Pharmacy workers at 47 Pathmark stores in New York City and four suburban counties may strike on Monday if they fail to get higher wages in current contract talks, union officials said yesterday. þþThe 400 pharmacists and technicians have been without a contract since October and several negotiating sessions have failed to produce an agreement. More talks are scheduled for today, company and union officials said. þþThe strike would affect all Pathmark stores with pharmacies in Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk and Rockland Counties as well as New York City, said Laurie Vallone, vice president of the pharmacy division at 1199/SEIU, the union representing the pharmacists. þþThe Pathmark pharmacy workers are being paid lower wages than their counterparts at other major chains, and the company has offered an increase only if it can offset it with decreased health benefits, leaving the pharmacists with no net gain, Ms. Vallone said.þþÿWe have no comment on the negotiations,ÿ said Rich Savner, a spokesman for Pathmark. ÿWe're hopeful we will reach a fair agreement with this local.ÿþþMs. Vallone said that staff pharmacists at Pathmark were paid $36 an hour, well below the standard range among the larger chains, like Walgreens and CVS, which pay from $41.50 to $47 an hour. þ
Source: NY Times
