Walgreen pharmacists strike at 400 Chicago-area stores, saying low staffing a problem

Thursday, July 7th 2005, 12:49 pm

By: News On 6

CHICAGO (AP) _ A union representing 1,200 pharmacists at Chicago area Walgreen Co. stores said Thursday early indicators showed ``overwhelming support'' for a strike over what it says are low staffing levels and growing workloads.

But union spokesman Matt Demo said it was too early to know exactly how many pharmacists walked off the job after the strike began at 10 p.m. Wednesday.

The National Pharmacists Association says the growing workloads increase the risk of mistakes that could harm patients, but Walgreen says its pharmacies are safe and the union is using the issue as a bargaining chip for better pay.

Both sides were to meet Thursday for a bargaining session with a federal mediator.

``We're still focused on reaching a fair agreement,'' Walgreen spokesman Michael Polzin said. ``I think we have a great proposal out there already and we'll see what happens.''

Last week, the pharmacists rejected the drugstore chain's most recent contract offer, citing concerns about staffing levels. The union authorized a strike June 12, when the previous contract expired.

In the most recent proposal, Walgreen, the nation's largest drugstore chain in sales, agreed to increase pharmacist pay by 20 percent to more than $100,000 a year, plus benefits, for a 40-hour workweek.

The company has nonunion pharmacy managers and technicians staffing its pharmacies. Most pharmacies currently open 24 hours will be closed overnight, though 11 will remain open around the clock, Polzin said.

Deerfield-based Walgreen employs about 16,000 pharmacists at 4,800 Walgreens drugstores in 45 states. It had only one other union, which represents pharmacists and store workers in the San Francisco area, Polzin said.