Pols And Union Bash Drugstore Chain

A group of union workers and politicians rallied in front of a Duane Reade on Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica Friday, charging the drugstore chain with price discrimination of its prescription drugs and unfair labor practices.
Flanked by members of Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW, which represents 16,500 supermarket, dairy and health care workers, the unions president, John Dursi, blasted the chain, which has 15 stores in Queens alone, for denying its employees a fair contract for more than two years and wasting millions in legal fees.
"Its unconscionable that this company treats their workers as if they were indentured servants," he said.
In February the National Labor Relations Board ruled that Duane Reade was in violation of employees rights for, among other things, failing to provide its union with information; not paying workers for accrued, unused sick leave; and not contributing to an employee benefit fund. The board ordered the drugstore giant to pay $25 million to its employee benefit funds.
Citing a June 2003 study conducted by Assemblyman Jeffrey Kleins office, local politicians also assailed the company for charging higher prices for its prescription drugs in the poorest zip codes and the highest prices for medication at locations in zip codes with large concentrations of minorities.
"It is shameful that Duane Reade would overcharge for prescription drugs in my community," said Congressman Gregory Meeks. "For a local chain to engage in this type of chicanery exhibits the worst form of consumer bias, and contributes to institutional classism and racism."
According to Kleins report, Duane Reade charged the most of any drug store for prescription drugs. The assemblymans survey found that the average cost for the purchase of 10 drugs at a Duane Reade location was $941.12, $50 more than the average cost at the next highest-priced drugstore chain in New York.
"Duane Reade has some of the largest price disparities in the state," said the assemblyman. "In my report, I found that Duane Reade was charging more for the same drugs in communities where people can least afford high prescription costs."
Union members at the rally said Duane Reade employees start at $5.15 per hour. A former employee of the company, Patricia Thompson, said she worked at one of the chains locations for three years, with her ending wage being $5.55 per hour.
"They are plain greedy," she said. "Without us they wouldnt be making the money they do."
Thompson said she lost her job last year in the pharmacy department at a Duane Reade store at 95 Wall Street in Manahattan because she joined Local 338. Since then, she has been unemployed, trying to scrape a living to support her daughter, who is asthmatic and needs medication.
"Now that I am laid off, I really cant afford it," said Thompson.