More than 200 pharmacy technicians with the University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City are seeking to unionize.
Pharmacy technicians at the Kansas system have filed a petition for a union election with the Kansas Public Employee Relations Board, according to the Pharmacy Guild and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. There are 212 inpatient and retail pharmacy technicians part of the effort, according to an Oct. 24 news release first shared with Becker’s.
The employees are seeking a union “that will empower them to advocate for patient safety and professional improvements,” the release said, adding they “hope to secure safe staffing measures and improve patient care.”
Pharmacy technicians help prepare and deliver medications, manage drug supply, process claims, collect medication history, manage clinical trials and several other services.
The six-hospital system operates five pharmacies, according to its website.
“The University of Kansas Health System is aware of the filing with the Kansas Public Employee Relations Board by pharmacy technicians to unionize,” a spokesperson told Becker’s. “Patient safety is the health system’s number one priority. We appreciate our pharmacy staff and the support they give patients.”
