Belonging to a union is an individual choice and although the PDA negotiates pay for the entire bargaining unit of store-based pharmacists at Boots, the union understandably only has the contact details for those pharmacists who are PDA members. This means that the PDA cannot send direct communications to those pharmacists who are not yet PDA members.
The 2021 pay talks final update was sent directly to all PDA members. To ensure pharmacists who are not yet part of the PDA Union are also informed, the PDA tries to also cascade information via company communication channels too. However, a recent example showed how relying on such measures can be disrupted by management. This was proved when the company requested the final update on the 2021 pay talks be removed from the unscripted internal communication platform, where it had been shared with pharmacists.
As the PDA is an independent trade union, the company has no control over what the PDA publishes on its website. The PDA asks those who know a pharmacist employed at Boots, who may not yet be a PDA member, to please forward this important information to those individuals. However, to ensure important communications affecting pharmacists cannot be censored, every pharmacist should individually join the PDA.
Increasing the percentage of pharmacists at Boots that are PDA members also strengthens pharmacists’ negotiating power. Although the union negotiations improved the original company’s annual pay review outcome to the advantage of all pharmacists in the bargaining unit, the union strongly believes that pharmacists deserved more, and with a stronger bargaining position that may have been achieved.
Pharmacists are also reminded that tax relief is available on membership fees and PDA membership gives access to discounts and offers via PDA Plus that could save individuals more than the cost of their membership.
Not yet a PDA member?
If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and ask your colleagues to do the same.
Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists and for the first three months of being newly qualified.
Read about our key member benefits here.
Related links
- Conclusion of 2021 pay negotiations with Boots UK
- Claiming back the tax on your PDA membership
- PDA Plus
- Why join the PDA?
- Join The PDA