Do pharmacists have courage to strike?

[Dr_Rx2003]

MD(surgery doctors) strike, hollywood actors/actresses strike and even supermarket workers strike......risking everything for something that they believe in.....but what about pharmacist? We are not necessarily better or worse than any of those people above... I was especially wondering what Baggywringle(sp) thinks of this.....

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[Caverject]

Well, I know my name isint baggywrinkle but I have been called Southmouth before! Anyway, Hollywood actress/actors, and the supermarket strikes you have been hearing about are sponsored by unions. MD's do not have union's but the MD's that you see striking are usually ones that are disgruntled with their state and usually about tort reform. MD's like Pharmacy is a White collar job. Most white collar jobs do not have unions. (with the exception to maybe Airline Pilots) Almost any job you hear about a strike is a blue collar job that has support and blessing thru a local union. White collar jobs are suppose to be considered professional and there for do not need unions. My personal belief, I would love to have a union, but I think it would be way too much of a mess to have one. That is why I am a part of the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA). They are the collaborative voice of all pharmacists in the nation. I hope this helps

 

[Dr_Rx2003]

huh? Is that really you?

I read somewhere(not on this forum) that APha is merely a puppet pharmacy organization, not acting in the best interest of the pharmacist, especially retail pharmacist...

 

[LVPharm]

APhA a puppet organization? Perhaps you have it mixed up with the NACDS which represents the chain drug stores. They exist to represent and lobby for the retail drug store industry, so they aren't really a puppet, either.

There has been a problem with pharmacy as a profession possessing a unified voice. There was an issue of "Drug Topics" that discussed this. There are something like a dozen pharmacy organizations that claim representation of some facet of pharmacy practice: ASHP for health systems pharmacists, ASCP for consultant pharmacists, APhA which supposedly represents all pharmacists but seems to have a community focus, and the NCPA which supposedly represents community pharmacists but tends to represent the interest of independents...just to name a few. With this "alphabet soup", the question is who speaks for pharmacists as a unified profession...especially in Washington where that voice needs to be heard loudest.

 

[lord999]

If I remember correctly, Illinois pharmacists are unionized, and did strike in the past. Part of the reason salaries went up drastically over the last 10 years (~27 to 43 per h) was a couple of strikes there threatened to shut down the industry.

It also helped that WAG and Osco HQ are located there.

 

[MNnaloxone]

I don't know abuot you, but I can certainly strike...a pose.

Most of the hospitals around Mpls have a unionized staff. Including the pharmacists. I rotated at one of these, and the union was scoffed at. I heard over and over how the union gladly took their dues, but didn't give back much in return. Plus, with the union, you couln't get rid of the employees that were worthless/more trouble than they were worth.

I've never been a union guy. Probably never will. I live in Mpls, so I hear about Northwest Air pilots bitching everyday. It gets old. Of course, I've never had a need for a union, either.

While I'm a member of APhA (but not my student chapter-it sux), I certainly don't think the are anywhere near a voice of the the pharmacist. ASHP puts out a better journal anyway.

 

[Triangulation]

We d@mn well should. That's the only way to get the powers that be to pay attention. When professionals strike ppl take notice real fast (They can't get scabs to replace pharmacists like baggers at Albertson's)

 

[raptor5]

Why would pharmacists want to strike. Shorter hours. Less responsibility. More pay. Better benefits. More respect. Do you want more pharm. techs. or less. Striking is a last resort event usually because employee/union and company talks fail. You have to want something in order to not get it in order to strike. Are you afraid to lose your job? These are just general questions. I worked in a Union before and I know first hand what it does to people. I know I became lazy and overpaid.

 

[GravyRPH]

Originally posted by Triangulation
We d@mn well should. That's the only way to get the powers that be to pay attention. When professionals strike ppl take notice real fast (They can't get scabs to replace pharmacists like baggers at Albertson's)

Uhh, yes the can. The Von's pharmacists went on strike along with the clerks, and corporate had the pharmacies back opened within a week with scab pharmacists. I don't know how or from where or what they're getting paid, but they are there and the windows are open.

 

[LVPharm]

Originally posted by GravyRPH
Uhh, yes the can. The Von's pharmacists went on strike along with the clerks, and corporate had the pharmacies back opened within a week with scab pharmacists. I don't know how or from where or what they're getting paid, but they are there and the windows are open.

...from neighboring states like Nevada. My preceptor went to Mammoth Lakes to fill in at the Vons over there for a couple of weeks. Even though he loves getting out of Vegas and visiting the Sierras, he didn't like it that time. Another local Vons pharmacist had her tires slashed at a SoCal Vons; it's not easy being a scab pharmacist either (especially a newly minted female pharmacist), since (for better or worse) intimidation is part of the game at some store locations.

 

[lilmk]

Originally posted by GravyRPH
Uhh, yes the can. The Von's pharmacists went on strike along with the clerks, and corporate had the pharmacies back opened within a week with scab pharmacists. I don't know how or from where...

from USC! pharmD faculty from SC have been helping ralphs keep their pharmacies open.

 

[Triangulation]

Originally posted by lilmk
from USC! pharmD faculty from SC have been helping ralphs keep their pharmacies open.

D@mn that sucks!! I have a feeling that scab pharmacists even in retail won't be able to fill the demand for more than a very short time. It's still too complex for scabs to slide in and return to baseline. If you're gonna strike as pharmacists you really gotta strike.

We definitely stole a lot of customers at Walgreens when the other pharmacies were striking so I know there was an impact. If there was a straight out pharmacy union bargaining power would be greatly amplified. You gotta shut the whole system down.

 

[Dr_Rx2003]

what is a scab pharmacist?

 

[LVPharm]

Originally posted by Dr_Rx2003
what is a scab pharmacist?

A "scab" is a someone who crosses the picket line to work. Hiring scabs is one way for management to try and break the union. That, and "locking out" union employees.