message conversation: "Absolutely they have a right to tell their story....."
"As I said if it's not expensive it will make fantastic sh*t paper. Only problem is it might be expensive or could leave print on my arse."
Some of the former Debenhams workers gathered outside Mandate Trade Union this morning, holding toilet paper in protest of Mr Quinn's comments.
The women said they were "hurt" and "upset" by Mr Quinn's "vile" comments.
Jane Crowe was among those present and called for a "proper investigation" into the remarks.
She told Dublin Live: "We're here today outside Mandate Trade Union because the vice president representing all its members just decided in his wisdom to slate our book which someone took the time to write about us and to have a go at our 406 days that we were on strike and picket.
"He made some vile comments about our book, using it as toilet paper, which really upset ourselves and our families and all of our supporters and many other members of Mandate Trade Union itself.
"It's absolutely disgusting what he did. Mandate are trying to separate themselves and say he did it in a personal capacity.
"He may have done it in his personal time but he's always the vice president of all the members of the trade union and we are members of the trade union so he did it in a professional capacity.
"We're asking that an investigation is done, that the National Executive actually do a proper investigation into this and not one behind curtains, but one where we know what the outcome actually is."
After Mr Quinn's comments were published online, Mandate Trade Union distanced themselves from the remarks and said they were made "in a personal capacity only".
They said in a statement released last week: "In the recent past comments were posted on social media that were attributed to Mr Joe Quinn, Vice President of Mandate Trade Union.
"These comments relate to a published book on the Debenhams strike. I would like to explicitly clarify that these comments were made by Mr Quinn in a personal capacity only, without the knowledge or authority of the union.
"They do not reflect the views or the values of the union its staff or members of the National Executive Council. In response, the union has now taken prompt action as per its internal procedures. Based on the foregoing, the National Executive Council is satisfied that this unfortunate event has been dealt with and addressed appropriately."
Dublin Live has contacted Mr Quinn and Mandate Trade Union for comment.
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