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Pharmacists protesting deteriorating working conditions inside the nation’s largest retail chains launched their third and largest walkout of the season on Monday with a three-day movement they've dubbed "Pharmageddon." Organizers estimated the effort has drawn as many as 4,500 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians from multiple chains, including CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens. It also drew support from the American Pharmacists Association, the industry’s largest professional organization, which said in a statement it stands with every participant of the movement. (Le Coz, 10/30)

Walgreens and CVS employees are mostly not unionized, which makes a largescale walkout difficult to execute. Staff and organizers in multiple states confirmed to CNN that the walkouts have begun and will take place through November 1, but it remains unclear how widespread the action is. Workers at Walgreens and CVS have previously staged walkouts in Arizona, Washington, Massachusetts and Oregon in September and early October. Those work actions closed a handful of pharmacies briefly, and slowed business at several others. At the time, Walgreens told CNN the impact has been “minimal.” (Goodkind and Rothenberg, 10/30)

Amy Thibault, a spokeswoman for Woonsocket-based CVS Health, told the Globe the pharmacy chain was “not seeing any unusual activity” regarding unplanned pharmacy closures or pharmacist walkouts. “We’re making targeted investments to address their key concerns, including enabling teams to schedule additional support as needed, enhancing pharmacist and technician recruitment and hiring, and strengthening pharmacy technician training,” said Thibault. (Gagosz, 10/30)