The PDA Union Following research amongst our members, the PDA is establishing a union
for employee and locum pharmacists as well as undergraduates and
pre-reg students. Due to underwriter support, current FULL members of the PDA will be able to join at no extra cost. All members will be given a choice as to whether they want to join the union element of the PDA and will be invited to join the union on an ongoing basis. Those members who do join during the summer and autumn of 2007, will be able to participate in elections for the union executive in November 2007 and this will enable the new body to form a representative executive in January 2008. At this point, the PDA will apply to be listed as a trade union. This is not a one off opportunity. If you are a full PDA member and are currently undecided there will be opportunities for you to join later. In future, membership of the PDA Union will be available to non PDA members on payment of an annual membership fee BackgroundThe face of pharmacy is constantly changing; community employer organisations are getting larger and are exercising more power and influence on the political and pharmacy practice landscape. The NHS is constantly going through change programmes and as a consequence is leaving staff casualties in its wake. Pharmacists employed in both hospitals and Primary Care Trusts are feeling the pinch of these changes – known to some as the ‘Agenda for Change’. In addition to confronting inequalities, popular opinion amongst pharmacists is indicating that they want an organisation that is influential and proactive in putting forward the voice and ideas of the silent majority of pharmacists – the employee’s and locums. At the PDA, we take our members’ opinions very seriously, and many members are telling us that the time is now right for us to react to the hostile changes in the pharmacy working environment by becoming a union. Union status will provide many added benefits and statutory rights under current law to PDA members. We have the advantage of being a focused, properly resourced pharmacy driven organisation employing full time experienced pharmacists and lawyers. We also have the benefit of an Advisory Board comprising of fifteen eminent pharmacists, lawyers and barristers. Having a union arrangement would enable us to make an even more effective and meaningful impact for individual pharmacists where it really matters with the government and with employers. Please look at the pages below to consider the issues in more detail. |
   
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