Incoming Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth praised the company’s pharmacy staff on Thursday, briefly acknowledging their dedication, but made no direct reference to the three-day protest walkouts they conducted this week due to poor working conditions.
The walkouts underscored mounting dissatisfaction among pharmacy employees who have long voiced concerns about coping with understaffing and demanding workloads imposed by corporate management.
The challenges were exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic, which added new responsibilities such as testing and vaccinations, further straining the workforce.
The escalating labor tensions represent just one of several complex issues Wentworth will confront when he assumes the role of chief executive on October 23.
He will also need to address profit pressures stemming from declining demand for Covid-related products and Walgreens’ ongoing transformation from a major drugstore chain to a significant player in healthcare services.
During Walgreens’ earnings call on Thursday, Wentworth shared an anecdote about a Rochester, New York, store employee who went above and beyond to deliver a critical medication prescription for his mother, praising the employee’s professionalism and cheerfulness.
“It was the kind of experience I appreciate and everyone deserves,” Wentworth remarked in his first public statements since his appointment as CEO was announced earlier in the week.
He expressed confidence that committed pharmacists and team members can positively impact the lives of customers at Walgreens stores across the country.
Wentworth’s sentiments echoed in part a statement issued by the company earlier in response to the walkouts.
A Walgreens spokesperson highlighted the tireless dedication of their pharmacy teams in serving communities, while also acknowledging the extraordinary efforts required of employees over the past few years.
However, it remains unclear whether Walgreens management has implemented any changes in response to the demands of protesting employees.
These demands include increased staffing levels, transparency regarding payroll, advance notice of staffing and scheduling changes, and mandatory training for new hires, among other issues.
In addition to dispensing and verifying prescriptions, pharmacy employees manage patient inquiries, administer vaccines, going through insurance issues like copays and reimbursements, conduct rapid Covid and flu tests, and manage customer expectations amid longer wait times caused by understaffing.
