Kroger, Albertsons pharmacists authorize strike

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Supermarket News

Workers seek staffing, pay increases comparable to CVS

Mark Hamstra July 17, 2026

Supermarket pharmacists across Southern and Central California voted on Thursday to authorize an unfair labor practice strike against Kroger- and Albertsons-owned stores in the region.

The pharmacists have been working since March 1 under an expired contract, according to United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135. The contract covers nearly 800 pharmacists at Albertsons, Ralphs, Vons and Pavilions. Other UFCW locals involved in the bargaining include 8-Golden State, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442.

The UFCW has accused the chains of unfair labor practices, including unilateral changes without bargaining, unlawful surveillance of members active in the contract campaign and the failure to provide information necessary for bargaining.

“These actions have made it more difficult to negotiate a fair agreement,” the union said.


The pharmacists have been working since March 1 under an expired contract.Shutterstock, Albertsons, Kroger

Read more: https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-labor/kroger-albertsons-pharmacists-authorize-strike

[EuterpeThelo]

1. Oh man

I am ALL in favor of worker's rights! But my entire family literally JUST switched to Vons pharmacy a couple of months ago and I just hope this doesn't impact our ability to get meds that we need. None of us are on that many, but I do have one I have to take daily.

The service we get at that pharmacy has been GREAT compared to Walgreens and CVS (where we landed after the sad demise of RiteAid, where we'd gone for decades). Ironically, I quit Walgreens in part because as soon as they were bought by a PE firm, they announced they would no longer give their employees paid holidays off.

Hope this is resolved quickly and the workers get a fair deal.

[slightlv]

2. I hear you... that was my first thought in reading the headline, too!

My level of distrust and dislike of CVS knows no bounds, after the way I was treated by them for years. Ended up there because they bought out the Mom and Pop Pharmacy I and my family had gone to for decades. First chance I got, I switched to Kroger's Pharmacy and have been nothing but overly pleased with them. They're helpful without being intrusive; they're not scare-mongering; and for those of us on monthly pain meds they don't treat us like we're drug addicts. The main pharmacist I see helped get my husband's meds straightened out and his health has been really good since then. We need good pharmacists and techs, and we don't need corporations creating bad work environments for these professionals. I'm not in a state affected by this, and I sure hope it stays that way. I hope Kroger is doing okay by these guys here, locally.