Pharmacy professionals in CVS’ home state continue to rapidly unionize in demand of higher patient standards
Woonsocket, RI — Pharmacy technicians at a 24/7 CVS store in Wakefield, RI, have won their union election with The Pharmacy Guild (TPG) with a unanimous vote, and now join the pharmacists at their store who voted to join TPG last month. The rapid speed of organizing reflects urgency within the industry and the solidarity between pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy interns to protect their patients.
“I’m proud to announce that we have joined our colleagues in taking the next step to secure better conditions for our patients,” said Chris DesRochers, a pharmacy technician at CVS Wakefield and a key figure in the recent successful unionization effort. “With the establishment of a comprehensive pharmacy union, encompassing all pharmacy workers at our store, we are so excited to begin advocating on behalf of our patients and our working conditions.”
The Pharmacy Guild’s first-in-the-nation victory in April has proven to be just the start of an industry uprising. With collective bargaining units, workers will be entitled to negotiate with CVS over concerns including safe staffing levels, patient care standards, and other issues critical for patient safety and the future of the profession.
“The united front shown by pharmacy professionals in Wakefield is a powerful testament to their unwavering dedication to prioritizing patient care over corporate profit,” said Dr. Shane Jerominski, a community pharmacist, a passionate industry reform advocate, and co-founder of The Pharmacy Guild. “Our victories continue to send waves across the industry. Pharmacy employees are prepared to face the industry’s challenges head-on, with a fierce commitment to our patients and our profession.”
Unsafe staffing levels for many pharmacies and store closures have reached crisis levels across America, including major chains like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. Pharmacy professionals are fighting back in a nationwide grassroots movement that launched in 2023 when thousands of pharmacy professionals across multiple employers walked out in protest of the dangerous conditions in an action known as “pharmageddon.”
The Pharmacy Guild, an initiative of IAM Healthcare, is the nation’s only union dedicated exclusively to organizing and representing pharmacy professionals across employers and industries in a specialized trade union. IAM Healthcare is a national healthcare union within the powerful International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).