With Fall Comes A Season of Strikes

Union Kaiser Employees Overwhelmingly Authorize A Strike

An overwhelming majority of Kaiser Permanente employees represented by UFCW 770 in Southern California authorized economic actions, including a strike, if the company fails to negotiate a fair deal with all unions currently bargaining with the healthcare giant. 

The employees are standing in solidarity with thousands of Kaiser Permanente employees across the country who have already voted to authorize a strike. 

UFCW workers also withdrew from all Labor Management Partnership activities, including Unit Based Team meetings.

UFCW 770 represents nearly 2,000 highly skilled employees in Southern California at laboratories and pharmacies including pharmacy technicians, pharmacy assistants, clinical laboratory scientists, medical laboratory techs, as well as admins and medical assistants, among other health care specialists.

Union Rite Aid Workers Ratify New Contract

Los Angeles — An overwhelming majority of union Rite Aid workers Oct. 14, ratified a new contract. The new 3-year agreement secures wage increases, improves health benefits, and adds new measures to keep stores safe. CVS workers recently ratified a similar contract adding strong gains to UFCW 770’s Drug Division.

Employees at both companies scored pay increases of nearly 10%, with all wage increases retroactive to July 2021 when the previous contracts expired. 

Two new developments marked these contracts: 

First, it was the first Rite Aid and CVS contract where workers from across the companies sat at the bargaining table and shared their experiences during the pandemic. 

Second, it established a ground-breaking worker-composed Health and Safety Committee to address the hazards of working in this sector, both from the pandemic and the rash of violence in stores.

Workers from both pharmacies across California actively participated in bargaining. 

Negotiations involved eight UFCW Locals including Local 5, 135, 324, 648,770, 1167, 1428 & 1442. Approximately 13,000 drug retail workers in the state from CVS and Rite Aid will be impacted by the contracts. Roughly 2,600 CVS workers and over 1,700 Rite Aid employees are in Local 770 jurisdictions. 

Rite Aid workers ratified their CBA Oct.14 and CVS members ratified theirs the prior week.