Join the PDA Union at Boots
Boots employed pharmacists who are not yet members can join the PDA here.
How do transferred BPA members get involved and contact the PDA?
Members who have transferred from the BPA will now receive regular communications from the PDA, including the monthly INSIGHT online mailing. They can also follow the PDA on social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, YouTube).
The PDA Union has a network of trained union representatives (Boots employed pharmacists who are released from normal duties to act for the PDA during their working week) that members can contact.
Contact details for the central PDA Member Support Centre are also at the bottom of this page.
Who are the BPA?
The Boots Pharmacists’ Association (BPA) was founded in 1973. At that time there were local associations such as Strathclyde Boots Pharmacists and the Birmingham and District Boots Pharmacists which came together as an association known as the Joint Boots Pharmacists Association (JBPA). It did so to present a united case against the proposal from the then European Common Market that individual pharmacists should own the equipment and medicines in their pharmacies. The JBPA was added to the list of trade unions in 1979, and it changed its name to the Boots Pharmacists’ Association (BPA) in about 1997 to reflect that by that time it was an organisation of individual members not local associations.
From 2012 the BPA had a formal recognition agreement with Boots. Pharmacists may recall that in 2018 pharmacists employed at Boots voted to derecognise the BPA, enabling a second vote in 2019 that recognised the PDA Union. While the BPA would have wished for a different outcome, they have always respected the democratic decision of pharmacists and the two unions have maintained a positive and professional relationship, meeting periodically to discuss matters of concern to pharmacists.
In 2023, the BPA Executive celebrated 50 years. However. It had been clear for some time that continuing as a separate organisation was not sustainable long term for the BPA. Following extensive talks, the Boots Pharmacists’ Association (BPA) and PDA Union agreed terms for the BPA to merge into the PDA Union. The proposal was formally approved by the trade union regulator and then a postal ballot of BPA members took place with a result that 96% agreed with the merger.
Though the BPA ceases as a separate organisation after 51 years, current members will continue as members of the PDA Union from 1 January 2025.
Learn more
- PDA and BPA welcome result of merger ballot
- Boots Pharmacists’ Association members to vote on joining PDA Union
- PDA Reps Network in Boots
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.