A strike could be coming to local the West Hollywood Pavilions pharmacy, located at 8969 Santa Monica Boulevard. United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428, and 1442, together representing more than 600 pharmacists and pharmacy workers at Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons and Pavilions locations across Southern California, announced an overwhelming membership vote that authorizes union leadership to call for Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strikes should they become necessary.
The seven UFCW Locals released the following statement on the strike authorization vote passage:
“Southern California’s essential pharmacists have made their voices heard with this vote. They have made the difficult decision to stand together on the picket line should it become necessary in protest of the unlawful and unfair treatment they’ve received from Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions. This vote gives union leaders the authorization to call for a strike and lays the groundwork to allow more than 600 pharmacists across California to stand up to protect their rights and ensure they have the ability to effectively serve their patients and communities.”
Negotiations resumed July 22nd with UFCW and Ralphs and Vons, Albertsons and Pavilions. No dates have been set yet for a strike.
Workers rallied outside West Hollywood Pavilions pharmacy on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.. Pharmacists held up signs and distributed fliers to customers on the parking lot to bring attention to their fight for a better a contract.
BACKGROUND:
UFCW Locals throughout California have filed Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges against Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons and Pavilions with the National Labor Relations Board, finding these employers to be violating federal labor law and intimidating workers.
The specific ULP charges against Ralphs, Vons, and Albertsons include: deliberate intimidation of and retaliation against pharmacists engaged in union activity, illegal interrogation of pharmacists about their union activity, threatening adverse actions against them for engaging in union activity, attempting to bribe pharmacists with token bonuses rather than negotiating fair wage increases, failure to provide staffing information and documents necessary to the collective bargaining process, and the hiring of temporary workers to undermine union activity.
These unlawful practices undermine workers’ rights and attempt to weaken the collective power of hard-working essential workers throughout California.
