The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has announced that it has “established a formal recognition agreement” with Superdrug “after a period of discussions”.
Revealed today (December 19), the PDA said that the agreement “outlines the framework for how the union will represent pharmacists and pre-registration pharmacists employed by Superdrug”.
The news comes some 10 months after 94% of Superdrug pharmacists and foundation trainee pharmacists voted in favour of receiving union recognition from the body.
Read more: Ballot emphatic over PDA and Superdrug
Following the result, representatives from Superdrug and the PDA “have agreed on the implementation process and have formally signed the recognition agreement”, the trade union said.
As part of this agreement, it will “identify and train” Superdrug-employed pharmacists to “serve as PDA representatives within the company”, it continued.
And these representatives will be “authorised to support their colleagues in discussions with management, with assistance from the PDA’s core team”, it added.
Independent
The PDA stressed, however, that the recognition of the union “does not replace the relationship between individual employees and their line managers, nor does it prevent management from fulfilling their responsibilities”.
It instead provides pharmacists with “an additional, independent channel to express collective views and perspectives”, it said.
The trade union added that going forward, Superdrug management and the PDA will discuss “certain employment matters and negotiate pay and conditions” that apply to “employed pharmacists within the bargaining unit”.
Read more: Superdrug union recognition ‘secret ballot’ to launch next week
PDA general secretary Mark Pitt said that the union has “established that it can be a constructive partner” to employers, working to “avoid or resolve more employment matters locally, earlier and together” and allowing everyone “to focus on patient care”.
The PDA is “hopeful that this is the beginning of another positive relationship of mutual benefit for the company and to pharmacists,” he added.
Read more: PDA ballot could secure Superdrug union recognition ‘by spring’
It comes after the ballot in February saw 125 votes in favour of the PDA Union being recognised to represent Superdrug employees and just eight votes against.
The PDA had previously confirmed in January that it would hold a “secret postal ballot” later that month to secure union recognition at Superdrug.
