Walgreens Pharmacists Plan Monthlong Protest In Chicagoland: Union

DEERFIELD, IL — Hundreds of local Walgreens' pharmacists are planning a monthlong protest for better pay and working conditions starting Thursday, according to a union representing the employees. The nearly 900 workers, represented by the National Pharmacists Association, will stage demonstrations at Chicago-area stores through May 10.

"Despite the fact that we are essential workers that helped this country come out of the COVID crisis, Walgreens continues to exploit us," Joe Pignataro, NPhA-LIUNA president and a full-time Walgreens' pharmacist, said in a statement released to Patch. "We should be given a fair wage increase that reflects our contributions to the company. We also want more consistent and reliable scheduling, and more staff support with proper training."

The union noted that the CEO of Walgreens-to-worker pay ratio is currently 407 to 1.1. Calling pharmacists "a key but unacknowledged profit driver," NPhA said 74 percent of Walgreens' sales came from pharmacy and 26 percent came from retail in 2023.

According to NPhA, Walgreens' pharmacists have been working without a contract for the past nine months. In addition, Walgreens pharmacists have only received a 2 percent wage increase — despite inflation driving up costs 25 percent, over the last seven years.

Walgreens Boots Alliance, the parent company of Walgreens, is headquartered at 108 Wilmot Road in Deerfield. A spokesperson responded Thursday afternoon to Patch's request for a comment on this story, first reported by Crain's Chicago Business. WBA oversees 9,277 Walgreens and Duane Reade stores in the U.S.

"We deeply appreciate the work of our pharmacists, who are striving every day to achieve our shared vision of serving our communities and reimagining healthcare," said Marty Maloney, director of media relations and issues management. "Our leaders are in our pharmacies regularly, listening to concerns and responding to feedback. We have taken steps over the last two years to improve pharmacists’ experience, advance the profession and enable them to provide the high value care they were trained to do. We are fully committed to ensuring their contributions are acknowledged and rewarded, including with competitive pay and benefits, and are continuing to bargain in good faith with our Chicago area pharmacists in an effort to reach a new contract."

According to Maloney, the demonstrations are not currently disrupting the company's operations. He added that all compensation and wage increases are part of the mutually agreed upon on collective bargaining agreement.

"We have tried to meet and bargain and good faith, but the union has not accepted a meeting invitation since the fall of 2023," Maloney said.

The "Phed Up Pharmacists Tour" will be demonstrating at two to three Walgreens stores every weekday for the next four weeks, leading up to a demonstration and press conference at Walgreens headquarters on May 10. NPhA provided Patch with the following schedule of the tour:

Phed Up Pharmacists Tour

• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. April 18, 2311 Ogden Ave., Aurora
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 18, 2111 Winding River Drive, Naperville
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. April 18, 1779 Sequoia Road, Naperville
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. April 19, 899 S. Route 59, Bartlett
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 19, 125 N. Neltnor Blvd., West Chicago
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. April 19, 2S613 Route 59, Warrenville
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. April 22, 18301 Pulaski Ave., Hazel Crest
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 22, 820 183rd St., Homewood
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. April 22, 522 Torrence Ave., Calumet City
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. April 23, 7945 W. 95th St., Hickory Hills
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 23, 4740 W. 95th St., Oak Lawn
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. April 23, 8701 S. Cicero Ave., Hometown
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. April 24, 2501 Waukegan Road, Bannockburn
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 24, 780 Waukegan Road, Deerfield
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. April 24, 95 S. Waukegan Road, Deerfield
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. April 25, 4001 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 25, 4040 N. Cicero Ave., Chicago
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. April 25, 4748 W. North Ave., Chicago
• 8 a.m.-11 a.m. April 26, 498 N. Weber Road, Romeoville
• Noon-2 p.m. April 26, 680 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. April 29, 930 Elk Grove Town Center, Elk Grove Village
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 29, 1000 N. Roselle Road, Hoffman Estates
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. April 29, 2560 W. Golf Road, Hoffman Estates
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. April 30, 7350 Barrington Road, Hanover Park
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. April 30, 270 W. Lake St., Bloomingdale
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. April 30, 16 E. Lake St., Addison
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. May 1, 1601 N. Wells St., Chicago
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 1, 2001 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. May 1, 2340 W. Madison St., Chicago
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. May 2, 2205 W. 22nd St., Oak Brook
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 2, 8 W. 63rd St., Westmont
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. May 2, 7516 S. Cass Ave., Darien
• 8 a.m.-11 a.m. May 3, 960 W. 159th St., Orland Park
• Noon-2 p.m. May 3, 13501 Cicero Ave. Crestwood
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. May 6, 1225 W. Dundee Road, Buffalo Grove
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 6, 235 E. Palatine Road, Arlington Heights
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. May 6, 3 E. Golf Road, Arlington Heights
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. May 7, 3959 W. 95th St., Evergreen Park
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 7, 8700 S. Kedzie Ave., Evergreen Park
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. May 7, 1633 W. 95th St., Chicago
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. May 8, 7045 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 8, 7878 S. Harlem Ave, Bridgeview
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. May 8, 7150 W. Archer Ave., Chicago
• 8 a.m.-10 a.m. May 9, 4101 1st Ave., Lyons
• 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 9, 6800 Ogden Ave., Berwyn
• 2 p.m.-4 p.m. May 9, 1445 W. North Ave., Melrose Park
• 7 a.m.-noon May 10, Walgreens HQ, 156 Wilmot Road, Deerfield

Since last year, WBA has been slashing corporate jobs, closing some buildings as well as a shipping plant, as part of a $1 billion cost-cutting plan.

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