Why grocery store workers deserve hazard pay (opinion)
CNNEditor’s Note: Kamala Harris is a US Senator for California. Given the increasing dangers as Covid-19 continues to spread, the time is now to reinstate hazard pay for all of America’s grocery workers. Whole Foods justified cutting hazard pay for its nearly 100,000 grocery workers by saying the company is “planning for the long term” and “continuing to explore new ways to support” its employees. Kroger defended cutting hazard pay for its 460,000 grocery workers by citing paid emergency leave and other expanded benefits, while a spokesperson said that the needs of employees would “continue to evolve and change as our country recovers.” But the brutal truth is that our country is miles from “recovery,” and the only thing that has “changed” since these companies cut hazard pay is that even more Americans have been infected by Covid-19, including thousands of grocery workers across the country. Given the seriousness of this pandemic, and the essential jobs they do, the time has come to reinstate hazard pay for all of America’s grocery workers.
History of this topic
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Vaccine Delays Leave Grocery Workers Feeling Expendable
News 18
Hazard pay for grocery workers gets a big boost from L.A. But big chains are pushing back
LA Times
Kroger Workers Rip Grocer For Ending 'Hero Pay' During Pandemic
Huff Post
Grocery stores and coffee chains gave workers hazard pay. Now they’re taking it back
LA Times
Experts say it may be time for grocery stores to ban customers from coming inside because of Covid-19
CNN
Grocery Workers Keep America Fed, While Fearing For Their Own Safety
NPR
We Now Know Who Society’s Essential Workers Are. And They’re Among The Lowest Paid.
Huff Post
From Grocery Stores To Pizza Delivery, Some Companies Are On A Hiring Spree
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