Walgreens Pharmacy Employees Walkout Planned for This Week
The Facts
This week, pharmacy employees — including pharmacists, technicians, and other staff — at US Walgreens stores are expected to walk off the job.
Some employees will stay away from work for three days, while some are expected to remain out just one day. The labor stoppage is expected to be over on Wednesday.
The Spin
Narrative A
Whether it’s Walgreens, CVS, or Kaiser Permanente, workers in the healthcare field have been exploited for too long, and work stoppages might be the only way to get the attention of management. If these companies are serious about safely serving their patients, they’ll take the necessary steps to bolster their staffing and make sure working conditions improve. The Walgreens work stoppage is another example of America's simmering recent labor movements.
Narrative B
Of course, management appreciates the unprecedented effort of its employees, especially as things have gotten more difficult because of the COVID pandemic. In order to satisfy worker requests, there should be an ongoing conversation between employees and those in these companies’ boardrooms instead of walkouts that will create long lines and put patients in danger. A labor stoppage is not the answer.
