Eighth strike day held by staff at Lloyds pharmacies

STAFF AT Lloyds pharmacies in Bray, Shankill and Wicklow town were among staff in around 40 stores across Ireland to go on strike last Saturday.

According to a spokesman for the trade union Mandate, the strike is because of ‘ low pay and zero hour contracts in the company’.

Mandate Trade Union has apologised for any inconvenience caused to the public but say the company has left their members with no choice but to strike after management refused to accept a Labour Court recommendation instructing them to negotiate with their workers’ representatives.

This was the eighth strike which the Lloyds workers have engaged in in recent months.

Mandate General Secretary John Douglas said that management has ‘refused to acknowledge their workers’ right to be represented by a trade union of their choice’.

‘Our members do not want to be out on strike, they want to be in their pharmacies serving their patients and their customers. It is extremely disappointing that management don’t pick up the phone and make a call to Mandate agreeing to a meeting so that we can avoid this major inconvenience for their customers, their workers and prevent any further damage to the business,’ said Mr Douglas.

‘Lloyds Pharmacy is an extremely profitable company, owned by the largest pharmaceutical company on the planet, and yet they employ their workers in Ireland on zero hour contracts with pay rates close to the minimum wage. This is unacceptable,’ he said.

The 270 Mandate members are looking for a pay increase with adequate incremental pay scales (Lloyds workers’ pay scales start at €10 per hour); a sufficient sick pay scheme; security of hours; improvements in annual leave entitlements and public holiday premiums.

A ninth strike is set for next Satur- day, August 25.

While Lloyds argues that it does not operate zero hour contracts, Mandate insists that contracts do not guarantee any hours of employment for workers.

A spokesperson for Lloyds said that the pharmacy employees are represented by their Colleague Representative Committee (CRC).

‘A majority of colleagues have voted in favour of enhanced terms and conditions, negotiated by the CRC on their behalf. These ballots were passed in April and this month respectively,’ said the spokesperson.

These proposals include pay increases, the elimination of minimum wage across the business, in- troduction of pay- scales and banded hours, a sick pay scheme and long service recognition amongst other benefits.

‘We now have collective buy-in for a banded hours policy which will bring added certainty on an important issue. LloydsPharmacy do not and have never had zero-hour contracts,’ said the spokesperson. ‘We will also bring forward details of the voluntary redundancy scheme.

‘We are committed to building on the progress of recent months, and to continuing to work collaboratively with the CRC to the betterment of our colleagues and the patients we care for,’ the spokesperson said.