In eighth filing for the union, pharmacy professionals continue to organize in demand for higher patient safety standards
Redlands, California— The movement to unionize America’s pharmacy industry hits a major milestone this week. One hundred thirty five pharmacy professionals at the CVS Specialty Pharmacy in Redlands, CA are taking the next steps in advocating for their patients by seeking a union election. This announcement marks the largest unit to file to join the Pharmacy Guild (TPG) since its launch in March 2024. This event also breaks new ground as the first workplace in California to file to join the union.
The Redlands CVS pharmacy manages therapies and provides medications for patients with conditions like cancer, hemophilia, HIV, hereditary angiodema, lysosomal storage disorders, and autoimmune diseases. Many of the medications dispensed by the facility have short shelf lives, set temperature controls, strict delivery windows, and other detailed filling and packing procedures. Pharmacy professionals there report disregard for their professional expertise, inadequate technology, and intense pressure to cut corners in ways that compromise their responsibility to their patients. The pharmacy staff is banding together, unified by the desire to ensure safe patient care and safe working conditions.
“We’re determined to bring about meaningful improvements,” said Aisha Torres, a pharmacy technician with over a decade of experience, and five years working at the CVS Specialty in Redlands. “We urge CVS to respect our right to unionize and work with us to create better working conditions for pharmacy staff and the people who rely on us.”
“This is incredibly specialized work that takes extreme care to fill for our patients. We are unionizing to make sure safety is always put above profits. It’s that simple,” said Tarun Dhiman, a pharmacist with 18 years of experience and over 10 years working at CVS Specialty. “We see this as an opportunity to stand up for our patients and advocate for them.”
The latest wave of organizing highlights the pressing need for change in corporate-owned pharmacies, warehouses, and medical facilities, propelled by the mounting demands on the industry’s workforce. Pharmacy professionals have scored historic union election victories at CVS Omnicare in Nevada, CVS Health stores in Rhode Island, and Walgreens in Washington state, driven by a dedication to securing patient safety.
The new filing is the eighth TPG filing this year, after the union’s first-in-the-nation victory in March. Pharmacy professionals across the country continue to organize with The Guild, fighting for their patients, and their profession.