Pharmacy Daily | PPA continues fight against IR reforms

EMPLOYEE pharmacists' union, Professional Pharmacists Australia (PPA), is warning crossbench Senators that the Federal Government's Omnibus Industrial Relations (IR) Bill will hurt pharmacists and undermine the profession's capacity to provide community healthcare.

PPA President, Dr Geoff March, said it was astonishing that pharmacy workers were facing cuts to their wages and workplace rights, after their efforts in supporting their community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Australia's pharmacists, often with risk to their personal health, worked long hours throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure our community was provided with the vital medications and services they required," he said.

"Now, instead of the praise and support they rightly deserve, pharmacists face the biggest attack on their working conditions in two decades.

"The Morrison Government's IR laws hurt Australia's pharmacists.

"They will take away rights of those employed on a casual or part time basis, make harmful emergency JobKeeper provisions permanent and reduce workers' ability to bargain collectively for higher pay and conditions.

"After the enormous sacrifices pharmacists have made to protect the community's health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they deserve better."

March warned the IR Bill combined with PPA's 2021 Community and Hospital Pharmacists Remuneration Report (PD 17 Mar) showing graduate pay is at the lowest level of any profession in Australia, pharmacy could struggle to attract and retain talent.

"If the Morrison Government's workplace laws are passed and wages and conditions are cut further, the capacity of our industry to attract the talented graduates we need to protect the community's health will be further jeopardised.

"Its absolutely critical that cross bench senators reject the Morrison Government's workplace laws, which will hurt Australia's pharmacists and undermine our capacity to provide the quality care our community requires into the future."

The PPA report also noted a high rate of pharmacists working through their lunch breaks - with 53% of community pharmacists reporting they regularly work through breaks.