Last year I told you about a group of 7,000 health professionals who had spent 7 years fighting for their trade union to be recognised by their employer. That campaign has now lasted 8 years. See: https://sochealth.co.uk/2018/05/05/solidarity-with-community-pharmacists/
The Boots pharmacists were the first workers in any sector to challenge an employer through the ballot process described in that earlier article (above). The law requires not just a majority, but that 40% of those eligible to vote, known as the “bargaining unit”, must vote “Yes” to make a difference. The result was 87% of those who voted (2,826 pharmacists) voted Yes and that constituted 41% of the bargaining unit in favour. This passed all the legal tests and the blocking agreement with the “sweetheart” union that the company was using to keep independent trade unions out, was ended by order of the Central Arbitration Committee.
To emphasise what an achievement that is, if you measure the BREXIT referendum in similar percentages, of those eligible to vote it was just 37% vs 35%, so getting over 40% of eligible voters to support anything is no small achievement. Despite the clear result, the employer has continued to resist pharmacists’ efforts to secure an independent voice at work in the largest community pharmacy multiple chain. However, in February 2019 the 7,000 pharmacists can vote again in a further postal ballot and this time it will force the employer to recognise the PDA Union
One of the big issues for pharmacists is the company’s approach to performance management and the union have been hearing from pharmacists about what it means to them. These quotes from pharmacists illustrate what the PDA Union are trying to fix so that these health professionals can get on with caring for patients.
“In regards to its pay structure and market based pay it should be ashamed. It should be ashamed for its performance review where no person I have spoken to has any idea what it means to be above performing and where the pharmacy advisors, the people on the front lines get no bonus at all unless they are above performing.
Nobody knows what exactly they need to do to be “above performing”. Even if you hit all your targets and are green on the scorecard despite those targets being an increase you are performing.”
“I worked under this regime and it is a terrible way to work. The constant threat of a ‘non-performing’ rating is so demotivating and demoralising and it sometimes felt like a personality contest. I challenged it many times (probably another reason I would never win a corporate personality contest) and was told that even if all targets were met/exceeded you could still be classed as non performing so what’s the point!”
Ballot papers will be mailed to pharmacists on Monday 18 February and completed ballots must be returned by noon on Monday 11 March in order to be counted.
Boots directly employs well over 10% of all pharmacists in the country and has many more working occasionally as locums, so this is a significant story for pharmacy, but sadly under reported by the media. Anyone interested in supporting the PDA Union and their members can help by spreading the word about this historic trade union campaign.
The PDA Union was established in 2008, it is the only independent trade union in the UK which is exclusively for pharmacists. It received a certificate of independence in 2010. PDA Union is a member of Unions 21 and affiliated to the Employed Community Pharmacists in Europe (EPhEU) organisation and a member of Health Campaigns Together. You can follow the PDA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIN
Written by Paul Day, National Officer at PDA Union.