Dissatisfied with deteriorating working conditions at major retail chains, pharmacists across the United States began their third and most extensive walkout of the season, dubbed “Pharmageddon.”
The movement involved approximately 4,500 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians from various chains, including CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens. The American Pharmacists Association, the industry’s largest professional organization, endorsed the initiative and expressed solidarity with all participants.
Why are pharmacists in the US protesting?
While organizers and participants hoped to draw attention to their concerns and the potential risks to patients due to staffing shortages, CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens representatives reported minimal disruptions as a result of the walkout.
This walkout is the latest in a series of actions affecting the pharmacy industry this autumn. The first walkout, in September, shut down more than a dozen CVS pharmacies in the Kansas City area, while the second, in early October, shut down a similar number of Walgreens stores across the country.
Pharmacy workers, like those who have previously protested, are taking this dramatic action to address their concerns, emphasizing the need for more staff and resources to perform their jobs safely. Major pharmacy chains, such as CVS and Walgreens, have continued to reduce staffing levels while increasing the workload for frontline workers over the years.
The situation was difficult prior to the pandemic, and COVID-19 exacerbated it. Since then, the workload has only increased, with many stores now employing half the staff they did a decade ago. The high prescription volume, combined with vaccine appointments, rapid tests, and patient consultation calls, has increased the workload on pharmacy staff.
CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid have all issued statements in response to the walkout
Furthermore, each task is subject to strict time constraints and is evaluated in relation to corporate goals that prioritize speed and profits. Employees who fail to meet these targets may be subjected to disciplinary action, reassignment, or termination.
This increased pressure has resulted in an increase in medication errors, putting patient safety at risk. Many pharmacists have expressed concern about the unsafe staffing levels, with some working long hours that result in exhaustion and errors.
Participants in the walkout are demanding more staff to handle prescription filling and dispensing, patient vaccinations, and patient consultation calls safely. They claim that their employers do not provide adequate staffing or compensation to keep pharmacy technicians.
CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid have all issued statements in response to the walkout, acknowledging their efforts to improve working conditions and recruit and retain talent. Following a walkout, CVS, for example, implemented changes to improve working conditions and patient safety, including additional staffing and paid overtime. Similarly, Walgreens responded by going on a listening tour and allowing understaffed locations to reduce the number of daily vaccination appointments.
The “Pharmageddon” walkout is a powerful demonstration of the difficulties that pharmacists face in the retail sector
Notably, not all pharmacists taking part in the walkout are employed by major chains. Some employees, such as Kyara Dawbin, a pharmacy technician at Hannaford Supermarkets in Maine, have faced similar staffing reductions and increased demands. Dawbin joined the walkout to highlight the importance of patient safety and hope that employers and customers will listen to their concerns. She cited instances of violence and harassment directed at pharmacy employees, emphasizing the critical need for a safer working environment.
The “Pharmageddon” walkout is a powerful demonstration of the difficulties that pharmacists face in the retail sector, as well as their unwavering commitment to improving conditions for the benefit of both employees and patients.