HPS Announces Inaugural Enterprise Agreement

In April 2012, HPS and its network of pharmacies embarked upon a consultative process to deliver the group a Pharmacy Manager, Pharmacist In-Charge and Pharmacist Enterprise Agreement (EA) to formally define their employment opportunities and conditions.

With the conclusion of successful negotiations between HPS, Professional Pharmacists Australia, and the employee bargaining representatives, the proposed EA was put out to vote, and it is with great pleasure that HPS announces the inaugural EA has been voted in and approved by the pharmacist community with a resounding affirmative vote of 81.2%.

HPS’s employee and EA employee bargaining representative, Jonathan Soon, says “HPS’s network of pharmacies pharmacist group were pleased with the final outcome produced with the implementation of the EA and look forward to the stability this will bring for HPS’ pharmacists moving forward.”

“The negotiation process was very collaborative and HPS was responsive to our needs and listened to our requests and concerns,” he says.

Whilst HPS’s network of pharmacists have always enjoyed remuneration significantly higher than the Pharmacy Industry Award hourly rate, the newly introduced agreement will deliver to pharmacists:

• Wage increases, including annual CPI rises;
• Incorporation of Continuing Professional Development and tertiary study
  assistance arrangements;
• An established career pathway; and
• Recognition of specialist pharmacists and compensation.

Following several months of negotiations, and swift approval by Fair Work Australia to ensure all legislative requirements have been met, HPS’s network of pharmacies was able to roll-out the EA to its pharmacist community.

Tracy Dickens, HPS’s Human Resource Manager, says “this achievement is representative of a year’s worth of effort, involving close collaboration between HPS and the bargaining representative committee to develop a robust Enterprise Agreement.”

“We are excited to deliver certainty for pharmacists moving forward with this agreement now in place until 30 June 2015,” says Tracy.

Tony Wyatt, HPS’s Chief Executive Officer, says “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the bargaining representative committee, all pharmacists, and especially the Operations and Human Resource teams for all their efforts in delivering this to the group.”

“This project has been a key focus for the group over the past 12 months, and will provide a strong foundation for the future of HPS’s pharmacists moving forward. HPS is proud of this fantastic outcome that will continue to successfully drive HPS and its network of pharmacies into the future, as the employer of choice within the pharmacy industry,” says Mr Wyatt.