A trade union is “formally seeking recognition” at “one of Scotland’s biggest pharmacy chains” after it “refused” to engage in discussions, C+D can exclusively reveal.
GMB Scotland this week (December 10) said that it has “lodged an application” with the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) asking it to rule on union recognition at two pharmacy branches.
Read more: BREAKING: PDA Union recognition secured at Superdrug with 94% voting in favour
The branches are operated by Lindsay & Gilmour - which has 32 pharmacies across Central Scotland, Lothians, Fife and the Borders - with one located on Elm Row, Edinburgh, and one on Leith Walk, Edinburgh, it added.
And it told C+D that “the majority of workers” at these stores “support the move but the company has refused to enter discussions”.
“Refusing to respond”
GMB organiser Andrew Bell said that the union’s members “are eager for [it] to be formally recognised in their workplace and to enjoy all the benefits of collective bargaining”.
He added that the “majority of staff have signalled their support” and the union “had hoped the company would engage in constructive discussions to find a positive way forward”.
“Regrettably that has not been the case, with Lindsay & Gilmour so far refusing to respond to any of our requests for discussion,” he said.
Read more: Boots and PDA agree 4% pay rise for pharmacists from next month
GMB Scotland added that the application with the CAC is “the first step towards wider recognition across the company”.
C+D has approached Lindsay & Gilmour for comment.
It comes after the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) and Boots agreed a 4% pay rise for eligible pharmacists working at the UK chain in September under 2025 pay talks.
Read more: Union secures 5% pay rise for Tesco pharmacy staff
The trade union said at the time that in addition to the uplift in pay, all qualified pharmacists who have worked at Boots for over 10 years will now be paid at least £55,650 per year on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis.
In February, the PDA secured recognition at Superdrug via the CAC after 94% of its pharmacists and pharmacist trainees voted in favour of the union representing employees at the company in a formal ballot.
The body was forced to follow the statutory route of union recognition after the Superdrug senior team declared they were “not willing to recognise the PDA voluntarily”, it said in November last year.
