It was March 2011 when the PDA Union first wrote to the company seeking recognition on behalf of Boots pharmacists and the company’s senior management have been resisting the will of their employees ever since.
It was in 2017 after six Boots pharmacists lodged an application to end the legal barrier to independent representation which the company had reached in a secret deal with the BPA, that this process began to move towards a conclusion. This was the first such application by any employees, in any sector, in the UK and the historic ballot which followed was overwhelmingly in favour of removing the blocking agreement, with 87% voting in support.
Mark Pitt, Assistant General Secretary of PDA Union said: “Our members at Boots should be proud of their perseverance towards securing an independent voice at work. The momentum for change is growing as time has passed and there is increasing frustration as management continue to try and stop them achieving this”
A secret ballot will now settle the issue of recognition and if more than 40% of eligible pharmacists and pre-registration pharmacists vote in favour, a court will require the senior management to recognise the independent trade union that their employees have chosen. Pharmacists at Boots will then finally be able to negotiate over their pay, hours and other working conditions supported by the PDA Union.
Mark Pitt concluded: “Our members will never give up as they want someone on their side able to independently and confidently speak up for them in a massive global corporation. It’s a shame that Boots is so determined to prevent their employees having an independent voice at work; unfortunately, that is the way Senior Management have decided to act.
Thankfully the law allows employees to get help from the courts when an employer behaves like this and that is exactly what is happening here. The forthcoming ballot will give pharmacists the power to decide their own future.”
Boots Pharmacists can vote in confidence to secure the ability for PDA Union to negotiate on pay and other working conditions on their behalf in a ballot starting Monday 4 February 2019. The ballot period is scheduled to run for five weeks. Pharmacists and pre-registration pharmacists at grade 5, 6 & 7 in stores will be entitled to vote.