CVS Again Wastes Time, Refuses to Make Meaningful Movement
CVS management once again wasted a full day of the Teamsters Local 727 Bargaining Committee’s time, making no meaningful movement from its unreasonable demands and adding only 15 cents to its meager wage proposal at the very end of the 10th negotiation meeting July 20.
“It took the company two months between meetings and a full eight-hour day to come up with 15 cents,” said John Coli Jr., President of Local 727. “This is yet another slap in the face and yet another example of management showing that they don’t care about pharmacists’ concerns.”
CVS management even tried to claim that its current proposal is better than the contract offer that Osco pharmacists overwhelmingly rejected earlier this month.
“That is pure fiction. CVS cut pharmacists’ hours, which in some cases has amounted to a 15 percent wage cut, and CVS wants to force pharmacists to work 12-hour days. Osco’s offer had no such proposals,” Coli said. “CVS is completely out of touch with their pharmacists.”
Over the last several weeks, Local 727 representatives and CVS stewards have reached out to pharmacists for their input. Time and again, CVS pharmacists expressed disgust over the company’s contract proposal, which still includes radical concessions such as mandatory 12-hour shifts, forcing pharmacists to perform work on uncompensated time and meager wage increases. Also, 95 CVS pharmacists signed a petition calling on management to negotiate a fair contract.
“Every pharmacist we’ve talked to has said they have no interest in the company’s most recent proposal,” Coli said. “Pharmacists are telling the Local 727 Bargaining Committee to keep fighting for the issues that matter most to them, so that’s what we are doing.”
Negotiations are scheduled to resume July 21, with no additional dates set.
REMEMBER: Under federal law, CVS may not change the status quo of any working condition during bargaining even though the contract has expired.
If you have questions, contact your Local 727 business representative, Melissa Senatore, at (847) 696-7500 or [email protected].
