Around 20 pharmacists, patients, and union leaders demonstrated outside a Ralphs supermarket in Koreatown to publicize the results of a recent survey revealing the overwork and stress experienced by employees, as well as the errors these conditions can cause that could affect the community.

The survey was conducted with 118 patients from supermarket pharmacies Regarding wait times, service conditions, and medication safety.

Pharmacists at Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, emphasized that the survey details the constant staff shortages and the increasing backlog of prescriptions in their stores, among other issues.

The survey even revealed that patients described pharmacists as overwhelmed, understaffed, and having to juggle multiple jobs.

“Every prescription is important, every patient is important, but when you have to juggle phones, vaccines, insurance denials, and a constantly growing patient line, the pressure becomes intense,” said Craig Chally, a pharmacist at a Vons store in Thousand Oaks. "We take our responsibility very seriously, but the current workload is unsustainable; patients see this. This isn't about convenience, it's about safety." The demonstration on Monday comes as supermarket pharmacists are negotiating a new contract that they hope will address the problems identified in the survey. Some of these problems include: almost six out of ten supermarket pharmacy patients (nearly 59%) said waiting times have increased over the past four years, with half of them saying they wait 20 minutes or more to be served. And one in nine patients reported having received a medication error. "Not having enough staff means being overworked, exhausted, and ultimately, "That will take its toll, and there is an obvious risk of prescription errors," said Jose Perez, president of UFCW 324.

Mary Stancavage, a patient at Pavilions Pharmacy in Burbank, said her husband has had the most health problems, even surviving cancer multiple times. She emphasized that for them, delays can have serious consequences because they depend on the medications.

“His medications are vital not only to his health but also to his survival, while concerns about the safety and accuracy of his prescriptions only add to his stress,” Mary stated. “A couple of weeks ago, he had some difficulties and was prescribed a new medication, but he had to wait too long.”

Employees who protested that day expressed that there are shifts where they have to work 12 hours, often without extra help. When asked how many people usually work a shift, they said that sometimes only one person handles everything.

And with the pharmacy closing At Rite Aid next door to Ralph's, the number of patients and prescriptions has only increased. Ralph's pharmacy went from 100 to 500 prescriptions a day, said Kathy Finn, president of UFCW 770. “When staffing doesn't match the workload, it impacts patient safety,” said Angie Ayala, a pharmacy technician at the Ralph's in Pasadena. “The people who come to our pharmacies, many of them seniors, families, and some with chronic illnesses, trust us and deserve our full attention, without rushed interactions.” According to the union, pharmacists have been negotiating since January and are seeking stricter staffing standards and pay increases to retain experienced workers. They have a meeting scheduled for March 20 where they hope the issues will be resolved, for themselves and their patients. “Investing in pharmacy staff is investing in patient safety,” said Chally. “Our communities deserve pharmacies where we have time to double-check prescriptions, properly advise patients, and serve them without rushing.” “While concerns about the safety and accuracy of her prescriptions only add to her stress,” Mary said. “A couple of weeks ago, she had some difficulties and was prescribed a new medication, but she had to wait too long.” Employees who protested that day said there are shifts where they have to work 12 hours, often without extra help. When asked how many people usually work a shift, they said sometimes only one person handles everything. And with the closure of the Rite Aid pharmacy next door to Ralph's, the number of patients and prescriptions has only increased. Ralph's pharmacy went from 100 to 500 prescriptions a day, said Kathy Finn, president of UFCW 770. “When staffing doesn't match the workload, it impacts patient safety,” said Angie Ayala, a pharmacy technician at the Ralph's in Pasadena. “People who come to Our pharmacies, many of them serving older families and some with chronic illnesses, rely on us and deserve our full attention, without rushed interactions.”

According to the union, pharmacists have been negotiating since January and are seeking stricter staffing standards and pay increases to retain experienced workers. They have a meeting scheduled for March 20 where they hope the issues will be resolved, for both themselves and their patients.

“Investing in pharmacy staff is investing in patient safety,” Chally said. “Our communities deserve pharmacies where we have time to double-check prescriptions, properly advise patients, and serve them without rushing.”

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