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Published On: Jun 10, 2005 03:30 PM
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Jun 10, 2005 03:30 PM
Boycotting Albertsons (in other words, giving up my Acme Supercard)
Albertsons, Inc. has kowtowed to the right (ok, the
worst of the right), so I guess I'll be going to Genuardi's now. Updated with
their response
Surfing the blogs (here and here, to link a couple), I came across this
announcement that Albertsons
(owner of the local chain Acme, otherwise known around here as "the
Ack-a-mee") has allowed their Illinois pharmacists to refuse to fill
prescriptions that violate their religious beliefs. Nice.
I decided I could easily give up the Acme (since I have three other grocery stores within 10 minutes), and also decided I would tell them I'm doing so. My letter:
Every week, I do my grocery shopping at Acme, not just because it is close to my home, but also because of the quality of the goods and service, the wide selection of products, and the fair prices. Indeed, I have long been a customer of Albertsons Inc., having grown up in suburban Seattle and enjoying the local Albertsons' maple bars as a child.
However, I will no longer be shopping at your stores because of your recent deplorable decision to relieve your Illinois pharmacists' obligations to fill prescriptions which somehow violate their conscience, and I will encourage all of my friends to do the same.
This decision flies in the face of a commitment to customer service, in addition to a commitment to equality and fairness. The ostensible issue driving this decision is the abortion issue, but this decision easily translates into other areas. Does this mean that an HIV-positive individual could be refused their drug cocktail by a pharmacist who believes them to be homosexual and who believes homosexuality a sin? Does this mean that Catholic cashiers could refuse to ring up a package of condoms?
Luckily for me, I have a wide range of shopping choices for me; I pity those for whom an Albertsons' outlet is their only choice and who may be refused legal and sometimes necessary drugs. Your first "core value" is to "Drive and passionately implement the spirit of customer first, second to none…every day…in all we do": this decision completely contradicts that core value and leaves me with no choice but to shop elsewhere.
I decided I could easily give up the Acme (since I have three other grocery stores within 10 minutes), and also decided I would tell them I'm doing so. My letter:
Every week, I do my grocery shopping at Acme, not just because it is close to my home, but also because of the quality of the goods and service, the wide selection of products, and the fair prices. Indeed, I have long been a customer of Albertsons Inc., having grown up in suburban Seattle and enjoying the local Albertsons' maple bars as a child.
However, I will no longer be shopping at your stores because of your recent deplorable decision to relieve your Illinois pharmacists' obligations to fill prescriptions which somehow violate their conscience, and I will encourage all of my friends to do the same.
This decision flies in the face of a commitment to customer service, in addition to a commitment to equality and fairness. The ostensible issue driving this decision is the abortion issue, but this decision easily translates into other areas. Does this mean that an HIV-positive individual could be refused their drug cocktail by a pharmacist who believes them to be homosexual and who believes homosexuality a sin? Does this mean that Catholic cashiers could refuse to ring up a package of condoms?
Luckily for me, I have a wide range of shopping choices for me; I pity those for whom an Albertsons' outlet is their only choice and who may be refused legal and sometimes necessary drugs. Your first "core value" is to "Drive and passionately implement the spirit of customer first, second to none…every day…in all we do": this decision completely contradicts that core value and leaves me with no choice but to shop elsewhere.
Not that I'm telling you what to do, but I think this is a pretty clear-cut issue, frankly. Let's all go to Genuardi's (or their owner Safeway, for my friends and family in WA) or CVS, which I have read promises to fill all prescriptions.
Update: Albertsons' response--
Thank you for contacting Albertsons Customer Care. We received your email regarding our Osco Drug store pharmacists.
Osco Drug stores are committed to serving the healthcare needs of our customers, while working in partnership with the State of Illinois Department of Professional Regulations. Our pharmacists have an obligation to take care of our customers. However, in those instances where pharmacists choose to exercise their rights under the Illinois Practice Act, they continue addressing the healthcare needs of our customers by referring them to another pharmacist on duty or to another pharmacy in an expeditious manner.
In this case, an investigation has been conducted and revealed that the pharmacist followed state law and company policy.
Again, thank you for contacting Albertsons Customer Care. If we can provide any information or be of service to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail or by calling 1-877-932-7948.
Here is my response (to you, not to Albertsons, since it won't make a whit of difference): Fine, it is "legal," but is this the kind of relationship you want to have with a customer? "Sure, you skanky ho, we will fill your RU-486 scrip, but I won't do it; you have to wait until the librul gal comes in tomorrow." Or worse, "go to CVS." How humiliating. How denigrating. I wonder, do they have to start deciding staffing shifts according to religion or political bent? "Well, Stacy wanted to be off on Thursdays, but then we wouldn't have anyone to fill the godforsaken scrips." Boggles the mind.
Posted: Wed - June 8, 2005 at 01:04 PM |