Pharmacy staff at two CVS retail stores in Rhode Island voted to join a new national pharmacy union on Friday, marking a significant step in a broader movement aimed at improving working conditions for thousands of U.S. pharmacy workers. This decision reflects growing momentum as employees seek to address what they claim are unsafe working environments.

The pharmacy workers at the 24-hour locations in Wakefield and Westerly successfully won their union elections, making these the first CVS stores in Rhode Island to unionize, according to a union release. This move comes shortly after a CVS Omnicare pharmacy in Las Vegas—an operation that does not directly interact with customers—became the first location to join The Pharmacy Guild, the newly formed national pharmacy union.

The labor group will now represent these workers in negotiations with CVS. "These are the first brick-and-mortar classic CVS model stores to join the union," said Shane Jerominski, a community pharmacist and co-founder of The Pharmacy Guild, in an interview with CNBC. "This is really where my heart is... we've all worked for Walgreens or CVS in the classic retail setting, so we all know the working conditions there."

According to a CVS spokesperson’s statement to CNBC, the two Rhode Island locations consist of nine of the company’s approximately 30,000 pharmacists in the U.S. The spokesperson also noted that some 700 CVS pharmacists are already unionized with other groups.

The CVS spokesperson emphasized that the company respects its employees’ right to unionize or refrain from doing so, and added that the vote is merely the first step in the collective bargaining process. Should the National Labor Relations Board confirm the results, "we’ll negotiate in good faith with the union to try to reach an agreement," the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson also stated that CVS is committed to ensuring there are "appropriate levels of staffing and resources" at its pharmacies, utilizing "a combination of staffing, labor hours, workflow process, and technology" to achieve this goal.

Jerominski, along with other organizers of a nationwide walkout of pharmacy staff in the fall, partnered with IAM Healthcare, a union representing thousands of healthcare professionals, to launch The Pharmacy Guild in November. This work stoppage spanned major drugstore chains such as CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid, drawing widespread media attention to workers’ concerns.

The Pharmacy Guild aims to help pharmacy staff address what many workers describe as unsafe staffing levels and increasing workloads across the industry, which they believe put both employees and patients at risk. The union is also advocating for legislative and regulatory changes to establish higher standards of practice in pharmacies to ensure patient safety.

The unionization effort reflects years of growing discontent among retail pharmacy staff, who frequently report struggling with understaffed teams and escalating work expectations imposed by corporate management. Many employees indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, with new responsibilities such as vaccinations and testing further stretching pharmacy staff.

The movement towards unionization among pharmacy workers is gaining traction nationwide, with The Pharmacy Guild witnessing increasing momentum in other regions. Jerominski mentioned that more union filings for stores at companies other than CVS could emerge in the coming weeks.

Key issues such as unsafe working conditions, inadequate staffing, and increased workloads are central to the grievances voiced by pharmacy staff. These concerns impact not only the well-being of pharmacy employees but also raise significant patient safety issues. The unionization efforts aim to address these critical problems through collective bargaining and advocacy for stronger legislative protections.

As the unionization drive continues to gain momentum, it underscores a broader trend within the healthcare industry where workers are increasingly seeking to have a stronger voice in their working conditions and patient care standards. The successful unionization of the CVS stores in Rhode Island marks a significant milestone in this movement, potentially paving the way for more pharmacies to follow suit and join the effort to ensure safer and more sustainable working environments for pharmacy professionals across the United States.

This growing movement reflects a shift in the healthcare labor landscape, where workers are increasingly organizing to demand better conditions and protections. The Pharmacy Guild's efforts highlight the ongoing struggle for fair labor practices in the pharmacy industry, aiming to create a safer and more equitable environment for all healthcare workers involved.