The company advise that these conversations are part of a “Customer Driven Profiling” (CDP) exercise which is a company process used for making changes to working patterns, such as a change of location or pattern of work which can be varied under the employment contract, and where the loss of contracted hours is not envisaged.
The CDP process is separate to any potential redundancy exercise which deals with situations where a loss of hours or a job role is possible or where alternative work locations or working patterns are beyond the flexibility of the employment contract. The company have confirmed processes that could lead to redundancy have been paused.
Advice to members having informal CDP conversations about patterns of work
- Pharmacists should listen carefully and note any proposals made by their line manager to change working patterns. Counterproposals can be made if appropriate to see if a mutually agreeable solution can be found
- If pharmacists are happy with what is being proposed and before accepting any revised working pattern, written confirmation of the proposal should be provided by the line manager. The PDA strongly advise you only consider accepting alternative arrangements that are first provided in writing and after you have had reasonable time to consider what is proposed.
- If pharmacists are unable to reach a mutually agreeable solution to a proposed new working pattern or location(s), they should request that the line manager pause the process
- Pharmacists who have accepted a new role, or agreed to reduce their hours, and now wish to reconsider their position can send their line manager the following wording::“Following the recent company announcement to pause consultations on working patterns, I reserve my right to review my current position (having obtained advice if appropriate) following any announcements or agreements made once the pause has been lifted so that I am not prejudiced for having taken a decision before the full process had been completed.”
- If pharmacists do not agree, but are informed that the proposed changes will nevertheless be enforced through the CDP process, please contact your local PDA Union representative for advice.
The PDA is pleased to see that the company has paused the other processes and is taking more time to try and find agreeable solutions for each affected pharmacy and employee.
The PDA has issued FAQs on the situation and as the situation becomes clearer on how these solutions will be delivered, we will keep members updated.
Learn more
- Boots Hours cuts – Frequently Asked Questions
- PDA raise concerns over Redundancy Selection Process at Boots
- Request to waive restrictions on pharmacists who face cuts to hours and pay
- Advice for Relief Pharmacists
- Legal right to trial period in redundancy situations
- Boots Pharmacists may be impacted by hours reduction
- Boots pharmacists’ employment concerns as details of proposed hours reductions are revealed
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