Mandate Trade Union has served notice of industrial action on Boots stores which will see workers placing pickets at their Westport store on Saturday November 28.
According to the union, workers in Boots voted emphatically for industrial action by a margin of two to one in favour last Friday. Mandate say there was an unprecedented turnout of 89 per cent of all members in the ballot for industrial action, clearly demonstrating the democratic nature of the process.
Boots has 918 full time members of staff working in 57 stores in the Republic of Ireland, according to the company’s own audited accounts.
Among the issues is that despite the huge profits recorded by Boots in 2008 the company are attempting to change the terms and conditions of their workers including cuts in pay; the company have threatened to rip up all previous agreements negotiated over 15 years of partnership and Boots management will not attend a Labour Court hearing with Mandate.
