GFTU BGCM 2019 Minutes

regain the public’s respect and central to this is the professional conduct,

including how we actually conduct ourselves in negotiations with employers

and school leaders. As we modernise, we aim to eliminate negative

perceptions about trade unions and promote the benefits of positive

engagement and the achievement of harmonious working relationships. Voice

enjoys very positive relationships with a whole host of different employers,

because we all know we have not just State schools now and the independent

sector, but we have this hybrid of the academies, but we are growing there with

our recognition too.

As I say, we have a very broad membership and our membership includes

those who are employed as well as students, both teaching students and those

who are early years and childcare. Does that give you just the flavour that you

need? Great. Thank you very much, conference. (Applause)

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Deborah. I will now invite Paul Day to come forward

and tell us a bit about the PDA.

BRO PAUL DAY: Hello. I am Paul Day, National Officer for the PDA Union. As a

first time affiliate here this is obviously my first time speaking at the GFTU. The

PDA Union has been around for 10 years, so we are quite new, but, brothers

and sisters, I bring you fraternal greetings from 28,000 pharmacists. We are

already one of the largest 30 trade unions in the country with about 50%

density in our profession and we are continuing to grow at between 5% and

10% a year, which is quite good for us and quite alien, sadly, for many in the

movement.

Our members do a five year masters degree qualification, four years at

university, followed by a year in what is called their pre-registration year where

they are on the job. They are the experts in medicines. The NHS’s biggest

expenditure is labour, its second biggest expenditure is medicines and every

member except me (I am the only non-pharmacist member of our union) know

what they are doing with medicines and keep you safe. In a previous life I was

the Deputy General Secretary of one of the other big teaching unions. I used

to say then that my members could ruin someone’s life, but it would always

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