Bausch + Lomb Strike

Dunmoreroader

Surprised not to find any new post on this yet so let me start one;
Are the workers in B+L threatening to strike, turkeys voting for Christmas?
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/health-pharma/high-stake-bluffs-at-bausch-lomb-1.2900217

Wanderer78

I actually sympathise with the workers and wish them the very best in this dispute even though it could end badly for them. The root causes of this dispute is complex but if you tell your people, 'Keep the recovery going', they will come looking for a pay rise, eventually, particularly when the cost of living is steadily rising. Best of luck folks

Harry Palmr

What fools. Learn to pick your battles lads, this is not the right one.

Jamie2k9

The workers appear exceptionally greedy here. Yes I fully understand they took big pay cuts in 2014 but the increase been restored is more than generous.

Wanderer78

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

The workers appear exceptionally greedy here. Yes I fully understand they took big pay cuts in 2014 but the increase been restored is more than generous.

greed, now thats an interesting word!

a very interesting story regarding tax:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1212/838197-oxfam-tax-ireland/

Jamie2k9

Wanderer78 wrote: »

greed, now thats an interesting word!

a very interesting story regarding tax:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1212/838197-oxfam-tax-ireland/

I mean what worker expects to get full restoration in one go?

As for Oxfam, I'm sure their chief is served well by Ireland

Max Powers

One thing I heard couple years ago, is that vistakon in limerick, different company, but they can make t their contact lenses at two thirds cost as b&l.gut says, take what's on table, too many unknowns out in the world/market .I really hope both sides can agree soon situation which l keeps jobs and doesn't jeopardise future.sometimes I wonder how people vote to strike in some situations.... are they given a fair balanced picture of some facts not table banging.....easy for me to say as I don't know ins and outs of company and working there.fingers crossed sorted soon, in general,strikes are not welcome by anyone and not good news.

uck51js9zml2yt

Didn't they have job losses a few years ago with some production going abroad...or was it only threatened and pay cuts followed.

BBM77

Max Powers wrote: »

One thing I heard couple years ago, is that vistakon in limerick, different company, but they can make t their contact lenses at two thirds cost as b&l.gut says, take what's on table, too many unknowns out in the world/market .I really hope both sides can agree soon situation which l keeps jobs and doesn't jeopardise future.sometimes I wonder how people vote to strike in some situations.... are they given a fair balanced picture of some facts not table banging.....easy for me to say as I don't know ins and outs of company and working there.fingers crossed sorted soon, in general,strikes are not welcome by anyone and not good news.

Absolutely. I’m sorry to anybody in B&L but they are paid the going rate for what they do. You have to live in the real world, you could move that plant to many countries and they could get people to do the same job for half the money. Also, there was an agreement made that they are now going back on. If the company did the same thing the union would be up in arms talking about evil big business treating their employees badly.

Junior

BBM77 wrote: »

Absolutely. I’m sorry to anybody in B&L but they are paid the going rate for what they do. You have to live in the real world, you could move that plant to many countries and they could get people to do the same job for half the money. Also, there was an agreement made that they are now going back on. If the company did the same thing the union would be up in arms talking about evil big business treating their employees badly.

They could move the factory and get people to do it for half what they do, but those factories may or may not get FDA approval, may not get a license from the Japanese either. If this is the risk the company wants to take then let them, I've seen it time and again where jobs have been outsourced to countries like India in the Pharma area and they've eventually come back to Europe, as the product quality and or the quality of air/water needed for a high end pharma product can't be guaranteed.

B&L are the only company in the parent group that are making money, the whole group is leveraged to the eyeballs in debt, the only way they can get out of that is if they break the union at B&L, drive their costs down to the bare minimum or less if they can get away with it and maximize their profits.

B&L is the thin edge of the wedge my friend.

mooseknunkle

BBM77 wrote: »

Absolutely. I’m sorry to anybody in B&L but they are paid the going rate for what they do. You have to live in the real world, you could move that plant to many countries and they could get people to do the same job for half the money. Also, there was an agreement made that they are now going back on. If the company did the same thing the union would be up in arms talking about evil big business treating their employees badly.

What agreement are they going back on?

CatFromHue

https://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2016/1208/ireland/bausch-lomb-staff-face-job-losses-434217.html

The company accused Siptu of rejecting WRC and Labour Court recommendations

If this is true I have no sympathy for the workers. This is the same as I would for a company that rejected WRC and Labour Court recommendations.

doe_juffy

Good to see Waterford still stuck in the 1980s as usual.

Wanderer78

doe_juffy wrote: »

Good to see Waterford still stuck in the 1980s as usual.

the average joe is no fool. its clearly obvious that the cost of living is rising and that wages are stagnant or decreasing. we are seeing a failure in fundamental economic principles and theories such as neoliberalism and neoclassical theory, the average job sees this as, im getting screwed, always have been and always will be, and ive had enough! our economic and financial systems are failing, and people are starting to stand up and say, enough is enough.

doe_juffy

Hope the Google Instant Streetview cameras are doing an update this month. Might as well show the world another strike in Waterford.

Harry Palmr

Wanderer78 wrote: »

the average joe is no fool. its clearly obvious that the cost of living is rising and that wages are stagnant or decreasing. we are seeing a failure in fundamental economic principles and theories such as neoliberalism and neoclassical theory, the average job sees this as, im getting screwed, always have been and always will be, and ive had enough! our economic and financial systems are failing, and people are starting to stand up and say, enough is enough.

and they'll be able to say "enough is enough" at their leisure if they lose their jobs.

Wanderer78

Harry Palmr wrote: »

and they'll be able to say "enough is enough" at their leisure if they lose their jobs.

its a fair point, but at some point, the working classes, have to stand up and and truly say, enough is enough. to this point, alan greenspan's theory of economics, i.e. 'worker insecurity' has been holding strong, it has to give somewhere, somehow. i have a lot of respect for workers that stand up for what they feel is right, particularly when the odds are stacked against them, it takes a lot of courage to do so and i wish them the best of luck with it.

CatFromHue

Wanderer78 wrote: »

its a fair point, but at some point, the working classes, have to stand up and and truly say, enough is enough. to this point, alan greenspan's theory of economics, i.e. 'worker insecurity' has been holding strong, it has to give somewhere, somehow. i have a lot of respect for workers that stand up for what they feel is right, particularly when the odds are stacked against them, it takes a lot of courage to do so and i wish them the best of luck with it.

What's your take on employees or employers ignoring labour court recommendations?

Wanderer78

CatFromHue wrote: »

What's your take on employees or employers ignoring labour court recommendations?

sometimes you have to question what are the basis of these recommendations. we have to start realising, we ve been sold a pup in the form free market economics which ultimately comes from the chicago school of economics and the washington consensus. our political systems are being undermined by the theories and principles backing these processes. i thoroughly believe the overall aim of these processes and systems is to create 'worker insecurity' and is working very effectively. believe it or not, not all laws are there to protect the majority, but are sometimes there to oppress and control certain sections of society, possibly the majority, for the gain of the minority.

CatFromHue

now that's how to not answer a question :pac:

Kracken

I have family working up there, when they made redundancits a few years ago,they made benefit cuts, closed their canteen as well as 20% pay cut but yet have posted year on year growth based profits.

One wage families had to take huge hits and their salary aren' big either.

Every large company has tried it, talk talk, etc. You would think their community would support them. But I have never seen such spite and envy from a city.

Allinall

Kracken wrote: »

I have family working up there, when they made redundancits a few years ago,they made benefit cuts, closed their canteen as well as 20% pay cut but yet have posted year on year growth based profits.

One wage families had to take huge hits and their salary aren' big either.

Every large company has tried it, talk talk, etc. You would think their community would support them. But I have never seen such spite and envy from a city.

What are the profits for the last few years?

Wanderer78

Kracken wrote: »

I have family working up there, when they made redundancits a few years ago,they made benefit cuts, closed their canteen as well as 20% pay cut but yet have posted year on year growth based profits.

One wage families had to take huge hits and their salary aren' big either.

Every large company has tried it, talk talk, etc. You would think their community would support them. But I have never seen such spite and envy from a city.

again, this is another potentially dangerous element of 'worker insecurity', some term it, 'divide and conquer'. this to works extremely effectively in achieving its overall goal

Max Powers

Kracken wrote: »

I have family working up there, when they made redundancits a few years ago,they made benefit cuts, closed their canteen as well as 20% pay cut but yet have posted year on year growth based profits.

One wage families had to take huge hits and their salary aren' big either.

Every large company has tried it, talk talk, etc. You would think their community would support them. But I have never seen such spite and envy from a city.

That's bull comment to be fair, you can have a contrary opinion and not be out of spite and envy.IMO ,after reading in Munster express what was on offer and approved by Labour court,I think they should accept it.offer looks reasonable to me.

Wanderer78

hope the lads vote for this deal. sounds like a very good offer to me

spikadelica

doe_juffy wrote: »

Hope the Google Instant Streetview cameras are doing an update this month. Might as well show the world another strike in Waterford.

So when was the last strike in Waterford I am trying to remember?

barneystinson

spikadelica wrote: »

So when was the last strike in Waterford I am trying to remember?

http://www.waterford-news.ie/2016/01/25/construction-workers-strike/?

robtri

barneystinson wrote: »

http://www.waterford-news.ie/2016/01/25/construction-workers-strike/?

And dont forget the airport strike as well...

Poor Uncle Tom

and the teachers...

robtri

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

and the teachers...

well in fairness to the teachers it was nationwide not just a waterford issue

mooseknunkle

Harry Palmr wrote: »

What fools. Learn to pick your battles lads, this is not the right one.

Who are the fools now :rolleyes: