Walgreens, a popular pharmaceutical general store in the US, has numerous employees planning to walk out on strike next Monday and Wednesday, as reported by CNN. This is because of what the employees call burdensome prescription and vaccination expectations placed on pharmacists.
According to Reuters, "Pharmacy employees at some U.S. Walgreens (WBA.O) stores, including pharmacists, technicians, and support staff, plan a walkout between Monday and Wednesday, CNN reported on Friday, citing an organizer." The Reuters article also mentions the Kaiser Permanente strike that ended on Friday after an agreement was reached to resume stalled contract talks. Union officials predict that there may be further walkouts in the future. This strike is considered the largest ever in the U.S. healthcare sector, with medical staff and support personnel walking out of their jobs for over 72 hours this week.
At over 500 of the United States' 9,000 Walgreens stores, employees plan to walk out next Monday through Wednesday, October 9-11. Many workers have described the working conditions as extremely challenging, making it difficult to safely fill prescriptions. This poses a risk to the health of the customers they serve. An organizer of the walkouts explained that Walgreens is not providing the necessary accommodations for workers to provide safe care on a daily basis. The company has been unresponsive and has not taken steps to address the issues raised by the employees. Additionally, employees have expressed frustration with performance expectations based on staffing levels that are often insufficient.
In addition to the Walgreens strikes, many pharmacists at CVS stores are also planning to strike due to unfit working conditions. Some employees have reported severe understaffing, low pay, high vaccination quotas, limited bathroom breaks, abusive management, and encounters with violent customers. The pandemic has further exacerbated the challenges faced by pharmacists in performing their jobs effectively. Some advocates of the pharmaceutical walkouts are referring to the situation as "pharmageddon."
The strikes at Walgreens and CVS highlight the growing concerns among healthcare workers regarding working conditions and the impact on patient care. As these labor strikes continue to occur across the country, it is clear that employees are demanding improvements and fair treatment in their workplaces.