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Employees at seven CVS pharmacies in Southern California at the moment are on strike, as they demand higher pay and well being care and to name out what they describe as the corporate partaking in bad-faith contract bargaining.
The strike started Friday and continued by way of the weekend, affecting 4 shops in Los Angeles and three others in Orange County. Putting staff exterior a Los Angeles location informed prospects on Saturday to not cross the picket traces, in line with The Related Press.
Melissa Acosta, a pharmacy technician who’s on the contract bargaining committee, claimed the corporate was “intimidating workers, observing them, getting in the way of them speaking to union representatives,” the outlet reported.
Regardless of the strike, the affected CVS places have remained open and staffed by managers and nonunion staff.
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Employees at seven CVS pharmacies in Southern California at the moment are on strike, as they demand higher pay and well being care. (Joe Raedle/Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)
Employees deliberate to proceed picketing till contract negotiations with the corporate resume Wednesday.
The strike was authorized when greater than 90% of the 2 native United Meals and Industrial Employees unions concerned voted in favor on Sept. 29, in line with The Related Press.
“We’re disappointed that our UFCW member colleagues have gone on strike at a few select locations in the Los Angeles area,” CVS spokesperson Amy Thibault mentioned in a press release.
Thibault mentioned the corporate has made progress in direction of a last contract and has reached tentative agreements to boost pay and improve the corporate’s medical insurance contributions.
Acosta mentioned she can not afford the price of the insurance coverage CVS gives, so she is as an alternative enrolled within the state-run program Lined California.
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Employees deliberate to proceed picketing till contract negotiations with the corporate resume Wednesday. (Scott Olson/Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)
“In my nine years of working with CVS, I’ve never been able to afford their health care plan,” she mentioned.
Pharmacy chains throughout the nation have struggled with prices and on-line competitors.
CVS Well being CEO Karen Lynch of CVS Well being lately resigned, as shares dropped 19%. CVS is reaching the top of a three-year plan to shut 900 shops.
The corporate’s pharmacy technicians, who should full an intensive coaching program and fulfill licensing necessities, at present make $24.90 an hour after 5 years on the job, the union mentioned.
Carlos Alfaro, a technician who’s on strike, mentioned shops are understaffed because the flu season begins, in line with The Related Press.
CVS pharmacy technicians at present make $24.90 an hour after 5 years on the job, the union mentioned. ( Paul Weaver/SOPA Pictures/LightRocket by way of Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)
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“We have to call [patients] constantly to get flu shots, push vaccines,” Alfaro mentioned. “This is a lot of extra work we’re expected to do, on top of filling medications at the pharmacy.”
Many shops have been locking up gadgets in an effort to stop shoplifting, forcing prospects to ask staff to unlock gadgets akin to cleaning soap and laundry detergent.
“There are so many customers that don’t get help and have to constantly wait to get something unlocked,” Acosta mentioned. “They think we just don’t want to help them, when in reality the company doesn’t give us adequate staffing to be able to provide excellent customer service.”
Employees are additionally making different calls for, together with a request for higher retailer safety.
