SIPTU to seek clarification from Pfizer on 180 reported job losses

SIPTU has said it is seeking clarification from Pfizer that the company plans to cut 180 jobs at its plants in Co Cork.

The Irish Examiner reported today that Pfizer is to let 180 workers go at its two Cork plants in Little Island and Ringaskiddy, with staff to be briefed on the job losses later this week.

The Irish Examiner reported that between 120 and 130 jobs would go at the Ringaskiddy plant and the remainder at Little Island, where the cholesterol reduction drug Lipitor is produced.

Lipitor came off patent in America in Nov 2011 and in Europe last month, resulting in fears among the Little Island workforce that the plant would be closed and production transferred to the Ringaskiddy facility.

Lipitor is the biggest selling medicine in the world, earning Pfizer $14bn (€11.2bn) a year.

SIPTU represents 356 workers at the company's facilities in Ringaskiddy and Little Island.

The union said it was aware that the pharmaceutical group was conducting a business review.

Management at Pfizer recently disclosed some information about the review process to staff but it did not include any details of possible job losses.

The company said it would talk to workers once the review had been completed.