[SEOUL=Health/Medical News]Labor conflict is drastically surfacing in Pfizer Korea(CEO Lee Dong-soo), South Korea subsidiary of Pfizer, the world's largest research-based biomedical and pharmaceutical company. The tension is building up over the news of ERP, Enterprise resource planning, activation and wage delay.
According to Wyeth Korea(CEO Lee Dong-soo, merged by Pfizer Korea) labor union, the union 23 November decided to sue the company for wage delay, violation of collective negotiation and unfair labor practice to the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
An official from the union insisted, "The company raised wage by 3.5% after negotiation last October. But the company paid wage on the basis of year 2011, which is before the pay hike. The company also did not pay the retroactive amount for January through October 2012."
According to the official, Wyeth Korea had been separately paying base wage and several allowances such as family allowance and rank allowances till last year and wage negotiation was also divided into base wage and several allowances. The company, however, changed wage system to incorporate allowances into base payment as of 1 January, 2012.
He said, "The negotiated 3.5% pay rise is supposed to be applied to both base wage and allowances and effective from last January when the payment system changed. But the company apllied the rate only to base wage, not allowances as of 2011." He added, "The union demanded explanation but the discrepancy in stance caused us to resort to law."
A Wyeth Korea official said, "The company has already clarified its position about the union's demand and is also ready to closely communicate with the union. Pfizer Korea has been observing collective agreement and will also keep on observing in the future."
The consideration of activation of ERP by the company is also one of the major labor conflict sources. Pfizer Korea has recently sent an official document to the purport that it suggested negotiation over the activation of ERP.
While the range and methods are still to be determined, the union started to take defensive measures with negative anticipation of ERP range first formulated after drug price reduction. The union recently held rallies 22-23 November in front of the company building.
The union, in the statement issued, showed it stance as follows: opposition to any type of restructuring except voluntary resignation, retiring management personnel with heavier responsibility first, searching and chasing the executives and supervisors who urge resignation on account of voluntary resignation, chastising illegal transfer of personnel that leads voluntary resignation, guranteeing remaining period till the age of retirement if voluntary resignation is suggested.
The company responded, "The company is still in the process of considering introducing ERP and the negotiation with the union is also to be started. Excessive conjecture should be refrained.", which can be interpreted that the company will not unilaterally activate voluntary resignation program. Pfizer is No.1 pharmaceutical company in the world.
-대한민국 의학전문지 헬스코리아뉴스-