MANDATE TRADE UNION JULY 2018 SHOPFLOOR RETAIL WORKERS FIGHTING BACK l Minister supports striking LloydsPharmacy workers l Customers in their thousands back the stoppages l Trade union movement rolls in behind brave strikers FULL COVERAGE – PAGES 2,3,4,5 & 7 General Secretary NEWS John Douglas Mandate Trade Union Lloyds SWTeR mAIuGstH pTu TnAisLhK bIaNdG employer behaviour workers in IT’S proving to be a long hot summer for Mandate hour contracts (they did not); they even went as far members as they attempt to vindicate their basic as setting up their own in-house “yellow union” – and human rights to have a voice at work through a all of this because they feared the collective strength battle for union of their choosing. of workers with a voice in an independent union. Given the recent reactions of employers, such as TK Their first bribe to employees failed miserably and Maxx, Tesco, LloydsPharmacy and others, one would they have promised that they will further increase have to ask why should decent, hard-working employ - pay and improve conditions again – all within the ees have to endure taking to the streets so that they space of 10 weeks when they did nothing for the can have a voice at work through their union? Why previous 10 years. It just goes to prove that the should workers – the majority of whom are lower paid surest way to improve your wages and conditions is decent work – be forced by large corporations to lose wages in order to join and be active in your union – solidarity and to be heard? collectivism pays dividends for workers. The same corporations have a plethora of employer TK Maxx followed a similar pattern of behaviour. organisations to which they belong to represent their Despite the Labour Court advising them to engage best interests – from IBEC, Chambers of Commerce and with the employees’ union, Mandate, they instead a battery of high-powered legal firms and consultants. choose to try and buy the loyalty of workers at local Deep pockets can buy you a voice as an employer and, level – why??? Because they know workers united will and trade at the same time, be used to stop and intimidate work - make a positive difference to terms and conditions. ers having any say whatsoever. Again, our members are smarter and wiser than to fall One would have to ask themselves what are em - for the short-termism of money today, but employer ployers afraid of when workers combine and join payback down the road. unions – what are they trying to hide? Sadly, this is the approach Tesco Ireland is exploring There can be only one answer to the above question following the recent strike. Regardless of the rights – that is that workers combining and joining unions or wrongs of the strike – and there were many union rights tips the power balance relationship away from the em - rights/wrongs on both sides – the recent behaviour ployer and towards the workers, and in doing so gives of Tesco is a clear indication that they are choosing a By David Gibney workers a very real chance of improving their wages path of closing down free and independent workers’ Mandate communications officer and other terms and conditions of employment. voice at work. The LloydsPharmacy example is a case in point. For This is regrettable because Mandate has in the past years the employer simply ignored the predicament of always held Tesco up as being an employer of high just wish it could be sorted as quickly their employees, who were on low wages, zero-hour standing and while at this moment their terms and as possible.” contracts, no sick pay or pension scheme etc., etc. Fi - conditions are among the leaders in retail, Tesco MORE than 250 workers in Ireland’s Mandate highlighted the hypocrisy nally a sizable group of workers decided to stand up to workers would have to ask themselves as to why the largest pharmacy chain, Lloyds Phar - of the company who are happy to ac - this exploitation and join Mandate and collectively company is spending so much time and effort in try - macy,S hoavpefl onoor w gone on strike five cept very beneficial financial con - fight for better wages and condi - ing to snuff out a free and independent workers’ voice times for their basic human right to tracts from the State through the HSE, tions. As soon as they did this, via their unions (Mandate/SIPTU)? be represented by a trade union of but refuse to accept a recommenda - their choice. there was an immediate re - It is difficult to come to any conclusion other than tion from the State’s industrial rela - As is going to print, the tions body, the Labour Court. sponse from LloydsPharmacy, Tesco is prepared to invest large sums of money and workers are preparing for their sixth their employer. They started effort in the short term to buy its employees with the Mandate has apologised for any in - action on Friday, 20th July 2018. convenience caused to the public but throwing money at the long-term aim of removing employees’ future ability Tlhe strikes relate to a claim by insists any blaSmuep pfor thivee action must workers to buy them off: to independently improve their own terms and con - Mandate on behalf of its more than be directed towards the company they improved wage rates ditions, by collective means. 25l0 members employed by Lloyd - who have forced their workers into Shopfloor (but not nearly enough); In other words, tipping the power balance rela - sPharmacy including: taking industrial action. they introduced a sick pay tionship at work fully in favour of the employer. If l A pay increase and incremental scheme (substandard); they pay scales; this happens workers need to ask themselves are Assistant General Secretary Gerry l The introduction of a sick pay said they would end zero- they prepared to settle for the crumbs off the rich Light told : “The public have scheme; man’s table into the future? been very suportive. They under - Our members and this union – indeed, the whole Security of hours and the elimi - stand what this dispute is about. trade union movement in Ireland – are not prepared nation of zero-hour contracts; and LloydsPharmacy is part of a highly to stand idly by and allow employers to do this. We Improvements in annual leave profitable multi-national corporation are prepared to engage in genuine and good faith entitlements and public holiday pre - who can easily afford to pay their miums. bargaining with any employer, but for those employ - workers a decent wage with fair con - Earlier this year, the Labour Court ers who set out to deny or remove workers’ voices in ditions of employment, including the issued a recommendation stating: elimination of zero hour contracts independent and free trade unions, then we must all “the Court recommends that the par - and an adequate sick pay scheme. stand united together and fight back by all means at ties engage in order to seek agree - “These workers look after their our disposal. ment in relation to the matters raised communities and, in turn, their com - We, the 700,000 union members and our families, by the Trade Union.” pany should look after them and re - must vote with our feet. We must only spend our Lloyds management have refused spect their right to representation.” union euros where workers count. We must punish to accept this recommendation, leav - McKesson Corporation is the bad employer behaviour. ing the workers with no alternative largest pharmaceutical company in but to go on strike. Stronger together, united in solidarity. the world with revenues of €177 bil - June Kelly, a Lloyds Pharmacy lion for 2017/2018. Shopfloor is published bi-monthly by Mandate Trade Union . worker from Ballyfermot, said: “It’s In a letter to Mandate, Heather Mandate Head Office, O'Lehane House, 9 Cavendish Row, Dublin 1 T: 01-8746321/2/3 F: 01-8729581 W: www.mandate.ie heartbreaking. None of us want to be Humphreys TD, Minister for Busi - Design & Editing: Brazier Media E: [email protected]. Shopfloor is edited, produced and printed by trade union labour on strike. We don’t want to let our ness, Enterprise, and Innovation has customers down. Our customers are 2 called on the compaSnHyO,P “FLiOnO RliynJeu lyw 2i0t1h 8 very important to us because we the Court’s recommendation”, to work within the community and we “proactively and constructively en - know them on a first name basis. I gage in order to find an acceptable NEWS LloydsPharmacy workers at Nutgrove on the picket line during the first stoppage US-style union busting must be defeated THE damage LloydsPharmacy are doing to capital we are all merely a number and a an important dispute in terms of union their reputation in Ireland by prolonging an piece of labour property they believe they recognition and the human right of workers unnecessary industrial dispute is immeasur - Brian own. to be represented by their union in their able. Their dominant ideology is to avoid LloydsPharmacy by their anti-union and workplace. dealing with unions ‘at all costs’ even if it Forbes anti-worker behavior are exhibiting all The entire union movement must roll in impacts on their business, reputation and Mandate the characteristics of a typical American behind this dispute and collectively flex its once loyal customer base. National union-busting corporation which is clearly industrial and political muscle or we continue This approach by LloydsPharmacy is Coordinator not the ‘Irish way’ and is a tactic which could to fail the memory of Connolly and Larkin.