CAHILL MAY ROBERTS, the pharmaceutical wholesale distributors, wants to let go 70 of its 256 employees and reduce its six branches in the Republic to one main depot and two satellite outlets.
The acting managing director of the company, Mr Pat Tracey, has confirmed that discussions are taking place with trade unions representing the workforce within the group over the rationalisation proposals.
Mr John Harmon, the SIPTU branch secretary, said that the union had met the management in November and had been seeking further talks without success. SIPTU had informed the company that there could be no changes without prior agreement at both national and local level.
The company's headquarters is at Chapelizod, Dublin, and its other branches are located in Carlow, Cork, Limerick, Sligo and Cavan. Chapelizod is the most "likely location of the new main, branch, but the company is understood to be prepared to site this elsewhere if it does not secure" agreement on significant changes in work practices.
May Roberts was established in Dublin in 1902. It subsequently became part of Cahill May Roberts, which is owned by Gehe Ag, the German pharmaceutical wholesale company which has its headquarters in Stuttgart. The German management believes the Irish market does not justify the existing elaborate depot structure.