Thousands of Walgreens pharmacy employees across the US walk off the job, claiming work conditions put patient lives at risk
Thousands of Walgreens pharmacy employees across the US walk off the job, claiming work conditions put patient lives at risk
- Thousands of employees walk out of stores in protest against onerous prescription and vaccination expectations
- Employees at more than 500 of Walgreens’ 9,000 stores across the country expressed interest and solidarity with ‘Operation Spotlight’
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Walgreens employees, pharmacists, technicians and support staff are set to walk off the job next week in protest against conditions they say threaten patient health and safety.
The protests begin on October 9 and last until October 11. Employees have the option to protest for as long as they want between the three days, say the organizers.
This is done in response to what pharmacy employees call ‘difficult prescription and vaccination expectations’.
Employees at more than 500 of Walgreens’ 9,000 stores across the country have expressed interest and solidarity with ‘Operation Spotlight.’
“My pharmacy has historically been at the top of the chain, but these corporate demands are unrealistic and unfair to us and our patients,” one employee wrote in a social media post about the protests.
Thousands of employees walk out of stores in protest against onerous prescription and vaccination expectations
One employee used social media to protest the working conditions and organize the walkout
Employees at more than 500 of Walgreens’ 9,000 stores across the country expressed interest and solidarity with ‘Operation Spotlight’
One Walgreens employee took to Reddit to explain the situation in their pharmacy.
They wrote: ‘I spent hours explaining to patients why we scheduled them for a vaccine we didn’t have. I have also given more than 100 vaccines in one day alone while more than 600 leaflets were lying on the counter.
‘I asked for help and voiced my concerns just like you. They call you all whiners and tell you that you don’t live up to expectations. When will they meet our expectations? When will they give us the support to meet the expectations of our patients?’
The unnamed Reddit user also goes into detail about what other employees can do in protest, which includes contacting their local Pharmacy Council and news outlets.
Contact your local Pharmacy Council immediately! There is nothing Walgreens can do to punish you for reporting safety issues. There is whistleblower protection in every state.
‘Report this madness. Report the inhumane working conditions. Report the neglect and abuse our patients experience. Report the dangers our patients face as a result of the unsafe environment Walgreens has created.
‘Call your local news and let them know what’s happening. Anonymous is good, on camera, even better. You are protected as a whistleblower. I already have a major news outlet interview lined up. Reach out yourself. Let’s make it big.’
Another Reddit user provides steps on how employees can contact their local Board of Pharmacy
‘There were nights where I was on the verge of tears because of how difficult it is. I had a patient punch me and tell me I was doing a good job, and it meant so much to me. The patients care more about us than the employer,’ said one pharmacist
Walgreens said in an emailed response that it is engaged and listening to concerns raised by some of its team members
Another Reddit user provides steps on how employees can contact their local Board of Pharmacy.
He wrote: “I think we all know at this point that Walgreens is not going to change on its own. In that vein, I would like you to put pressure on our pharmacy boards. These institutions are put in place to ensure that our patients are safe.’
Walgreens said in an emailed response that it is engaged and listening to concerns raised by some of its team members.
“We are making significant investments in pharmacist wages and hiring bonuses to attract/retain talent in more difficult staffing locations,” the company said.
One pharmacist told CNN: ‘There were nights where I was on the verge of tears because of how difficult it is. I had a patient punch me and tell me I was doing a good job, and it meant so much to me. The patients care more about us than the employer does.’
It comes a week after CVS agreed to boost hiring in its stores to ease workloads that sometimes make it difficult for employees to take a bathroom break.
Pharmacists in at least a dozen CVS pharmacies in the Kansas City area did not show up for work in September and planned to be out again until the company dispatched its chief pharmacy officer with promises to fill open positions and increase staffing levels.
It was one of the latest examples nationwide of workers fed up enough to take action. But unlike in the continuous strikes at the car manufacturers or in Hollywoodthe pharmacists did not demand raises or more holidays, but more workers to help them.
It’s unclear why workload concerns common in the industry led to a work stoppage in Kansas City. The pharmacists involved are not in a union and have not spoken publicly, so it is not entirely clear how satisfied they are with the company’s response.