The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) last week (December 9) said that there was “a need for comment and correction” of a document sent to pharmacists by a Superdrug “management spokesperson” last month.
It said that the response was necessary to “ensure pharmacists at Superdrug are properly informed about what union recognition means for them”.
Read more: PDA ballot could secure Superdrug union recognition ‘by spring’
“Superdrug management are not used to dealing with trade unions and the information circulated does not reflect the reality of other established and successful partnerships between the PDA Union and other pharmacy chains,” it added.
The PDA took six examples from the document sent to Superdrug pharmacists and provided a separate comment for each one.
“Ill informed”
The union said that Superdrug management’s statement that “everyone will be treated the same, regardless of your role, where you work and your circumstances” if union recognition is secured is “ill informed”.
“PDA Union activity at Superdrug will consider individual members working in different pharmacies and/or doing specific roles and we have extensive experience of pharmacy practice across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland,” it said.
Read more: Superdrug agrees to PDA Union’s bargaining unit proposals
“As the pharmacy contract is devolved, there are national differences, as well as pharmacy sizes and workload, services provided, staffing challenges and many other factors that vary between locations,” it added.
And it said that while the union typically negotiates minimum rates for each role, “individuals can still be paid more”.
Read more: ‘Numerous benefits’: PDA steams ahead with Superdrug union recognition
Superdrug management also said that “any action [it wants] to take will likely have to go through lengthy negotiations, resulting in delays in taking actions, having to alter our plans which could make some people worse off, or the union rejecting a proposal outright”, according to the union.
But the PDA stressed that “management at other community pharmacy businesses manage to negotiate pay with the PDA Union without it causing unnecessary delays or issues, and we believe that Superdrug’s senior management should also be capable of doing similar”.
It added that “it will be Superdrug pharmacists who will decide to accept or reject any proposals, not the union” – while it is “not unusual” for “significant increases” to be agreed “within 48 hours of negotiations first starting.
“Ballot is best option”
Superdrug pharmacy director Craig Watt today (December 16) told C+D that “agreeing to voluntarily recognise the union without holding a ballot takes away our pharmacy colleagues’ rights to have their say”.
“We strongly believe that the ballot is the best option as it allows all of our employees in the bargaining unit the opportunity to decide if they want the PDA union to represent them or not,” he said.
“It’s crucial that all of our Superdrug pharmacy colleagues take part in the ballot to make sure their voice is heard,” he added.
Read more: Boots union members ‘overwhelmingly’ vote to merge with PDA
It comes after the PDA announced last month that the decision to “secure trade union recognition” at Superdrug “will now go to a formal ballot”.
And PDA Union director Paul Day told C+D exclusively that the process could be concluded “early in the new year”.
“I would have thought by the spring, we’ll be clear”, he added.
