Guild seeks work flexibility
June 11, 2013
FAIR Work Australia will this week
conduct a conciliation hearing
over changes being sought by the
Pharmacy Guild which include a
reduction in the standard working
week for salaried pharmacists from
38 to 35 hours.
The changes to the work-week
are among other Guild proposals
being made as part of Fair Work
Australia’s process of reviewing
awards, and will be heard shortly
by the Fair Work Commission.
According to union group
Professional Pharmacists Australia,
the Guild’s moves to vary the
award include changes to leave
arrangements, changes to rostering
arrangements and a change to
the definition of what a full time
employee is.
The union is seeking input from
community pharmacists on the
proposals, with president Geoff
March saying “we believe they will
have the effect of weakening the
position employee pharmacists
have with their employers”.
March claimed that some of
the moves are aimed at providing
pharmacy owners with greater
flexibility to work more or less
hours at their direction, adding that
the Guild “wants pharmacists to
lose some of their rights and gain
nothing in return.
“We are very interested in getting
the views of as many pharmacists
as possible as we prepare our
submission to make sure we
are representing the needs of
Australian pharmacists,” the union
president said.
In response, the Guild said it
welcomes constructive input in the
interest of improving the award.
“What we are seeking is very
reasonable and in most cases the
extra flexibility would be to the
benefit of employees as well as
employers,” according to Guild
spokesperson Greg Turnbull.
“At present, a pharmacy
employee who works 35 hours
a week is technically seen to be
part time, with fewer entitlements
than a full-time worker doing 38
hours. This is a common sense
change that will benefit employees
and recognise the reality of
many pharmacy operations...this
change will not cost any pharmacy
employee a cent,” Turnbull said.
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