Boots released a YouTube video in which a senior manager explains how it intends to approach pharmacists’ salary review for 2015 and going forward. It explains that salaries will be researched across the market and a median rate will be established. Pharmacists will have their current salary compared to the median market rate. Those who are above the rate will either get a small increase in salary or none at all.
“If ever there was a reason for Boots to fight the PDAU tooth and nail to deprive pharmacist employees of the right to negotiation on their terms and conditions then the content of this video is evidence enough,” says John Murphy, General Secretary of the PDAU. “The recent Judicial Review decision allows Boots to deny pharmacists the democratic right to negotiate their terms and conditions through the PDAU. Due to the agreement the Boots Pharmacists’ Association (BPA) has with the company, which specifically excludes the right to negotiate on pay, the fox is now well and truly loose in the hen house.”
There is a history over the last few years of Boots eroding the benefits of staff. Remember the final pension scheme, the adjustment to sickness benefit, the reduction in premium payments, a zero bonus for the first time in living memory? Now this new initiative on matching pay to a median market rate is a further attack on some groups of pharmacists, says Mr Murphy.
“The PDA Union will take some convincing, as no doubt will many of our members, that this is not another blow to the longer serving loyal pharmacists who are the most likely to be affected. We await with interest the outcome of the ‘career conversations’ that are promised in the video to people who are over the median rate.”
Boots has now removed the Video from the YouTube website, but the attached file contains a transcript.
Bad news for pharmacists
Common sense and years of experience tell us that we won’t be far away if we make the following predictions:
- Applying this approach is an opportunistic way of taking advantage of the current supply and demand imbalance in the labour market and will reduce salaries by stealth.
- This approach will be an incentive to other pharmacist employers to lower their salaries, thus creating downward pressure on the median rate year on year.
- It takes little or no account of experience, expertise, loyalty and the investment that the longer serving employees have made in their career with Boots, thus leading to a de-motivated workforce.
- It will create a narrow band of salary, which will give limited scope for advancement and growth, unless a lower base level is set.
Where to now?
Because of the agreement that exists between Boots and the BPA, no pharmacist or pharmacist representative body has the right to negotiate with Boots on pay, terms and conditions. This leaves pharmacists at the mercy of their employer and who knows what will happen when Walgreens assumes full control in 2015.
There are mechanisms for gaining PDAU recognition, which could have implications for the BPA; some options are less palatable than others. We have a duty to act in the best interests of our members and all options will be explored. However we believe that it would be advantageous for both unions to work together.
The PDAU is committed to protecting benefits and the employment team are considering the legal position of this development.