Mandate refers Boots pay dispute to Labour Court

Friday 10 May 2013

Mandate Trade Union has today (Friday, 10 May 2013) referred an ongoing pay dispute between Boots Retail Ireland and their members to the Labour Court.

The union has been seeking a pay increase for all members of staff at the company following several years of increased profits and exceptional growth for Boots in Ireland.

However, the company is refusing to give longer serving members of staff a pay increase and has threatened those workers with a loss of their productivity bonuses and an agreed Christmas bonus unless they accept a pay reduction of up to 18%.

Brendan O’Hanlon, Divisional Organiser for Mandate Trade Union said, “Over the past three years, the company has reported that it has paid out more than €100 million in dividends to shareholders and yet their workers have not received a single pay increase. In fact, with increases in cost of living, Boots workers have taken an effective pay cut while the company has enjoyed increased profits.

“Last year alone, Boots Ireland increased profits to €17.8 million, yet the company is refusing to commit to a wage increase for all workers. This is completely unacceptable to our members who have helped build the company during the past number of years.

Mr O’Hanlon added, “Our members in Boots believe it is a very reasonable request to seek a pay increase for all workers in Boots at this time, particularly due to the financial hardship many of them are experiencing at the moment.”

Mandate says it referred the pay dispute to the Labour Court due to the exhaustion of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) process.

Some of the key issues in dispute between the company and the union are:

• The union has sought a pay increase for all workers in Boots Ireland, whereas the company is only offering a 2% pay increase to all sales assistants earning below €12ph.
• The company is insisting that any sales assistant earning above €12ph must reduce their wages below that figure in order to achieve a 2% increase. This in some cases means an 18% reduction for a 2% increase.
• All workers who do not reduce their hourly rate below €12ph will not receive their bonuses including a productivity bonus due in June or the agreed Christmas bonus (worth 2%).

Mr O’Hanlon concluded, “Mandate is calling on Boots Ireland, a hugely profitable company paying out enormous dividends to shareholders, do the right thing and reward their workers by committing to a pay increase for all staff members.