Walgreens pharmacy staffers stage walkouts over work conditions
Some Walgreens pharmacists are walking off the job this week over concerns about their working conditions
NEW YORK (AP) — Some Walgreens pharmacy staff walked off the job this week over concerns that working conditions are putting employees and patients at risk.
The exact scale of the protest was unclear. Organizers on Tuesday estimated that more than 300 Walgreens locations — out of nearly 9,000 nationwide — were affected by walkouts planned for Monday through Wednesday. A company spokesperson said “no more than a dozen” pharmacies experienced disruptions.
A Walgreens pharmacy manager who helped organize the walkouts told The Associated Press that teams were short-staffed and overworked, especially with the additional demands from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s led to upset customers,” said the organizer, who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity for fear of being punished by the company. “It’s led to medication errors, vaccination errors, needle sticks.”
