Schering Plough receives notice as second strike of 2005 looms
Management at the pharmaceutical plant confirmed yesterday that they received the strike notice from the workers’ union, SIPTU, almost two weeks ago. As of yet no discussions have taken place between the management and workers to avert the strike.
However, SIPTU confirmed yesterday that they have been invited to take part in discussions next Tuesday with the Labour Relations Commission (LRC).
Among the issues included in the strike notice is the installation of CCTV cameras to monitor the quality of production at the plant in Brinny, Co Cork. Compulsory redundancies are also an issue of concern.
A SIPTU official confirmed that the strike is due to take place at the plant on Saturday, December 10 next. He said the union is hopeful talks will take place to resolve the issues raising concern.
Over the last two years the company has laid off over 330 workers at their Cork plant, near Innishannon, including 161 full- time workers in February.
In May over 100 workers staged an unofficial picket outside the plant over issues which also concerned the installation of CCTV cameras.
Schering Plough employs around 550 people at the Cork site and they have been in operation at Brinny for nearly 20 years.
The Cork plant produces drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients used in the treatment of chronic Hepatitis B and C, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis.
The American-owned company employs about 30,000 staff worldwide, with around 1,400 employed in Ireland.
Last month the company’s global headquarters said quarterly profits rose a better-than-expected 29% on cost cuts and sales of its
Yasmin birth control pill. The company also said sales rose 9% to €1.36 billion worldwide.
They said net income rose to €160 million, or 84 cent a share, from €124m, or 65 cent, a year earlier. Schering is closing plants worldwide to improve its profitability.
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