Pharmacists at Lloyds are even closer to achieving recognition for the PDAU which will give them the legal right to negotiate better pay, hours and holiday as well as having a voice on other matters at work, including important Health & Safety issues. The proposal was that those included should be:
All UK General Pharmaceutical Council or Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland registered pharmacists or pre-registration pharmacists employed within LloydsPharmacy Limited (excluding those with area management status and those of equivalent or more senior status)
The company attempted to reject this proposal, forcing the decision to be made by an independent CAC panel after considering legal submissions at a hearing. In another successful step for pharmacists the CAC agreed in full the proposal made by PDA Union and rejected the company’s alternative.
Such decisions do not have to be made by a panel as trade union recognition can be voluntarily agreed between an employer and the representatives of their employees. The PDAU invited Lloydspharmacy to reach such an agreement on multiple occasions and would still welcome the company reaching a voluntary agreement rather than its management continue to resist the call from their employed pharmacists for the PDAU to be recognised.
Any responsible employer wishing to treat it’s employees fairly and respectfully has nothing to fear from employees having an independent voice at work through a trade union.
Fortunately, pharmacists have been able to rely upon the status of the PDA as a certified independent trade union to pursue recognition through the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), the independent body with statutory powers to resolve collective workplace disputes.
This latest decision is part of the statutory process managed by the CAC and takes pharmacists a significant step closer to their goal of an independent voice at work. Read the full decision.
What next?
If the company continue to refuse to reach a voluntary agreement, the process may move to a secret postal ballot in which the bargaining unit (c.2,600 pharmacists and pre-registration trainees) will be asked whether they want the PDAU to conduct collective bargaining on their behalf. Before any ballot however there will be an extensive communication exercise by the union so that pharmacists can make an informed decision on the benefits of recognition.
For union recognition to be granted through the result of such a ballot:
- The majority of those voting must support the union recognition; and
- Those voting in support must be at least 40% of those eligible to vote.
That means approximately 1,050 Lloyds pharmacists and pre-registration trainees, or more, must vote positively. Every vote will count and everybody entitled to do so will be encouraged to exercise their opportunity to vote for the benefit of all Lloyds pharmacists.
READ MORE:
What happened when a similar ballot happened at Boots
Confusing message on union recognition issued by Lloyds does not address data breaches
Pharmacists raising concerns about proposed changes at Lloyds