Retail pharmacy workers at the drug store chain have laid out grievances ranging from understaffed teams to corporate management’s push for greater work expectations. One Walgreens organizer, speaking anonymously, noted that the walkouts were set to take place Oct. 30 to Nov. 1. Shane Jerominski, another organizer and an independent pharmacist who used to work for Walgreens, confirmed those dates.
“Pharmacists are kind of on an island where you don’t feel much support,” Jerominski said. “It feels like yelling into the void. You might call a supervisor or a district manager, but you might get a response a week later.”
A Walgreens spokesperson praised its pharmacy workers in a statement, noting that they work “tirelessly to serve our communities” at the company’s nearly 9,000 stores in the U.S. The spokesperson also conceded that the “last few years have required an unprecedented effort from our team members.”
Walgreens is working with its pharmacy employees, the spokesperson said, noting that the company has been investing heavily in pay and hiring bonuses to keep its pharmacists from leaving locations that are difficult to staff.