Pharmacy workers will be on strike on June 17th. The national strike, called by the trade unions Filcams Cgil, Fisascat Cisl, and Uiltucs, is based on the stalemate in negotiations for the renewal of the National Collective Bargaining Agreement, which expired on December 31, 2024 and applies to the more than 6,000 employees of companies managed or controlled by local authorities, operating pharmacies, parapharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesale warehouses, and pharmaceutical laboratories.
The mobilization, called after the state of unrest, follows the failure of the cooling-off and conciliation procedure provided for by the law on strikes in essential public services. The unions denounce the lack of adequate responses from Assofarm, both financially and regulatoryly, in response to the demands jointly advanced in the platform of demands presented for the contract renewal.
At the heart of the protest is the recovery of purchasing power from wages, which have been severely impacted by inflation, along with recognition of the professionalism and skills of pharmacists and all other professionals working for companies that manage specialty pharmacies. In recent years, these professionals have been called upon to support the evolution of service-based pharmacy, with increasingly broader activities and responsibilities in the area of community healthcare.
For Filcams Cgil, Fisascat Cisl, and Uiltucs, the negotiations have not made any significant progress, despite numerous meetings and the unions' willingness to continue the discussions.
The proposals put forward by the employers are deemed insufficient with respect to the needs of the sector and inconsistent with the important social function performed daily by pharmacists and municipal pharmacy workers.
“"The mobilization is necessary given Assofarm's unwillingness to recognize wage increases and regulatory solutions consistent with the cost of living, the professional skills available in the sector, and the working environment in which pharmacists and specialty pharmacy workers operate," declared Filcams Cgil, Fisascat Cisl, and Uiltucs jointly. The national strike on June 17 will involve the entire work shift and will be accompanied by local initiatives and demonstrations in support of the dispute.
Source: Fisascat
