The STUC is Scotland’s Trade Union Centre, representing over 550,000 union members through more than 40 affiliated trade unions, including the PDA. The STUC’s purpose is to co-ordinate, develop, and articulate the views and policies of the trade union movement in Scotland. The annual conference debates and agrees upon future STUC policy.
Just as pharmacists have more influence by acting collectively as the PDA, unions have more influence in Scotland overall by acting collectively as the STUC. While pharmacists have some specific issues, which the PDA readily spotlighted at the conference, broader concerns were shared across all health professions and held by a wide range of other specialist unions that were in attendance at the STUC. These unions represented dieticians, doctors, midwives, physiotherapists, podiatrists and radiographers and are colleague unions, with whom the PDA works alongside in NHS Staff Structures. Throughout the three day event, the PDA was able to add the voice and perspective of pharmacists to the debate.
Many of the issues discussed at STUC impact the public sector at large, and other unions attending the conference represent additional workers in fields of health, education, local government, and other public sector bodies. There were also issues including employment law, the economy, tackling domestic violence, and equality that impact every working person represented at STUC.
The conference also included contributions from politicians. Speeches to the plenary were heard from current Scottish National Party (SNP) First Minister John Swinney, Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar, and international guests. The PDA has no political affiliation, and works constructively with politicians from many parties, particularly those who are already in or likely to become government; they are most influential on policy, legislation and funding which impacts issues of concern to PDA members.
One of the key issues raised by the PDA this year was the shortage of training places for pharmacy students. Following a speech from delegation member Lolla Dabiri, the assembled Congress agreed to support the PDA’s efforts to address this concern, as well as drafting it into STUC policy.
The full PDA delegation this year included Paul Flynn, Maurice Hickey, Lola Dabiri and Paul Day. PDA member, Soh Xi Ken, was also elected to attend by the STUC Young Members Committee.
To find out more about the STUC and the PDA‘s activity in Scotland, please contact Paul Flynn, PDA National Officer for Scotland. Members in Scotland will have access to a more in depth STUC report in due course.
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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.
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