Pharmacy Workers Unite: Nationwide Push for Unionization Gains Momentum
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is launching a campaign to unionize retail pharmacy workers in response to complaints of overwork and understaffing, which could compromise patient safety. The Pharmacy Guild, backed by IAM and pharmacy labor activists, aims to address issues at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies, as well as other retail pharmacies across the US. The campaign seeks to establish staffing and workload standards, representation and collective bargaining rights, and legislative and regulatory action to protect patients and improve professional practice. The initiative follows a series of walkouts by pharmacy workers protesting labor conditions, and organizers hope to gather support from 100,000 retail pharmacy workers.