PDA invite LloydsPharmacy to work together to resolve pharmacist concerns

After contact from hundreds of concerned Lloyds pharmacists the PDA, which is currently progressing an application for formal union recognition at LloydsPharmacy, has written to the company inviting senior managers to work positively together with the union for the benefit of pharmacists.

The letter sent in late August from union Assistant General Secretary Mark Pitt to Human Resources Director – McKesson UK, Jane Davies says:

The PDA Union is receiving an increasing number of calls for support from pharmacists employed at LloydsPharmacy who are concerned about the company proposals to change their employment contracts.

Our members’ concerns fall into three major categories

• the impact of the proposed cuts to their contractual entitlements/income on an ongoing basis
• the way in which the consultation discussions have been delegated to front line managers with little or no apparent training on the process
• the low level of proposed compensation for the loss of their contractual entitlements

Although we have not yet concluded the CAC [Central Arbitration Committee] process which follows our application for trade union recognition, we are confident that it will result in recognition being agreed or awarded and that in the near future we will be working together.  Our approach to that arrangement will be to prioritise interactions that wherever possible deliver early, local and collaborative resolutions for the mutual benefit of both pharmacists and their employer.

In that spirit, and in light of the high volume of enquiries we are receiving, I would request that you agree to meet with myself and PDA Union colleagues to discuss the consultation proposals and work towards an alternative outcome that may be acceptable to your pharmacists.

We believe that the benefits of such a discussion will reduce the current level of stress and pressure on pharmacists from this process, allow sensible alternatives to be considered and minimise the damage to employee morale that is currently being placed at risk.

This communication is necessarily sent outside of an agreed collective arrangement between us, but we hope that we will shortly be developing such a structure, preferably on a voluntary basis.  We believe that early constructive engagement between ourselves will help build a sustainable positive working relationship.

I look forward in anticipation of a positive response.

 Mr Pitt said “The PDA Union is acting in the interests of Lloyds pharmacists to represent their views and to ensure they can have an independent voice that can stand up to their employer who is determined to push through significant changes.

We are concerned to hear of the many issues raised by Lloyds Pharmacists and sincerely hope the company will accept our invitation to work constructively together to improve the situation.

We will let pharmacists at Lloyds know how the company respond to our proposal”

ACT NOW : Pharmacists at Lloyds can help support their colleagues on this issue:

1. If you’re not already a PDA member, join us now. If you are a member, please encourage a colleague to join us.
2. Pledge your support for union recognition so that we can do even more to help pharmacists at Lloyds.
3. If you are concerned about the impact of the changes please contact us for legal advice and support at enquiries@the-pda.org “
4. Please share this information with any pharmacists or pre-registration pharmacists you know who work at Lloyds Pharmacy.

READ MORE:

Pharmacists raising concerns about proposed changes at Lloyds

Pharmacists at Lloyds seek an independent voice at work.