Attitudes to employment rights in the US are different to here and WBA have gone on the record about how they would rather not allow their employees to have an independent voice at work https://www.the-pda.org/boots-recognition/about-summary/walgreens-statement-on-unions/ The anti-union messages used by the American parent company of Boots are very similar to those currently being broadcast by the Boots senior management team.
Nevertheless, WBA companies do have recognition agreements in place with specialist Pharmacist Trade Unions in the US and in other EU countries. That’s probably not something the management ever highlight to UK pharmacists.
We know this because Trade Unions are an international movement and we discuss matters with our colleagues in equivalent organisations around the world because we are all on the same side, fighting for the rights of pharmacists and representing their professional aspirations and interests.
For example, we recently spoke to pharmacists in the Norwegian Association of Pharmacists (NFF), which like the PDA is both a trade union and a professional association for pharmacists. They negotiate for pharmacists with an employers’ organisation called Virke. Boots are a part of Virke and comply with the agreements it makes with trade unions. In fact, Harald G Johnsrud, the HR Director of Boots Norge AS, is part of the Virke negotiating delegation.
The 2018 negotiations in Norway resulted in a pay deal which included a reduction of working hours for pharmacists from 39 hours per week to 37.5 hours per week without any reduction in salary.
Mark Pitt, Assistant General Secretary of PDA Union said: “We accept that labour regulations and employment conditions in Norway are not the same as in the UK so we are not directly comparing the specifics of this deal with terms and conditions in the UK; though having a shorter working week is better for your health and gives you more time outside work wherever you live.
The point is that a WBA business in Norway, trading as Boots, is respecting the rights of pharmacists to be represented by an independent trade union in formal negotiations over pay and conditions, whereas in the Boots UK have expended considerable resources and 8 years trying to prevent this. It’s just more evidence of why the actions of Boots UK senior management are so questionable and why we need to change this situation.”
Boots Pharmacists can vote in complete confidence to secure the ability for the PDA Union to negotiate on this issue on their behalf in a ballot starting 4 February. 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.