CVS apologizes, but pharmacists to walk out again over unsafe workplace

[Jilly_in_VA]

Less than a week after a walkout disrupted the nation’s largest retail pharmacy chain – and after a flurry of memos, meetings and a written apology from a company president – CVS pharmacists plan another walkout today over working conditions they say imperil patient safety.

After shuttering as many as 22 stores in the Kansas City area last week, organizers had planned a repeat this week and asked other pharmacists across the nation to join them.

CVS executives scrambled to Kansas City over the weekend in an attempt to avert that scenario. They met with pharmacists and pharmacy staff at several metro area locations. Those talks culminated in a meeting with walkout organizers late Tuesday, both sides confirmed to USA TODAY.

Hours later, Prem Shah, CVS’ chief pharmacy officer and president of pharmacy and consumer wellness, issued a memo to Kansas City staff apologizing for failing to address their concerns sooner and promising a series of measures to alleviate their concerns.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/09/27/cvs-pharmacists-plan-walk-out-again/70974522007/

Same thing happened here at Kroger (Harrisonburg, VA) and the head pharmacist finally quit. Everyone else walked out in solidarity and the place was in an uproar for months. Customers also left in droves.

[Biophilic]

1. I've watched the pharmacists and others working in the pharmacy at my CVS.

Usually shaking my head at how intense and fast they have to move to even keep up at all. They are all wonderful people, but the strain in their faces is hard to look at.

[lpbk2713]

2. I've never had any problems with Publix Pharmacy.

In case anyone is looking to switch.

[Jirel]

5. Publix is a MAGA dump.

You don’t buy from Publix, any more than you buy from Chick-Fil-A.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Where Did You Hear That?

Publix is 80% employee owned. They are #3 on Fortune's list of best retailers to work for. (Based on retention/turnover, compensation & employee surveys.
If you are basing this on that nutty granddaughter (who is MAGAt), you should know she owns ZERO percent of Publix stock & has never worked for the chain in any fashion since her part-time days in high school ended.
They are NOT a MAGA dump & never were.

[lpbk2713]

9. If you think Publix meds has GOP cooties on them then go somewhere else.

Knock yourself out.

[MineralMan]

12. You apparently have bad information.

But, you seem to believe it. Which is why all things you think are true are worth investigating before spreading them.

[Dulcinea]

3. The CVS near me sucks.

No cashiers in front, I have to look for someone if I have trouble at the self checkout, & everything is overpriced. I never go there unless it's a last resort.

[viva la]

4. Pharmacy techs are trained workers, but not paid very well in some areas.

I noticed my local Kroger was advertising for pharm techs-- "$16-$18 an hour!"

Around here, fast food workers are starting at $15. So $16 is ridiculously low for a skilled and essential worker. No wonder they're having trouble with staffing.

[GregariousGroundhog]

10. Pharmacy techs aren't very well paid in most areas.

Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage nationally for pharmacy technicians is $18.12 in health and personal care retailers and $22.32 in general medical and surgical hospitals. In addition to the higher wages, hospital pharmacies also have the perk of normally working mainly with nursing staff and not the general public. It doesn't surprise me that Kroger would have difficulty recruiting and/or retaining at $16 an hour

Pharmacy techs may be trained workers, but it isn't a particularly difficult career to train into. In my state, certification can be gained in two semesters by enrolling in a pharmacy tech program at a technical school or by doing a paid apprentiship at one of the state's large teaching hospitals. That said, it's still hard justifying spending the time if one is only going to get paid a buck or two an hour more than a cashier at Walmart or Target though.

[viva la]

14. I know. You gotta consider--- a year more in school... for a dollar more an hour?

A lot of people will decide not to bother with the training.

I've had the worst service from my old pharmacy ever in the last year. A couple rXs for my bronchitis just disappeared, never arrived, never explained. Finally the bronchitis went away and I didn't need them, but I remember when I asked them to transfer it to another pharmacy, they couldn't find the prescription.

Used to be no trouble at all-- which is of course what I want... no trouble.

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. My CVS pharmacy is closed Saturday and Sunday

It opens during the week but with fewer hours.

[underpants]

7. Here are their complaints/demands

In national and state surveys, retail pharmacists working for large chains including CVS and Walgreens have complained that low staffing levels, combined with the rising pressure of corporate performance metrics, push a dwindling number of workers to handle an ever-increasing number of prescriptions, vaccinations and other tasks daily.

That, they say, increases the risk for a pharmacist’s primary role: making sure patients don’t receive the wrong drugs, or take medicines that have dangerous interactions.

[Elessar Zappa]

11. My local CVS is always severely understaffed.

It take a week to fill the meds unless you go in there and are willing to sit for an hour. They’re not even open on weekends because they can’t or won’t find an extra pharmacist.

[IcyPeas]

13. Plus since Covid they've been doing way more vaccinations than before. /nt

[ananda]

15. The pharmacists at my CVS did seem a little stressed and understaffed.

I did get my two vaccines, but there were people behind me
so I wasn't able to make my next appointment for my TDAP.

I have to get it there too.

I plan to try again after the vaccine crowd starts thinning.

[NowISeetheLight]

16. Walgreens

The Walgreens Reddit popped up on my feed the other day. Some person was ranting about staffing. Said they had a temp Pharmacist who could "hardly speak English", and two techs. Two other techs called in. Also it was the first day if the new covid shots. It was a disaster.

The tech complained that corporate told them to "manage the pharmacist" so he only focused in critical stuff. Some of the other comments were incredible.

When I had my latest Covid shot last week it was busy and they were behind. They had one pharmacist and one tech. Way understaffed. I remember early this year the pharmacy was actually closed several days due to no staff.

[Jilly_in_VA]

17. I have to go to Walgreens

because it's my "preferred pharmacy" (besides Walmart, and I don't trust Walmart, for reasons I will explain again if asked only) on my Part D. A funny thing happened to our local Walgreens though after they bought Rite-Aid. They had a big store with everything and were open till all hours. Then all of a sudden they weren't. They moved down the street to a tiny building, stock only drugs and non-Rx stuff, and are open only 9a-9p. They're okay though.