Pharmacists formed the PDA Union in 2008 and within a few years the union began seeking recognition in community pharmacy to ensure the views of pharmacists, their ideas and their concerns would be heard by employers. This started in Boots where, after pharmacists won two historic ballots last year, they are now able to negotiate for improved pay and conditions. A similar process has now begun at LloydsPharmacy,
At Boots, a network of pharmacists has formed, they have been trained and accredited by the union and are able to undertake duties to ensure improved employee relations from the pharmacists’ perspective, this can happen at LloydsPharmacy too once pharmacists secure a recognition agreement for their union.
LloydsPharmacy senior management have the option to listen to what their employed pharmacists are saying now and work positively with them, with the pharmacists using the protections and powers provided through the status of the PDA as a certified independent trade union.
A voluntary agreement now would remove the necessity for a potentially drawn out period of dispute, with the message given to pharmacists by the company that they are trying to deny the pharmacists their voice at work. The PDA actively encourage decision makers in Lloyds, and within the higher level Mckesson structures, to choose to work positively with pharmacists to create an improved working environment and reach an agreement with the PDA Union. This is the way forward we would prefer, however, it seems that the initial response from the employer is to try and block the pharmacists’ action.
The PDA believe that the majority of Lloyds pharmacists are already in union membership. However, in order to strengthen the voice of pharmacists in the process even further we invite all Lloyds pharmacists who are not yet members to join us now
We also invite all pharmacists across the profession to support this campaign and ask that if you know a pharmacists who works at LloydsPharmacy, either full or part-time, to pass this message to them and encourage them to join the PDA. It is also of assistance if all PDA members ensure that they have recorded their up to date employment(s) on their membership record so that we can target future messages.
URGENT ACTION REQUIRED: Please ensure your employment details on your PDA membership record are up to date. This is always important, but particularly if you are employed at LloydsPharmacy now, as we may need to provide confidential evidence to the Central Arbitration Committee (NOT the employer) of how many members we have at the company