Pfizer to keep 100 workers after review

Pfizer has confirmed that a change in work practices and an upsurge in workload means it is not going to press ahead with 100 of the 130 redundancies it had flagged one of its Cork plants two years ago.

In 2012, it emerged that the company was planning 130 job losses at its Ringaskiddy facility after one of its biggest-selling drugs, the cholesterol-reducing Lipitor, had come off patent. However, a spokeswoman yesterday confirmed Pfizer had decided not to proceed with 100 of the redundancies.

“This is due to a change in manufacturing volumes, and also due to significant changes in how the site operates which have delivered much greater competitiveness,” she said. “A significant proportion of manufacturing in Ringaskiddy is in post-patent medicines — those that have faced patent expiration.

“The original decision was taken due to falling volumes in some of our largest volume products and site manufacturing costs needed to achieve greater competitiveness.”

The spokeswoman added that the site had managed to secure €22m investment in a new product technology laboratory which, she said, will enable the site to begin producing products from Pfizer’s pipeline and complex therapies “to deal with some of the most devastating and difficult diseases to cure”.

However, she also warned: “Post-patent markets are extremely competitive and volumes can be unpredictable. We will continue to monitor volumes and demand.”

In relation to the change in work practices, Siptu, which represents 60 operators in Ringaskiddy, said a “transformational” agreement was brokered with the company in 2013 in the Labour Relations Commission.

“This innovation agreement led to almost half of the planned operator job cuts being avoided,” said Siptu organiser Alan O’Leary. “Since then, the union has continued dialogue with management in a forensic review of the remaining job cuts and planned closure of the OSP3 building.

“A business case was then jointly formulated by the union and Pfizer management to save the remaining jobs. The decision by Pfizer headquarters in New York last week to accept the joint business plan and reverse the job cuts is a significant vote of confidence in the workforce at Ringaskiddy and is an example of a completely positive turnaround.”

Mr O’Leary said it was the transformational agreement with Pfizer which provided the right environment to secure new investment.

“The latest confirmation by Pfizer that it will reverse all of the planned 60 operator job cuts proves that adopting a partnership approach to new and innovative ways of working can provide a viable alternative option for restructuring without negatively impacting workers,” he said.

Research and Innovation Minister Sean Sherlock said “I am particularly pleased that all stakeholders engaged to come to this result. Pfizer operates a crucial role in the pharmaceutical sector and within the Cork region as a whole. I look forward to the plant and company continuing to grow into the future, providing essential local employment.”