Union member pharmacists at LloydsPharmacy have voted to accept the company’s offer of a three per cent pay rise after it made commitments on overtime rates and future incentive payments.

In an email circulated earlier this week, PDA Union lead negotiator Paul Moloney said PDAU members at the multiple had voted to accept its revised offer with 60 per cent backing the deal.  

A previous offer of a three per cent pay rise was rejected by members on the grounds that it was not sufficient to help pharmacists cope with runaway inflation. 

However, it was accepted this time around after the company offered to introduce an overtime rate of 1.5 times basic pay for each hour worked after contracted hours, as well as a commitment that a proposed long term incentive scheme will see all pharmacists in the bargaining unit receive a £1,000 payment in April 2024 that will not depend on meeting targets or other criteria.

Pharmacy Network News understands that at present some Lloyds pharmacists are paid 1.25 times their basic pay rate for overtime, with others not receiving anything above their hourly rate.

The three per cent increase will be backdated to April 1, while the overtime rate will be reviewed as part of the next round of pay talks.

Mr Moloney said: “This was the first pay negotiation since members secured recognition rights for the PDA Union at LloydsPharmacy and moved the company significantly from their original proposal.”

He said the PDAU has “informed the company that it has been accepted and have asked that immediate steps are taken to implement the offer, including the backdating to April 1”.

LloydsPharmacy has been approached for comment.