Six Boots pharmacists launched a legal challenge in July 2017 to formally "derecognise" the multiples’ own union, the Boots Pharmacists’ Association (BPA). The challenge was delivered to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) – the independent body responsible for resolving workplace disputes – on July 28.

The dispute dates back to January 2012, when the PDA Union called for official recognition from Boots, after alleging the multiple's employees were tired of their employment terms being "gradually eroded".

The CAC decided last week (February 16) that only “registered and pre-registration pharmacists at levels 5,6 and 7 will be balloted to decide which union will represent them (see the full decision here).

This encompasses “pharmacists in predominantly patient-facing roles, rather than senior management”, PDA Union assistant general secretary Mark Pitt told C+D on Tuesday (February 20).

The next step will be a secret ballot, the timing of which will be confirmed once a “qualified independent person” – likely to be a member of the legal profession – has been appointed to oversee the vote.

“End of a journey”

“We are very pleased,” said Mr Pitt. "It’s the end of a six-year-long journey.”

“Derecognition will remove the block to the PDA being recognised, and once that block has gone we will apply for recognition. We’re pretty confident we’ll get that.”

“All pharmacists should have their say”

The BPA told C+D it is “disappointed” with the CAC’s decision, and said it believes that “all pharmacists, no matter what their current job role in the organisation, should have been entitled to have their say in the ballot”.

“This decision does mean that a number of our members will not be able to vote in the ballot,” it said in a statement.

“The BPA will continue to represent the interests of all its members as the derecognition process continues,” it added.

Following the CAC’s decision, Boots pharmacy director Richard Bradley said the multiple respects the right of its staff to join the trade body of their choice.

“We continue to believe that maintaining our relationship with the BPA and working with our pharmacist partnership panel is the most inclusive way of making sure all our pharmacists have a voice,” he said.

“We will, of course, be making sure that our pharmacists have all the information they need to understand exactly what will be happening and when.”