Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government contains a commitment to tackle the problems caused by increased casualisation and precarious work. There is also a commitment to strengthen the role of the Low Pay Commission in relation to in-work poverty. However, there is no commitment to allow workers to strive to seek these things.

Today, workers across the country have had to walk out in protest in branches of Lloyds Pharmacies. Lloyds is not exactly a local friendly pharmacy. It is controlled by the biggest drug distribution company in the world, the McKesson company, which last year pulled in $125 billion in revenue and which had to make a €12 million settlement with the Government last year for overcharging medical card prescription fees. The McKesson company and its pharmacy chain are refusing to recognise the rights of those workers to join the Mandate trade union and those workers have had to walk out today in protest.

Does the Minister think it is fair that a programme for Government can drag its heels on delivering on the issues that affect workers----

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