Out of the 1350 total Thrift Drug employees working at the O'Hara complex near Fox Chapel, as many as 550 are projected to lose their jobs. This is due to the drugstore chain's merger with Ecker Corp. The news cames as quite a shock to the workers, and the community in general; the Thrift Drug name is well-known throughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas. The remaining 800 employees -- 400 warehouse and 400 mail-in pharmacy workers -- will keep their jobs. After an announcement by Thrift Drug's parent company, J.C. Penney Co., Inc. which stated its buying of Eckerd, of Clearwater, Florida, the seemingly stable environment of Thrift Drug administrative employees was torn asunder. Apparently, the Eckerd name and its headquarters will survive after the $2.5 billion deal is set in stone. Having 2,800 stores across the country and a projected sales of $10 billion, the new drugstore company is expected to be third largest in the nation. Nevertheless, the merger serves as a slap in the face to the 550 people who work in accounts payable, marketing, human resources, legal and other administrative functions at Thrift Drug.
Visit the OnTV Bulletin Archive.
