Pharmacist 2026 Negotiations Updates
January 15, 2026
Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions pharmacists,
Pharmacists are being stretched to the limit. Every day, we are expected to manage long lines and nonstop phone calls without enough staff to keep up safely, all while ensuring prescriptions are filled accurately and on time. Even in the middle of flu season and with growing demands, pharmacists continue to put patient care first: administering vaccines, managing medication shortages, and providing trusted guidance our communities rely on.
We are constantly being asked to do more with less.
With the closure of Rite Aid, we are expected to absorb a surge of new patients without added support, while earning about 11% less than pharmacists at CVS. At the same time, Corporate continues to push for higher volume and more sales. This is a recipe for burnout, fatigue, and errors that puts our patients at risk.
Enough is enough.
As we head into our first bargaining session, now is the time to stand together and fight for:
- Wages that keep up with inflation and match what other retail pharmacists earn
- Experienced, licensed staffing to support safe patient care
- Improvements to our healthcare and pensions so we can protect ourselves, our families, and our futures
We are nearly 800 pharmacists strong. United, we are standing up for our patients, our families, and our communities.
How Bargaining Will Work
The first scheduled bargaining session with Ralphs and Albertsons (Vons, Pavilions) is on January 27. We, the bargaining committee and leaders from UFCW Locals that represent grocery pharmacists – 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428, and 1442 – will present proposals to the companies based on the contract surveys you completed.
Throughout the process, both sides will continue to pass proposals back and forth in an attempt to reach a “tentative agreement” on a new contract. This tentative agreement is not final until you have a chance to review it and vote on whether to accept it.
At the conclusion of each session, we, the bargaining committee, will send coordinated updates to keep workers informed of what happened at each session, what the companies said or did, and to let you know what you can do to fight for the contract you deserve.
We know Ralphs and Albertsons will attempt to control the narrative about bargaining with misinformation and partial truths to try and divide us. Just like they did during our last negotiations, they’ll tell us that they’re offering a fair wage increase, but that wage increase won’t even make up for what we’ve lost in inflation over the last four years. In addition to wages, the bargaining committee will also be fighting for other critical issues like reasonable staffing levels and improved pension that all pharmacists need. Remaining united and fighting for every pharmacist is how we get the contract we deserve.
What We Can Do to Show Our Power
- Follow your local union’s website and social media accounts! These platforms are where the most up-to-date information will be housed. Pharmacists can find bargaining updates there and other content about the contract fight, so make sure all of your co-workers also follow the accounts to combat the companies’ misinformation campaign!
https://www.instagram.com/ufcw324
https://www.facebook.com/UFCW324
https://twitter.com/ufcw324
https://bsky.app/profile/ufcw324.bsky.social
https://www.tiktok.com/@ufcw324
- Join the multi-local telephone town hall on Sunday, January 18th at 7pm to prepare for bargaining and hear important updates from your bargaining committee. No need to dial in, we’ll call you! Look out for a call from (213) 487-7070 – make sure you answer!
- Join our campaign kick-off press conference on February 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM at Ralphs on 3410 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90020. Talk to your union representative or bargaining committee members to make a plan to attend.
Register for the event here: https://ufcw324.org/grocery-pharmacy-press-conference-rsvp/
Only by rising up together can we make a change in your workplace, not only for you, but for your co-workers as well. This is your union, and it’s only as powerful as you make it. In 2023, we banded together with our front-of-store siblings, taking on Kroger and Albertsons, and stopped the merger, saving pharmacists’ jobs. Imagine what we can do this year if more of us get involved.
If you have any questions about bargaining or if there is anything else we can do to support you, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Bargaining Committee Members, Union Representatives or Stewards.
In Solidarity,
Your UFCW Pharmacist Bargaining Committee
