Sacramento, CA – The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council today applauded the Governor’s signature on AB 1533 (Committee on Business and Professions), to extend the sunset date for the California State Board of Pharmacy until January 1, 2026 and update the penalties for practices that threaten patient safety. The following statement may be attributed to Joe Duffle, President, UFCW Local 1167:

“California’s Board of Pharmacy is only as effective as the penalty structure allows. After years of watching corporations laugh off the previous maximum patient-harming conduct fine of $5,000, with AB 1533 the Board can now hold corporations accountable. Increasing the maximum fine will incentivize corporations to change harmful practices like understaffing pharmacies and imposing performance based quotas on pharmacists. We’re proud Governor Newsom stood with California’s pharmacists and put patients first over profits by signing AB 1533 into law. We also want to thank the Business and Professions committee and their chairs Senator Richard Roth (D-Riverside) and Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) for ensuring the Board of Pharmacy has increased enforcement ability.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 7, 2021

Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, [email protected]

Sacramento, CA – The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council today applauded Governor Gavin Newsom for signing AB 1138 (Rubio) into law. AB 1138 will increase enforcement against unlicensed cannabis operators for actions like advertising on a website, online service, online application, or mobile application. The following statement may be attributed to Amber Baur, Executive Director, UFCW Western States Council: 

“UFCW members took a lead role in passing Proposition 64 in 2016 to legalize the cannabis industry, and we worked hard to establish critical protections for consumers – including important regulations on advertising. However, the illegal cannabis industry has been flaunting those regulations, refusing to follow safeguards like required testing for numerous chemicals and other hazardous materials. With the Governor’s signature on AB 1138, increased enforcement against unlicensed cannabis operators for actions such as advertising online will ensure cannabis consumers are kept safe from dangerous, untested products. This victory shows that when we stand together we can affect great change, and we’re glad the Governor stood with us and signed this important consumer safety legislation into law. We especially want to thank Assemblymember Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) for her leadership in authoring this bill.” 

The United Cannabis Business Association is a co-sponsor of AB 1138 along with UFCW Western States Council.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 5, 2021

Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, [email protected]

Sacramento, CA – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Western States Council and the California Pharmacists Association celebrated the Governor’s signing of SB 362 (Newman) into law. SB 362 will prohibit the application of sales quotas or performance-based metrics that interfere with the professional judgment of pharmacists. 

“California’s UFCW members applaud the Governor for signing SB 362 into law, ensuring pharmacists, and all pharmacy staff, are not subject to corporate-imposed quotas that divert their attention away from their number one priority: to keep patients safe,” said Todd Walters, President, UFCW Local 135. “Now when they go into work they can put patients first and not worry about losing their job if they don’t meet an arbitrary quota only designed to drive profits. UFCW was proud to sponsor this bill and especially thank Senator Josh Newman for authoring this life-saving public health legislation.”

An exposé earlier this year by NBC News shows just how overwhelmed pharmacists are with their miles-long to-do lists: “From 12-hour shifts so busy they don’t have time to go to the bathroom or eat to crying in their cars every day after work or lying awake at night worrying about mistakes they might have made while rushing, they described an industry of health care professionals at the breaking point.” The piece also details how the practice of using quotas to boost profits takes a toll on pharmacists: “‘Basically, your day is timed out by the minute — it’s like the worst case of micromanaging you can imagine…’”

The California Pharmacists Association is a co-sponsor of SB 362 along with UFCW Western States Council.

“CPhA is proud to sponsor this bill with UFCW,” said Richard H. Dang, Pharm.D., APh, BCACP, FCPhA, President, California Pharmacists Association. “We know that by working together, we will provide better working conditions for pharmacists and technicians, which benefits the patients for whom we are committed to providing quality care. We need to continue to remove corporate interference from the delivery of patient care.”

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The United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council is the regional coordinating body of 11 UFCW local unions representing over 200,000 workers in California, Arizona and Nevada. The Council is a part of the 1.2 million-member strong UFCW International Union. UFCW members are standing together to improve the lives of workers, families, and communities.

The California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) was founded in 1869 and is the largest state association in the country representing pharmacists. CPhA represents pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and student pharmacists from all practice settings. These practice settings include community pharmacy (both independent owners and employees working in chain drug stores), hospitals & health-systems, and specialty practices such as compounding, managed care, and long term care.