National Pharmacies pay deal

EMPLOYEES at National Pharmacies are set to vote on a new enterprise agreement, that will ensure there will be no change in penalty rates and the introduction of the right to be paid overtime rather than time in lieu.

Professional Pharmacists Australia (PPA) announced that union representatives and management reached an in-principle agreement on the deal last week.

The union said its members had been seeking to secure improved redundancy entitlements, workload management, payment for “walkin” vaccination services and the protection of penalty rates.

Under the proposed deal, pharmacists will see no loss of conditions, an annual 1.25% pay increase, and an additional four weeks pay for employees with at least a decade of service with the company as part of a redundancy package.

Under the new agreement pharmacists will also receive a higher rate of pay when providing vaccination services, including for walk-in patients.

National Pharmacies has also agreed to review its pharmacist and pharmacist in-charge classification structure with the PPA over the life of the agreement, with the view that any agreed structure would be incorporated in the next deal.

Alongside the introduction of the right to be paid overtime instead of time in lieu, the union said employee pharmacists will be allowed to take unpaid leave relating to instances of domestic violence, and limitations will be placed on management’s powers to direct employees to take annual leave.

The agreement also includes the right to request casual conversion.

“Considering the difficult climate facing community pharmacy this is a great overall package for members and means they will continue to be amongst the best paid community pharmacist in the country,” Professional Pharmacists Australia said.