Dear Brothers & Sisters:

Your fellow Teamsters, Osco pharmacists who are represented by Local 727, have been working without a contract for over eight months. Though the parties entered federal mediation in mid-December, Osco representatives have continued to ignore pharmacists’ concerns over rising health care costs, an expansion of 12-hour workdays, and the introduction of a new, lower wage tier for new hires.

The Teamsters Local 727 bargaining committee and Osco are scheduled to meet again for mediation on January 22 and January 23. No additional bargaining dates have been scheduled after next week.

I URGE YOU TO BE PREPARED IN THE EVENT OF A WORK STOPPAGE.

As a reminder, Article XI, Section 11.2 of the warehouse and transportation collective bargaining agreements give you the right to honor these workers’ picket lines. Your contracts state:

No employee covered by this Agreement shall be required to go through a Teamster picked line involving Jewel-Osco employees, when that picket line is approved by Teamsters Joint Council No. 25.

If you have any questions regarding a potential work stoppage, please visit OscoTeamsters.com for the latest updates on the pharmacists’ contract negotiations and preparations.

In Solidarity,

Michael J. Cales
Secretary-Treasurer