Workers at seven CVS pharmacies in Southern California have gone on strike, demanding better pay, improved healthcare and protesting what they say are bad-faith negotiations, the Los Angeles Times reported Oct. 20.
The strike, which began Oct. 18, affected four locations in Los Angeles and three in Orange County, with pharmacy technicians among those participating. The workers, represented by two local United Food and Commercial Workers unions, voiced concerns over understaffing and heavy workloads.
CVS has kept the stores open using non-union staff, and negotiations are set to resume Oct. 23. The strike received more than 90% of the union members in a vote held by the unions. CVS said progress has been made in contract talks, including tentative agreements to raise wages and increase healthcare contributions, the report said.
The labor action follows other recent protests, including a walkout in Kansas City, Mo., in fall 2023 over staffing issues and Walgreens workers across several states protesting similar concerns.