Chemist chain Boots to stay open 'in event of strikes'
Saturday November 07 2009
BOOTS last night moved to reassure customers its stores will remain open despite planned industrial action by some of its workers.
A total of 394 MANDATE trade union members (64pc) voted in favour of industrial action yesterday.
MANDATE intends to serve notice of industrial action to the company's headquarters on Monday morning.
The UK-based pharmacy has around 1,700 people employed in 57 stores in Ireland and the union claims the company is attempting to force pay cuts of up to 15.5pc, along with a reduction in terms and conditions for employees.
Rhys Iley, director of Boots Ireland, told the Irish Independent he is "very disappointed" with the decision for industrial action.
"We categorically are not cutting anyone's pay or hours and there are no planned redundancies," he said.
He said the company has made "some changes which are necessary in the current climate".
"Some of our colleagues will be having a pay freeze this year but this is on the back of a pay increase of 6pc this year and over 80pc of people received additional money through our bonus schemes," Mr Iley added.
Reasonable
He said the workers' top rate of €14.20 per hour will be reduced to €12.75 for new employees and not employees currently contracted.
He also said changes will be made to the premium rates for Sundays and bank holidays but "anyone contracted will remain on double time, while new people will get the rate of time-and-a-half."
Changes are also being introduced to working practices at weekends -- employees will have to work a maximum of two in four weekends as opposed to a minimum of one in four.
"Our employment offer is very reasonable in the market," Mr Iley said.
He said the €20m profits made by the company for the year to March 2008 were "re-invested in Ireland and led to job creation".
Mr Iley said stores will remain open and pharmacies will continue to dispense medicines during any planned industrial action by MANDATE members.
Assistant general secretary of MANDATE Gerry Light said strike action was a "very last resort" for workers.
"Workers are not prepared to be used as a sacrifice for the greedy profiteering of a highly profitable company," he said.
- Denise Clarke
Irish Independent
