When the PDA Union secured recognition to represent the population of 7,000 pharmacists and pre-registration pharmacists employed at Boots, that included the statutory right to form a health and safety committee and appoint Union Health and Safety representatives. The return towards wider trading in Boots stores has been the first formal H&S consultation under those arrangements.
Many of the network of Boots pharmacists who are all trained union representatives, also received specialist health & safety training before lockdown began and are now recognised health & safety representatives as determined in law.
As the company began to consider reintroducing some services and product ranges which have been paused during lockdown these representatives met with senior management to represent the views and concerns of the pharmacist population
John Lester, Divisional Boots Representative for the South West said: “We welcome the company’s engagement on this critical subject and appreciate the frank conversations held. We can see how the initial proposals have been further improved by the voice of pharmacists being considered and my union colleagues and I will ensure this continues”
The union’s involvement does not end with one round of conversations and pharmacists at Boots are encouraged to contact their local PDA Union Rep if they have remaining concerns about company policy, or its local implementation.
The PDA place the safety of our members at work as our utmost priority.