Whole Foods workers to strike this week for better coronavirus protections

Whole Foods employees, like many grocery store workers, are at the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic and now plan to take action this week to demand better protections in the face of this deadly illness.

Whole Worker, an organization representing Whole Foods employees with hopes to unionize, announced over the weekend that workers at the Amazon-owned grocery chain are encouraged to participate in a nationwide “sick-out” starting Tuesday, March 31. The group’s list of demands includes hazard pay at double the base rate for scheduled hours, guaranteed sick leave for anyone who self-quarantines, the shutdown of any Whole Foods store where an employee tests positive for the novel coronavirus, and more.

One thing to note is that Whole Worker assured anyone thinking of staying home that they can do so “without fear of reprisal” since Whole Foods has lightened up on its attendance policy.

The planned strike comes after weeks of criticism from employees and customers directed at Whole Foods for not doing enough to protect its workers. Amazon’s organic grocery store chain has instituted some policies like a temporary $2 per hour pay raise and two weeks of paid time off for anyone diagnosed with Covid-19 (which is less broad than the Whole Worker demand). But the proposed sick-out shows that not everyone feels Whole Foods is taking the necessary steps to ensure the safety of its workers. 

In a statement to Mashable, a Whole Foods spokesperson commended workers for their “extraordinary dedication” and noted all of the new policies listed above without directly addressing the strike or Whole Worker’s demands. Mashable also reached out to Whole Worker for comment and we will update when we hear back.

Amazon has faced plenty of criticism during this pandemic, with workers planning to walk out of a Staten Island shipping facility on Monday. At least one worker at the facility tested positive for the disease, but it didn’t close for sanitizing. Neither did a Whole Foods store in California after one of its employees tested positive. 

It’s not the best look for a company run by Jeff Bezos — whose net worth approaches $120 billion — to potentially endanger or underpay workers deemed essential during a pandemic. We will keep you updated if these strikes go on as planned and result in any company policy changes.