The PDA Union has signed a recognition agreement covering pharmacists in Northern Ireland working for GP Federations throughout the country. This is the latest recognition agreement for the PDA Union which began negotiating terms for pharmacists via their ground-breaking agreement with Boots which was signed last year.
The new agreement, which was signed at the Federation Support Units offices in Belfast, will cover over 300 pharmacists working in Northern Ireland and further increases the proportion of pharmacists for whom the PDA now negotiate pay.
The new agreement, reached voluntarily, means the PDA Union will work with representatives of the 17 individual organisations, negotiating on behalf of members on issues such as pay, leave, pensions and other terms and conditions.
The agreement also allows for a limited number of PDA Union representatives to be established and provides for time of and training for members interested in taking on this role.
Paul Moloney, PDA Union National Officer, responsible for negotiating the agreement said: “This is an important development for the PDA union and its members in Northern Ireland. This is our second recognition agreement and the first that has not required us to use the statutory recognition process. We would like to place on record our thanks to the team at the Federation Support Unit for coordinating the employers’ side and working to bring the agreement into force. We look forward to working constructively with them and the individual Federations to ensure their pharmacists have a strong voice at work.”
Dr David Ross, Chair of the Eastern Federation Support Unit and Down Federation Board member said: “From the outset of the General Practice Pharmacy Scheme the advice and support from the PDA has been invaluable. We have developed an excellent working relationship with the PDA and look forward on building on that with the signing of this recognition agreement that every Federation in Northern Ireland has endorsed”.
Work will now begin on bedding in the agreement ahead of next year’s pay review and appointing PDA Union representatives from among our members covered by the agreement.
