The head of the Mandate trade union says workers at Dunnes Stores need more certainty about their pay and conditions.

John Douglas was responding to yesterday's vote by Dunnes workers to begin industrial action over pay and representation rights.

Mr Douglas, who's also the president of ICTU, says Dunnes needs to give more stable terms and conditions to its own staff:

Mandate says a national strike committee will meet on Tuesday to determine the type of industrial action and the date.

Dunnes Stores worker Cathy McLoughlin said: "Our employer continues to refuse entering into discussions with us through our union, and they won't even go to the Labour Court to address our issues."

"None of us want to go on strike because we really can't afford it, but what other option have we got? Our employer can stop the strike by simply agreeing to meet our union and we don't feel that's an unreasonable request."

More than 5,000 workers in 107 stores across the country have been voting over the past three weeks.

Workers want a number of issues addressed - including the implementation of banded hour contracts which would give workers security of hours and earnings, fair pay for all workers and a review of the use of temporary employment contracts.

The trade union says workers have been threatened with redundancies if they choose to strike.