Members heard from a variety of speakers including PDA Union Director, Paul Day, PDA National Officer, Paul Moloney, and PDA Organisers, Jayne Love and Clare Hirst. They spoke about the important liberty of the right to strike, what changes the UK government are intending to make and what the PDA and the wider trade union movement are doing in response to the government’s new anti-strike plans Learn more about why this matters, and why the PDA are taking part in the TUC’s campaign here.
Some of the PDA Reps spoke about why they believe the right to strike is essential and should be protected. Jyoti Saini, PDA Rep in an Integrated Care Board (ICB) said, “We should be able to exercise our freedom of speech, and this is within our human rights. As employees, we should not have the worry about being forced to work or face being sacked because we have decided to strike to support our principles. We all want to provide our patients with an excellent service, but we need to do this in a safe environment and with the appropriate levels of pay and staffing. We need to stand together as professionals with our union to protect our rights and those of future generations.”
Nav Bhogal, PDA National Rep in Boots said, “The right to strike is essential for protecting workers’ rights, as it allows us to take collective action and demand change. A free society requires the protection of this right as it provides a peaceful means for workers to express their grievances, promoting the advancement of democracy, equality and human rights.”
As part of the PDA’s support for the TUC’s campaign, attendees at this event were asked to take part in the following actions:
- Watch a video from Paul Nowak, TUC General Secretary
- Sign the TUC’s petition to protect the right to strike
- Write to your MP.
All PDA members are urged to carry out these actions and to encourage others to do the same.
The PDA has also produced an FAQ document on Industrial Action which answers some of the questions recently received from PDA members interested in knowing more about industrial action and how it works in practice.
Read the Right to Strike FAQ’s below
PDA employees taking part in national ‘protect the right to strike’ day event
Learn more
- PDA to host member event for national ‘protect the right to strike’ day
- PDA update on industrial action: why, how, and when strikes are called
- What to do when faced with an industrial action picket line
- PDA Union has agreed how to proceed towards NHS Strike Action
- national ‘protect the right to strike’ day
- Find out more
Not yet a PDA member?
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.
Read about our key member benefits here.