Walgreens Expands Pharmacy Hours as Pharmacists Resign From Union and Return to Work
- All Chicago-area Walgreens stores and pharmacies open
- Pharmacists resign from union in growing numbers; nearly 20 percent of union pharmacists are in stores working
- Walgreens remains committed to fair agreement; offer keeps pharmacies the best-staffed and pharmacists among best-paid at well over $100,000 a year
DEERFIELD, Ill., July 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- More than 200, or nearly 20 percent, of Walgreens (NYSE, Nasdaq: WAG - News) Chicago-area staff pharmacists have chosen to resign from their union and continue working despite the strike called by union leadership as of 10 p.m. Wednesday, July 6. Every pharmacy is open. Walgreens has restored 24-hour service in six additional pharmacies and is expanding prescription service hours in other stores. Patients are asked to call their individual pharmacy to determine hours.
"Quality patient service and safety are our top priorities," said company spokesperson Michael Polzin. "Our pharmacies are staffed by the best pharmacists and highest number of certified pharmacy technicians in the industry, and we provide our staffs with the most resources."
He added that the company's pharmacists and pharmacy technicians "are expressing grave disappointment in the way union leadership is distorting Walgreens leadership in pharmacy safety. They consider these statements a personal attack on their professionalism and careful work on behalf of patients."
"We've made a very fair offer to our Chicago-area pharmacists," said Polzin. "It will keep Walgreens pharmacies the best-staffed and our pharmacists among the best-paid in the nation at more than $100,000 a year for a 40-hour workweek. This contract reflects a 20 percent raise over four years.
"Our pharmacists are hard-working professionals who care deeply about patient care, and they deserve the compensation and benefits we provide. We're a company of pharmacists, from our CEO and president to 4,834 neighborhood pharmacies, and we don't believe there is any company that provides a better work environment for pharmacists than Walgreens.
"The large number of pharmacists who have already resigned from their union reflects an alarming disconnect between union leadership and our in- store pharmacists."
During the work stoppage, Walgreens stores will remain open their normal hours. Walgreens pharmacy hours will be scheduled as follows:
-- Non-24-hour pharmacies generally will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday
through Saturday. Some stores are extending hours, so patients should
call their local pharmacy for updates.
-- The following 24-hour pharmacies will remain open 24 hours:
- 16 E. Lake St., Addison
- 522 Torrence Ave., Calumet City
- 757 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago
- 5600 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago
- 1554 E. 55th St., Chicago
- 11 E. 75th St., Chicago
- 7510 N. Western Ave., Chicago
- 501 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago
- 780 Waukegan Road, Deerfield
- 100 N. Randall Road, Lake in the Hills
- 6 E. North Ave., Northlake
- 2323 Charles St., Rockford
- 498 N. Weber Road, Romeoville
-- All other 24-hour pharmacies will be open 8 a.m. to midnight seven days
a week.
Walgreen Co. is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2004 sales of $37.5 billion. The company operates 4,834 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico. Walgreens also provides additional services to pharmacy patients and prescription drug plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives (a pharmacy benefits manager), Walgreens Mail Service, Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy and Walgreens Home Care.
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Source: Walgreen Co.