Pharmacists and Patients from Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions Demand Action From the Companies
LOS ANGELES — Grocery pharmacists, patients, labor leaders, and community advocates gathered today in front of a Ralphs in Los Angeles to release new survey findings showing rising wait times and medication safety concerns inside neighborhood grocery pharmacies.
The survey of grocery pharmacy patients across major chains, including Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions, found:
Nearly six in 10 patients report pharmacy lines have increased in recent years.
Nearly half report waiting more than 10 minutes for service.
About one in nine say they have experienced a medication error.
Speakers said the results reflect chronic understaffing and growing workload pressures that pharmacists say are impacting patient care. Pharmacists’ contracts with Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions expired March 1, 2026, and they are currently negotiating a new one that would include stronger staffing standards. So far, the companies have not responded to their demands for protections designed to ensure safe patient care.
“We review every prescription for accuracy, check for dangerous drug interactions, administer vaccines, resolve insurance issues, and counsel patients — often while juggling nonstop phone calls and growing lines,” said Craig Chally, a longtime pharmacist at the Vons in Thousand Oaks. “We take that responsibility seriously. But the current workload is not sustainable. Safe staffing protects patients. That’s why we are fighting for a contract that prioritizes safety inside our grocery stores.”
Community leaders emphasized that grocery pharmacies are critical healthcare access points for working families and seniors, particularly those managing chronic conditions.
Mary Stancavage, a Pavilions pharmacy patient, described the personal toll of pharmacy delays on her family. “My husband’s medications are vital for his survival,” Stancavage said. “When pharmacies are short-staffed and you’re waiting longer than necessary for relief, it adds stress at a time you can’t afford it.” Stancavage added a message for the grocery pharmacies: “We are demanding that you do the right thing and give these pharmacists the fair contract they’re asking for. It’s not only for their well-being, but it’s for the well-being of all of us. Enough is enough.”
As negotiations continue, pharmacists, patients, and community advocates said the message is clear: safe staffing is essential to safe care.
BACKGROUND
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union represents nearly 800 pharmacists who work at Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions in Southern California. These essential community healthcare providers have been negotiating their new contract since January, and are calling for stronger staffing standards and competitive wages to retain experienced professionals. They argue that investing in pharmacy staffing is not just about workplace conditions, it is about protecting patient safety inside community grocery stores. Their contract expired on March 1, 2026.
