New Pharmacy workers division at FIRST Union

FIRST Union is opening a Pharmacy Division within union membership in response to a higher volume of requests from both Pharmacists and shop Sales Assistants at pharmacies across New Zealand.

The Union already provides support and protects workers’ wellbeing through collective agreements within the health sector in areas such as pharmaceutical distribution centres and on-road workers such as ambulance professionals.

Assistant General Secretary Louisa Jones says she looks forward to working with a new group of employees.

“Pharmacy sector employees have been telling us that it’s time for their sector to start working together to protect and build on the terms and conditions of their employment, and I’m excited to work with a new group of staff who play such an important role within their communities and wider society.”

She says the pharmacists the Union presently has are in both district health boards and pharmacies, however the recent interest has been from pharmacists working in retail.

“The new division will be open to pharmacists in dispensaries, shop assistants and sales people, beauticians and make up consultants. We cover a wide variety of sectors including medical, retail and finance so have the resources to support all job types that come under the pharmacy umbrella.”

Ms Jones says support groups for hundreds of pharmacists are already set up online so concerned workers have already been sharing knowledge and resources.

“It’s difficult to tell how many will join as this is not traditionally a unionised career, but it will be open to anyone and it’s very common that once one worker in a store joins the rest follow.”

She says some concerns include the loss of skills from dispensary and a decrease in pay rates for trained pharmacists.

“Pharmacists are feeling the squeeze and feel they have less time to help recommend products and give health advice – a pivotal role in many communities.”

Ms Jones adds the rise in demand for the collective power of health care staff is expected, especially as ownership in the pharmacy sector continues to centralise.

“In the last few years we’ve seen the merger of Pharmacybrands (Amcal, Unichem and later Radius) with Beauty Direct (Life Pharmacy, Care Chemists), then a further merger into Green Cross Health (Life Pharmacy and Unichem) in 2014. It’s understandable that as ownership stretches across a wider variety of jobs in pharmacies and medical centres that people within this area are looking to each other to ensure workers stay as happy and healthy as the customers they serve.”

She says the rise in interest matches a rise in enthusiasm towards unions in general.

“The advice, advocacy and legal representation we can provide is catalysed by the collective structure within unions. We’re able to both assist workers on individual matters such as restructures, disciplinary meetings, performance management or bullying, while at the same time give extra strength to staff through bargaining on behalf of group collectives to reach better outcomes for all members. Where necessary, we raise issues affecting union members in the media, in parliament, or through the courts.”

ENDS

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