Kansas City pharmacists walked off the job last September to protest working conditions and brought widespread attention to the troubled retail pharmacy business. The industry is battling economic pressures, changed buying habits and labor shortages.

A year ago, 27 pharmacists walked off their jobs in and around Kansas City to protest understaffing, low technician pay and burdensome workloads at some CVS-owned pharmacies. Their action forced about a dozen Kansas City-area pharmacies and 10 others in outlying areas to close anywhere from a few hours to two full days. It inspired walkouts at CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid pharmacies across the country later last fall. And it sparked a nascent labor movement that is undertaking a national store-by-store campaign.

Suzanne King, Health reporter at The Beacon, spoke with KCUR's Steve Kraske about issues still plaguing retail pharmacies around the country.

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Kansas City Today is hosted today by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

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