UFCW Local 135 Pharmacists
On Pharmacist Appreciation Day, I want to speak directly to you. Not just to say thank you, but to recognize the reality of the work you do every single day.
Here in San Diego County, UFCW Local 135 is proud to represent grocery store pharmacists at Albertsons, Pavilions, Ralphs, and Vons. You are a vital part of your communities. You are often the most accessible healthcare professionals people encounter, and you carry that responsibility with professionalism, care, and integrity.
Your work goes far beyond filling prescriptions.
Your work goes far beyond filling prescriptions. You counsel patients through difficult health moments, administer vaccines, manage shortages, and provide trusted guidance to people who rely on you. During the pandemic and the years after, you showed up for your patients, even as demands increased and support too often did not.
I recognize the pressures you face. Staffing levels that don’t match the workload. Longer shifts with fewer resources. Constant interruptions while being expected to maintain absolute accuracy and patient safety. These challenges are not a reflection of your commitment; they are the result of corporate systems that have failed to keep pace with the realities of modern pharmacy work.
You chose this profession because you care about people…
But caring should not mean burning out.
You chose this profession because you care about people. You care about safety, accuracy, and doing the right thing for your patients. But caring should not mean burning out. It should not mean skipping breaks, working understaffed, or being asked to do more and more without the support you need.
As part of a larger Southern California bargaining unit made up of multiple UFCW locals, you are approaching an important moment. Your contracts at Albertsons, Pavilions, Ralphs, and Vons expire on March 1. That date matters, not just for wages and benefits, but for the future of safe patient care in grocery store pharmacies.
Real appreciation looks like safe staffing, fair compensation, and working conditions that respect you as healthcare professionals serving your communities.
Real appreciation isn’t pizza and cupcakes, or a one-day thank you. Real appreciation looks like safe staffing, fair compensation, and working conditions that respect you as healthcare professionals serving your communities.
As we move into this contract campaign, I encourage each of you to get involved. When union buttons are provided, wear them with pride. When a petition comes around, add your name. Talk with your coworkers inside and outside of the pharmacy. And stand together every day. The strength of this union, and our ability to win a contract you have earned, depends on the willingness of members to stand united and fight for what is right.
The union is only as powerful as the collective action of its members. When pharmacists stand together, your voices cannot be ignored.
Please know this: UFCW Local 135 stands with you. We see your work. We understand what’s at stake. And we are committed to fighting alongside you for a contract that reflects your value, your expertise, and the essential care you provide.
Your work matters, and you deserve nothing less than respect, dignity, and real support.
Thank you for everything you do not just today, but every day. Your work matters, and you deserve nothing less than respect, dignity, and real support.
In solidarity,
Grant Tom
Secretary-Treasurer
UFCW Local 135