Now that the agreement between the PDA Union and Boots is in full force, we are looking for a volunteer to help ensure all pharmacists and pre-registration pharmacists in your region have a voice at work. The successful volunteer will join the existing network of 16 other pharmacists who represent each of the other Boots' regions as the PDAU network at Boots.
The role of a Regional Representative
With the support of the PDAU’s national team and Divisional Representatives, the Regional representative will liaise with regional management to discuss and resolve local issues and they will form part of the overall PDAU network at Boots. They will be funded to spend about 2 days per month in that role and will be released by Boots from their substantive role to work as a union representative. This means that they will be paid by Boots for their union duties and any performance targets will be reduced by an equivalent amount to allow for the time spent out of the substantive role.
Regional Representatives are an employee-side member of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) which will have quarterly national meetings chaired by a senior company leader. The JCC will be the forum where matters are discussed between the company and the representatives on behalf of all pharmacists and pre-registration pharmacists in the bargaining unit. Health & Safety and training are two standing agenda items for every JCC meeting.
PDAU representatives receive specialist training provided by the PDAU, which will include acting as a representative for disciplinary & grievance meetings as well as Health & Safety training. This is a voluntary role, but expenditure will be reimbursed by the company for trade union duties or by the PDAU for union-instigated activity.
There must be no detriment or discrimination for acting as a trade union official and individuals who serve their colleagues in this way have robust legal rights and protections to ensure this is the case. The company have also given a firm commitment to supporting these important roles. In practice, rather than presenting a challenge to their career, trade union members often find undertaking such roles allow them to develop skills, experience and contacts that help with their development.
The role is open to any PDAU member in the bargaining group (see below) that works in the "Home Counties West" region. Being a trade union representative is suitable for people of any gender, ethnicity, age, or employment contract type.
The bargaining unit is
- Store-based Pharmacists;
- Relief Pharmacist;
- Care Services Pharmacist;
- Advanced Practitioner Pharmacist;
- Specialist Practitioner;
- Pre-Registration Pharmacist; and
- Pharmacist Store Manager.
If you are in one of these roles at Boots and think that this groundbreaking role may interest you, please consider volunteering for these important roles by clicking below to complete the form.
|
