(Reuters) -Walgreens Boots Alliance will close nearly all of its stores and pharmacies on Thanksgiving Day for the first time in the chain's history, amid pushback from pharmacists and technicians over poor work conditions and under-staffing.

Peer CVS Health also said it plans to shut all of its non-24-hour pharmacy locations early next Thursday, while Rite Aid said its pharmacies will be closed but retail stores will remain open.

All Rite Aid stores will be closed on Christmas, it added.

Walgreens, the second-largest U.S. pharmacy chain, will close most of its over 8,700 stores on Thanksgiving to give staff "time with their loved ones", it said on Thursday.

This year marks a change in pace for these companies as pharmacies and grocery stores typically remain open with adjusted hours on Thanksgiving, unlike big-box stores such as Walmart and Target that are shut.