Union to ballot Boots workers on industrial action

Mandate Trade Union today said that it is balloting workers in Boots retail stores throughout the country for industrial action.

Boots has 918 members of staff working in 57 stores in Ireland.

Mandate and Boots management entered a series of negotiations after the company informed the union that it was to introduce a range of cost-saving measures, which recently collapsed.

Boots has now threatened to terminate all previously negotiated agreements with Mandate, the union has claimed.

Despite posting €20m profits for the year to March 2008 in Ireland, the company is now attempting to force pay cuts of up to 15.5% along with a reduction in terms and conditions of their employees, Mandate has claimed.

The ballots will commence next week and will be counted on Friday, November 6.

“This is quite clearly an attempt to maximise profits at the expense of ordinary hard working individuals who have helped to make Boots the most successful pharmacy led, health and beauty retail chain in Ireland,” said Mandate assistant general secretary Gerry Light.

“Boots has been operating very successfully in Ireland since 1996. Since then Mandate has negotiated several agreements with Boots all of which have helped to increase profits and productivity for the company.

“Due to Mandate’s refusal to accept the legitimacy of Boots’ cost-saving initiatives, management now want to tear up these agreements and press ahead with changes to terms and conditions which will impact negatively on the standards of living of our members.

“This is something which we will not tolerate considering it’s coming from a company which is still highly profitable and has considerable cash reserves. It is entirely appropriate to demand that a small amount of these accumulated profits are set aside to protect workers terms and conditions, particularly during these troubled times.”