Ahead of a planned walkout by U.S. Walgreens and CVS pharmacy workers, people are using TikTok to warn others that the time to make sure their medicine cabinet is fully stocked is right now.
“Make sure your meds are good, because it sounds like Walgreens is about to go on strike,” warns Philadelphia comedian TikTok creator Alex Pearlman in a viral video posted two days ago. In the video, which currently has 4.8 million views, Pearlman describes the pharmacy workers’ complaints.
“It’s not ’cause of pay,” he says. “It’s ‘cause of conditions, OK?”
Pearlman adds that CVS workers are also considering strikes and points out that the pharmacy chain’s major competitor, Rite Aid, recently declared bankruptcy.
He describes the alleged working conditions at the pharmacies as “full sprint marathons for eight hours straight,” describing the many tasks the employees say they have to contend with.
“These people working at these pharmacies—they are making good money. They just don’t have enough trained bodies to get through the day,” Pearlman says before saying that customer convenience and employee safety are both being sacrificed for the corporations’ bottom lines.
@pearlmania500 Looks like we are gonna round out 2023 with even more strikes. #work #employee #customerservice #nurse #economy #pharmacist #pearlmania500 #itsgettingworse #pharmacy ♬ original sound – Pearlmania500
One commenter claimed that the two pharmacy giants have also caused some smaller pharmacies to close. This means that patients in small communities won’t have many alternatives for getting their meds if a strike happens.
“Cvs swallowed all of our local mom and pop pharmacies whole and now can’t handle the volume of customers!!! It’s wild!” wrote Jamie L (@jlynn117).
The Daily Dot has reached out to Pearlman via email for further comment.
TikToker Ivan G (@ivangtv) posted his own viral video just a day later. His video warning patients to get fully stocked on their meds currently has 1.2 million views.
“Walgreens and CVS workers are planning a nationwide strike starting on Nov. 1,” he tells viewers. “The long shifts and not enough members back in the pharmacy. … That is what Walgreens and CVS [workers] are about to protest for.”
“If you can get your prescription transferred or filled before Nov. 1, I definitely would, because if they go through with this strike, there’s no telling how long this could last,” he warns.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Ivan G via email for further comment.
@ivangtv Walreens and cvs workers going on strike #walgreens #cvs #pharmacy #foryou ♬ Suspenseful and tense orchestra(1318015) – SoLaTiDo
Workers and customers voiced their complaints in the comments sections of these two viral videos.
“As a pharmacy tech it’s so bad at Walgreens right now. I hate going into work,” TikToker @dmariee322 said.
“I worked at Walgreens and it was so difficult to get more hours for more pharmacy techs I was the only one doing about 400 scripts a day,” @melimel101 said.
Unfortunately, many people will not have the ability to stock up on meds before the impending strike.
Responding to Ivan G, Deborah Smith wrote, “My insurance company makes me use Walgreens. I have no other choice. I also can’t ask for meds earlier than the due date. So I’ll just not have meds.”
“I have Aetna, which is affiliated with CVS so if I don’t want to pay an arm and a leg, CVS is my only option…” another commenter added.
The Daily Dot has requested statements from Walgreens and CVS via email.
