Pharmacy group faces industrial action threat over contracts row

One of the country’s largest pharmacy groups is facing the prospect of industrial action if a dispute over “unilateral” changes to staff contracts cannot be resolved.

According to Siptu, Uniphar Retail Services Group has inserted an “unacceptable” clause in the new contracts “stipulating that change can be implemented in line with business needs, which will invariably render void any agreed terms and conditions”.

Siptu, which is not recognised by Uniphar for collective negotiation purposes, claims the firm is making “unlawful” deductions from workers’ pay despite a number of rights commissioner rulings that the deductions are in breech of the Payment of Wages Act.

Siptu organiser, Graham Macken, said one worker he was representing had suffered a loss of 27% on her annual income through a reduction in hours, her rate of pay, and the loss of €96 per month which had been paid into her pension.

Mr Macken said Siptu has not yet balloted its members for industrial action pending the outcome of upcoming “proximity” talks with management in relation to one of the 60 outlets in the Uniphar chain — O’Sullivan’s Pharmacy in Bantry, Co Cork.

The Siptu official said the reductions in salary have left some of the employees “on the bread line”.

Yesterday a number of workers at Roches Pharmacy in Gorey, Co Wexford, staged a protest over the situation.

Mr Macken said: “The company has refused to take part in direct conciliation talks aimed at finding an agreed resolution to issues raised by its staff. This intransigence on the part of management has resulted in the workers deciding to proceed with their protest.”

Two similar protests were staged at the Bantry Pharmacy and at Byrne’s pharmacy in Stoneybatter at the end of last year. Mr Macken said further protests were being planned.

Uniphar Retail Services Ltd were unavailable for comment.