I got a phone call today by a RPh who works for that infamous chain/pbm.. It would seem that they are starting a new scheduling process for RPH’s… apparently under the disguise of safety. It does not take a PhD in mathematics to know when you work a person 12-14 hrs without any scheduled breaks… that they become fatigued and when someone is fatigued … they become less efficient and prone to errors.
What I was told that this new program will limit a RPh to working no more than one 12-14 hr day…opening to closing a week. So.. there appears to be a lot of half-days in the future of the RPh’s working for this company.
When I was first licensed, I worked a similar shift and a “clean cut over” seldom or ever happened. there was always 15-30 minutes “overlap” at shift change by each RPh
If you do the math.. and the RPH’s work the entire day Sat & Sun because they are “short days” and presuming that the store is a two-RPh store.. that leaves 3 days a week where short shifts will come into play.. presuming that each RPH will end up working 30 minutes “off the schedule” and basically “off the clock”
3 hrs/wk X 7000 stores is 21,000 man hours/wk “donated” to the company.. that is equivalent to 525 FULL TIME RPh’s EVERY WEEK.. FREE LABOR
The first quarter of this year.. this company reported a 18% increase in net profits and preliminary reports about second quarter that is to be release this coming week.. it is anticipated that net profit will increase in the low-mid teens. I guess that they are going to need more and more “free labor” to keep up those high percent increase in their net profits.
I wonder what is the next “rabbit” will be that they pull out.. to keep those net profits dramatically increasing ?
Filed under: General Problems
Many years ago when this chain was under the original name and I was pregnant with my first, I woke up in labor, but the OB had said as long as the contractions weren’t 5 min or less apart I should go to work. I did. However, they became very erratic and as a first time mom, I got pretty concerned. I couldn’t get anyone to come in and replace me. My PM was in Indy at a doctor appt with his wife and wouldnt be back til his shift in the afternoon. My DM was an A…hole about the entire thing. Not until I called him a 3rd time and and threatened to kick everyone out of the store and CLOSE it til the PM came in because I was going to the hospital did he have someone at the store in 10 min. So I’m guessing under these new ‘scheduling rules’ if you’re pregnant and in labor, you either take the demerits or have the baby in the back room????
Excuse my language but there is no other way to describe “my schedule” other than it sucks balls. Something that used to take 5 minutes (making the tech schedule) now takes an hour.
Getting the store opened is the DMs job. If you are sick e mail them with your diagnosis and then get a physician excuse. Then ask them to put in writing that you are still required to work or find someone who will. I am sick of Dms saying
“Pharmacists don’t get sick”.
Demerit was the term used..my understanding is that the sick call stuff will be put in writing soon …every RPH’s number will be published so when you wake up sick you have 50-60 numbers to start calling. This was explained on one of the Thursday conference calls, you know the calls at 10 am while on duty.
according the “My Scheduler” the 8am pharmacist is scheduled for lunch from 10:30 to 11 am. There has been no overlap since the 1st of the year. And “full time” dropped from 40 to 34 or 35hrs per week. If my appendix ruptures, I guess I can call around for coverage while being prepped for the OR. Demerits you say?
Is this 3rd grade?
It is all about the money! That is all these huge corporations care about! Money, money, money. Shareholders are the most important too because all the execs have a ton of shares! You might be able to pull this over on a technician and some pharmacists, but most of us care about our jobs and can see through all the BS! Keep up the good work Steve!
The infamous My Scheduler…I’ve been told also there will be less need for floaters and sick calls are the responsibility of the RPH calling out…no calling the scheduler or supervisor or demerits will be given. Rumor also is that scheduler positions will be phased out!!!