Title: Pharmacy Employees Stage Walkouts at Major US Drugstore Chains Demanding Improved Working Conditions
Subtitle: Staff argue that harsh working conditions compromise customer health and safety
Date: [Insert Date]
New York, NY – Employees at two of the largest drugstore chains in the United States are taking a stand against difficult working conditions, which they claim hinder their ability to safely fill prescriptions and put the health of their customers at risk. In response, these pharmacy workers have organized a series of walkouts across the country to demand change.
Pharmacy employees at various Walgreens stores, including pharmacists, technicians, and support staff, have planned a walkout between October 9-11, according to an organizer who preferred to remain anonymous due to the fear of retribution from the chain. While some employees plan to participate for only one day, others intend to close their pharmacies for the entire three-day period. The walkouts involve employees at over 500 of Walgreens’ approximately 9,000 stores nationwide, although a smaller number is expected to actively participate.
This move follows a similar action where pharmacy employees walked off the job at multiple CVS stores in the Kansas City area last week. The coordinated walkouts at some Walgreens stores are in response to what pharmacy employees claim are burdensome prescription and vaccination expectations imposed on pharmacists by corporate management.
According to the organizer, these excessive expectations often result in overwhelmed employees falling behind and encountering disgruntled customers. The company sets performance targets based on the number of team members assigned to each pharmacy, but the actual staffing levels often fall well below these targets. Additionally, there have been cuts in training hours for new technicians, further exacerbating the problem.
Walgreens has responded by stating that they have increased training for new pharmacists, but they have temporarily paused “non-critical” training during the busy immunization season. The company has also emphasized that they do not impose corporate quotas and removed task-based metrics from retail pharmacy staff performance reviews last year. Walgreens claims to have invested $265 million into its nationwide pharmacy team this fiscal year, including the creation of dedicated positions to manage inventory and administrative tasks for pharmacists.
Despite these assertions, some disgruntled employees insist that they are expected and incentivized to administer more vaccines, which leaves them with little time to fulfill other duties. The walkout participants argue that Walgreens fails to prioritize safe patient care on a daily basis and has not taken steps to rectify the situation.
Walgreens acknowledged that their pharmacy employees were overworked and stressed that they were committed to providing the necessary support and resources for their team to deliver high-quality care to patients while also addressing their well-being.
Similar concerns have also been raised by employees of CVS, another major drugstore chain, who organized walkouts in the Kansas City area. CVS responded by apologizing to its pharmacy teams in an internal memo and has committed to address their concerns. CVS Pharmacy officials will be meeting with walkout organizers on October 15, although specific details are yet to be confirmed.
The walkouts at both Walgreens and CVS come in the midst of a rising trend of labor strikes across various industries. The ongoing pandemic has further intensified the pressure on pharmacy employees who face severe understaffing, low pay, high vaccination quotas, inadequate breaks, abusive management, and even violent customers.
Pharmacist advocates anticipate that the walkouts will continue as employees demand better working conditions. While CVS and Walgreens pharmacists currently lack union representation, reports suggest that employees have been in contact with union groups.
Pharmacists argue that their work is crucial for public health and say they are not seeking extravagant benefits but rather assistance in coping with their demanding duties. The recent walkouts highlight the urgent need for the industry to address underlying staffing and operational issues to ensure patient safety and the well-being of pharmacy workers nationwide.