CVS Pharmacy Workers Authorize ULP Strike in Overwhelming Vote
UFCW's File Unfair Labor Practice Charges, Call for CVS Customer Boycott
San Diego, CA — UFCW Local 135, representing over 900 CVS Pharmacy workers in San Diego County, has announced that an overwhelming majority of voting members at CVS have authorized an unfair labor practice strike following this week's vote. The strike would be based on multiple unfair labor practice charges filed by the union with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against CVS for illegal activities during negotiations. The final decision on whether to strike will be made by the UFCW bargaining committee—composed of CVS workers and UFCW leadership—at a later date.
Statewide, more than 7,400 UFCW members from eight Locals, covering over 380 CVS Pharmacies, participated in the strike authorization vote. Workers are demanding an end to the unfair labor practices and seek in a new contract fair wages, comprehensive benefits, and safe staffing levels to prevent theft, burnout, and hazardous working conditions. CVS's current proposals fail to adequately address these critical concerns. With the contract having expired almost three months ago, negotiations are set to resume October 16.
UFCW Local 135 President Todd Walters emphasized the importance of this authorization:
“Our members have made it clear that CVS must do better. The unfair labor practices committed by CVS show a blatant disregard for workers' rights. We will use this strike authorization to continue pushing for an end to these unfair practices and for a contract that respects the contributions of our members.”
In addition to filing unfair labor practice charges, UFCW Local 135 continues to take action by engaging with CVS customers. Over the last few weeks, UFCW Local 135 held customer actions at multiple non-union CVS Pharmacy locations throughout San Diego County, encouraging customers to support union CVS workers by transferring their prescriptions to a nearby union grocery pharmacy and canceling their CVS ExtraCare+ memberships.
To show solidarity with the workers at union CVS locations, UFCW Local 135 is calling on customers throughout San Diego County to BOYCOTT CVS until a deal is reached on a new contract.
CVS customer boycott actions will continue over the next few weeks, including on Wednesday, October 2 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at the CVS Pharmacy in Ocean Beach located at 4949 Santa Monica Ave.
For more information on the ULP strike vote, negotiations, or upcoming customer actions, contact UFCW Local 135 Communications Director Brent Beltran at 619.866.8595.
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United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 135 represents over 12,000 workers throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties in industries including grocery, retail, pharmacy, meat processing, gaming, cannabis, and more. UFCW Local 135 is part of the 1.3 million-member UFCW International.