Labor strife has engulfed multiple facets of the U.S. economy in recent months as unemployment has continued to fall at the same time real average weekly wages have also decreased, according to government statistics.
The upcoming U.S. Presidential election in 2024 has also played a part in the conflict between employers and their workers as both President Joe Biden and his presumed 2024 opponent former President Donald Trump both visited Detroit area auto workers recently in support of union and non-union workers, respectively.
Related: Ford surges as UAW signals strike talk progress; new strike at GM, Stellantis
Pharmacy staff at Walgreens (WBA) -) stores across the country on Oct. 9 are scheduled to lock their gates and walk off the job on the first day of what is expected to be a three-day labor strike.
The workers, who don't have a formal union like their counterparts in the auto industry, have taken to social media to organize their walkout. The workers cite "unsafe working conditions" as a reason their protest.
"With the new covid vaccine and flu I’m doing 65+ shots a day while simultaneously being the main pharmacist. I can’t keep up it’s exhausting," one Walgreen's pharmacist wrote on Reddit.
Pharmacy techs at as many as 500 of Walgreens' nearly 9,000 stores across the country could participate in the strike, according to CNN. They would join pharmacists at CVS Health (CVS) -) — Walgreens biggest rival — who have also recently walked off the job.
"The last few years have required an unprecedented effort from our team members, and we share their pride in this work — while recognizing it has been a very challenging time. We also understand the immense pressures felt across the U.S. in retail pharmacy right now," a Walgreens spokesperson told Deerfield, Ill., news channel WSILTV.
"We are committed to ensuring that our entire pharmacy team has the support and resources necessary to continue to provide the best care to our patients while taking care of their own wellbeing. We are making significant investments in pharmacist wages and hiring bonuses to attract/retain talent in harder-to-staff locations."
Get investment guidance from trusted portfolio managers without the management fees. Sign up for Action Alerts PLUS now.
