- By Paula Geraghty

Retail workers at HMV have occupied two shops in Limerick in the South West of Ireland. Yesterday HMV Ireland announced that all 16 shops in the Republic were to close owing workers pay, overtime, Christmas holiday pay, time in lieu and redundancy. Workers at HMV UK are in a different jurisdiction and have different rights.The 92-year old music retailer went into administration recently, as the latest high street victim of the recession and the shift to online shopping. 4,000 jobs are affected.

There are 14 people in the Cruise Street shop, which is in the busy city centre shopping area. Workers are devastated as the last pay cheque was on the 21st of December, and they were expecting their pay cheque tomorrow. Dearbháil, the store manager had been working there for 15 years and described the solidarity as overwhelming, with food and drink coming from many people and local companies. Ciaran and Michelle, a couple both working for HMV, spoke of bills and rent to be paid and not knowing how they would be paid.

Workers slept in the store overnight and are determined to stay until they get what they deserve. Workers said that they were in touch with other workers in HMV throughout Ireland and that they would take further action to get justice.