Boots workers are fighting back against attempts by Alliance Boots, the hugely profitable retail pharmacy group to slash their terms and conditions of employment.
As part of this process SIPTU the trade union engaged with the public in relation to proposed cuts in the Premium Pay and non payment for breaks outside the three Boots Stores in Cookstown on Thursday. Workers in Boots have already had their Pension Benefits cut and their sick pay scheme terms have been reduced.
Martin O’Rourke, SIPTU lead organiser commenting on the engagements stated,
“The members of the public we spoke to in Cookstown were shocked to learn that this Company which recently made a payment of 1,000,000 pounds to a senior manager, and who made in excess of 1 Billion pounds profit last year were intent upon reducing the earning of workers who currently earn only slightly in excess of the minimum wage.
We urge Boots Management to reconsider this ill advised, unfair and unacceptable proposal and to engage with the worker representatives in meaningful negotiations to address the issues of concern with staff that we first raised in October last year. We are preparing for additional engagements with the public outside the stores if management fail in this regard.
The Trade Union insists that Boots workers who are members of SIPTU will not be taken advantage of. “We insist on fair play by this profitable Company who we believe is trying to milk the recession by cutting wages and conditions of loyal and hardworking staff, the very people who have made Boots the High Street success story it is,” added Martin O’Rourke.
Our members have informed us they are not prepared to accept this unacceptable alteration and we are going to stand shoulder to shoulder with them on this and the other issues of concern to them.
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