Pharmacy Staff at Two CVS Stores in Rhode Island Vote to Join National Union
Pharmacy staff at two CVS retail stores in Rhode Island have made a significant move by voting to join a new national pharmacy union. This decision reflects a growing momentum in the movement towards addressing what these workers claim are unsafe working conditions. The two locations, which are open 24 hours a day in Wakefield and Westerly, are the first stores in CVS’ home state to unionize.
The union, known as The Pharmacy Guild, will represent these workers in negotiations with CVS. Shane Jerominski, a community pharmacist and co-founder of The Pharmacy Guild, expressed his excitement about the unionization of these “brick-and-mortar classic CVS model” stores, as he and many others have firsthand experience with the working conditions in such retail settings.
While the two Rhode Island locations consist of only nine pharmacists out of CVS’ approximately 30,000 pharmacists nationwide, this move is significant. CVS already has around 700 unionized pharmacists with other groups. A CVS spokesperson stated that the company respects its employees’ right to unionize and will negotiate in good faith with the union if the National Labor Relations Board confirms the results of the vote.
The formation of The Pharmacy Guild was a result of the nationwide walkout of pharmacy staff in the fall, organized by Jerominski and others. The walkout involved major drugstore chains like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid and drew attention to workers’ concerns regarding understaffing and increasing workloads. The Pharmacy Guild aims to address these issues by advocating for higher standards of practice in pharmacies and legislative changes to protect both employees and patients.
The discontent among retail pharmacy staff has been growing for years, with workers struggling with understaffed teams and increased work expectations imposed by corporate management. The Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these problems, with additional duties such as vaccinations and testing stretching pharmacy staff even thinner.
The unionization effort in Rhode Island is not an isolated incident. The Pharmacy Guild is gaining momentum in other parts of the country as well. Jerominski predicts that there may be more union filings for stores at companies other than CVS in the coming weeks.
Overall, the decision of pharmacy staff at these two CVS stores in Rhode Island to join a national union marks a significant step forward in addressing the concerns of workers in the retail pharmacy industry. With the support of The Pharmacy Guild, these workers hope to improve working conditions and ensure safer staffing levels for the benefit of both employees and patients.
