SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Rite Aid workers are inching toward a possible strike after their union announced another unsuccessful contract negotiation. If they move forward, they will join CVS where union employees have already voted to authorize a strike.
These two contract disputes affect thousands of employees across California, including hundreds in San Diego.
Thousands of Rite Aid store clerks, pharmacists and pharm techs say they are underpaid and many times not able to use paid time off due to staffing. They also want to keep their hours.
“The company has made proposals about reducing full-time hours to 35 hours a week. I think we’re very clear to them that is something we’re not going to negotiate on. We stand by the 40-hour work week. That is the standard for full-time,” said Todd Walters, President of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135.
Rite Aid announced through a press release earlier this month following its filing for Chapter 11 and restructuring that it “marks a new beginning as a stronger company with a better store footprint, more efficient operating model, and significantly less debt.”
However after months of unsuccessful negotiations, UFCW 135 says members are ready to hold a strike authorization vote Oct. 15- 17. There is another negotiation scheduled one day prior on Oct. 14.
“Many of them have 20 and 30 years with the company. They’re there because they care about our community, not so much for the company,” Walters said.
UFCW 135 also represents thousands of CVS workers across the state. Those union members overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike just last week.
“CVS members themselves cannot afford their own companies healthcare and that’s embarrassing,” Walters said.
Meantime CVS officials have said they are confident they can work toward an agreement that supports workplace safety, staffing and competitive wages and benefits.
FOX 5/KUSI reached out to Rite Aid for official comment. The report will be updated if a response is received.
