Incoming Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth briefly acknowledged the recent three-day protest walkouts held by pharmacy staff this week over poor working conditions, but did not provide any further comment on the matter. Despite this, the walkouts shed light on the increasing dissatisfaction among pharmacy employees who have long complained about understaffing and burdensome work expectations imposed by corporate management. The challenges that Wentworth will face as he assumes the chief executive role on Oct. 23 extend beyond labor issues, as he will also have to navigate a profit squeeze due to falling demand for Covid products and Walgreens’ transition into a large healthcare company.
During the company’s earnings call, Wentworth recounted a personal experience with a Walgreens employee in Rochester, New York, who went above and beyond to ensure the delivery of a critical medication prescription for his mother. He emphasized the importance of committed pharmacists and team members in improving the lives of customers and expressed his appreciation for the experiences that led him to join Walgreens.
In response to the walkouts, a Walgreens spokesperson commended the tireless efforts of the pharmacy teams and stated that the company is attentive to the concerns of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. However, it remains unclear whether any changes have been implemented in response to the employees’ demands, which include increased staffing, payroll transparency, advance notice of schedule changes, and mandatory training for new hires.
Pharmacy employees not only handle prescriptions but also manage patient phone calls, administer vaccines, work with insurance companies, perform Covid and flu testing, and handle customer complaints resulting from longer wait times caused by understaffing.
