Union recognition provides significant advantages such as giving pharmacists stronger negotiating power. This means working together to achieve better pay, terms and conditions, health and safety and workplace policies. When pharmacists work together, they can better advocate for their rights and their patients’ best interests.
Unions can also help companies plan for the future and manage change; they make sure workers have an independent voice if substantial changes like redundancies, new services, changes to pharmacy practice or closures are planned.
The PDA Union will be recognised by Superdrug if 104 pharmacists or more vote ‘yes’ in the ballot. The results will be announced on Monday 17 February 2025. More information can be found here.
In 2019, Boots pharmacists voted in their thousands in a similar process, and since then a professional working relationship has evolved between the company and the PDA Union who have reached beneficial agreements on pay and other workplace issues. The two parties have worked collaboratively on many other topics over the years. Learn more.
As of 1 January 2025, the BPA (Boots Pharmacists’ Association) merged with the PDA Union. This is just one example of how the PDA is building a stronger, more representative voice for the UK pharmacist profession. This merger now means that around 70% of all pharmacists working at Boots are PDA Union members which strengthens the collective voice of pharmacists within the company.
Get involved
There are many ways to get involved with a union this HeartUnions week. The PDA recommends the following, for those who haven’t done so already.
Join the PDA Union
HeartUnions week encourages those that are not yet members of a union, to join one.
For pharmacy students, trainees and pharmacists, the PDA is the largest pharmacists’ membership organisation and the only independent trade union exclusively for pharmacists in the UK with over 39,000 members. A summary of recent achievements can be found here.
Paul Day, PDA Director of Membership and Communities said, “The more pharmacists that come together in a single organisation, the more diverse their range of personal backgrounds, the wider their professional experience and the stronger their voice.
We invite every remaining employed or locum pharmacist that has not yet done so, to join the PDA and add to that professional unity and the collective influence that pharmacists can exercise through their organisation.”
Become a PDA Rep
PDA Reps are vital to the work of the union and help to develop engagement and support for members. PDA members who are interested in getting involved and making a difference in the workplace, with employers, and in the pharmacy sector, can learn more about becoming a rep here or by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about HeartUnions week
For more information about HeartUnions week and how you can get involved in the campaign, visit the website or search social media using the hashtag #HeartUnions.