LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A group of pharmacy workers in Las Vegas are now the first to join a new national pharmacy union.
"I think that pharmacy professionals, both pharmacists and technicians, have just had enough," said Pharmacy Guild Co-Founder Dr. Shane Jerominski.
The Pharmacy Guild is a new union for pharmacy workers created in 2023. The leaders say it will help address work-related issues many claim have been plaguing the industry since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The main concerns that most pharmacy professionals have now are minimum staffing requirements and guaranteed hours, along with the rate of pay for technicians," Dr. Jerominski said.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a pharmacy technician in Nevada makes on average $19.37 an hour, which Dr. Jerominski says is highly underpaid.
Dozens of pharmacy workers from the CVS Omnicare location in Las Vegas will now receive representation. They are the first in the nation to vote in favor of unionizing, with an overwhelming 87% of workers on board.
Organizers sent Channel 13 this statement from an organizing worker at this location.
“As a pharmacy professional, I am deeply committed to my patients and their ongoing care. An essential part of our role is advocating for the patients we serve to ensure the very best health outcomes. We provide pharmacy services, including infusion therapy and essential medications, for post-acute facilities and senior living communities across Nevada, caring for seniors who often have multiple complex and chronic conditions. We are forming a union to level the playing field and create a stronger and more unified voice that will help us provide high quality expert care, safely and efficiently, for our patients.“
CVS also sent Channel 13 a response:
"We respect our employees’ right to either unionize or refrain from doing so, including our Omnicare Las Vegas colleagues’ decision to choose union representation. While we believe the direct, two-way relationship we have with our colleagues is the best way to resolve workplace concerns, we have professional and productive relationships with our thousands of union employees and their union representatives. We’ll continue to work closely and collaboratively with all our colleagues to address any concerns they have now and in the future and are committed to providing a positive and rewarding work environment. "
The Nevada Health Workforce Research shows there are shortages in 64 of 89 healthcare occupations in the state, including pharmacy technicians.
Co-director of the research John Packham said he hopes addressing workers' concerns will help increase interest in the profession but believes it'll take years to overcome the deficit.
"What I see is a pretty steady demand for the next five to ten years in Southern Nevada," Packham said.
Two more CVS locations in Rhode Island are now also moving toward a union vote.
Leaders with the Pharmacy Guild say they expect this move to have an even bigger impact on this industry. According to the Union, tens of thousands of other employees are also interested in being represented.
The union also says they're hearing interest from workers in several pharmacies across the nation.
