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Whole Foods Employees Are Staging a Nationwide 'Sick-Out'
Vice.Com ^ | 3/30/2020 | Lauren Kaori Gurley

Posted on 03/30/2020 10:54:01 AM PDT by Nifty

Workers say they will strike Tuesday because the Amazon subsidiary has failed to prioritize their safety during a period of record sales.

Whole Foods employees are planning to strike on Tuesday to protest the lack of protections offered to workers during the coronavirus pandemic—the first national collective action led by workers at the company since it was founded in 1980.

On March 31, Whole Foods employees will call in sick to demand paid leave for all workers who stay home or self-quarantine during the crisis, free coronavirus testing for all employees, and hazard pay of double the current hourly wage for employees who show up to work during the pandemic.

“COVID-19 is a very real threat to the safety of our workforce and customers,” Whole Worker, the national worker group that is organizing the “sick out” wrote in a statement. “We cannot wait for politicians, institutions, or our own management to step in to protect us.”

(Excerpt) Read more at vice.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Food
KEYWORDS: virus; wholefoods; workers
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To: Persevero

” Unemployment is high right now.”.

I would not want to work in a grocery store check-out line right now, especially if the government insists on sending my extra unemployment cash.

I was impressed with how my local Costco is handling this - plastic screens for the cashiers, electronic payments only and store cards are held up by the customer to be scanned.


21 posted on 03/30/2020 11:07:30 AM PDT by Junk Silver ("It's a little hard to herd people onto trains when they're shooting at you." SirLurkedalot)
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To: Nifty

You can always count on liberals in a crisis....


22 posted on 03/30/2020 11:08:48 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: Nifty

Lots of companies not regarded as “progressive” are already doing this for their employees.


23 posted on 03/30/2020 11:09:26 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog (Patrick Henry would have been an anti-vaxxer)
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To: dfwgator

As we have seen in their interaction with the last owner, they have become nice little Commies!!!


24 posted on 03/30/2020 11:11:16 AM PDT by BunnySlippers (I love BULL MARKETS!!)
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To: Nifty

Around here we call Whole Foods “Whole Paycheck” because their prices are so high. There are plenty of other grocery stores where I can shop.


25 posted on 03/30/2020 11:15:56 AM PDT by forgotten man
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To: Junk Silver

See, I would.

I’ve avoided such jobs as standing on my feet all day would wreck me. But otherwise I would and I do (drive a cab).

I fight against any sort of government dole. I’ve qualified for unemployment before and accepted it but they cheated me out if my legit benefit and never made it right. We had to fight for years for disability “insurance” for a near dead man, no argument as to the severity or ongoing nature of his disability just bureaucratic malfeasance. Hired attorneys and all, finally “won,” such an embittering experience. I am required by my government to have health insurance so I take their socialized thing to avoid breaking the law- but I pay cash for my yearly doctor visit etc., don’t use it.

I just have a strong sense of patriotism and a desire to avoid dependency also a serious lack of trust-


26 posted on 03/30/2020 11:17:55 AM PDT by Persevero (I am afraid propriety has been set at naught. - Jane Austen)
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To: dfwgator
I’m sure there are many unemployed people who would gladly take their place, I mean how hard of a job is it?

My take on the issue is lack of sanitation enforcement when going into stores. Even if there are hand sanitizer stations at the front doors, many people don't use them coming or going. Staff often don't replenish hand sanitizer stations on a timely basis. Personally I think these stores could do better forcing people to do hygiene compliance before entering the store.

27 posted on 03/30/2020 11:35:18 AM PDT by EVO X
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To: Nifty

Creating new jobs for those that were already sick and recovered.


28 posted on 03/30/2020 11:36:53 AM PDT by mikelets456
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To: Persevero

I am all for them being able to wear masks, gloves, stay home if sick, to be clear.


The kids that I know of that work there do just that. The particular subset also lives with other young folks, and no older folks. They’d be the prime ones to just keep on working.


29 posted on 03/30/2020 11:37:17 AM PDT by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
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To: Nifty

Fire them and replace them.


30 posted on 03/30/2020 11:37:45 AM PDT by meyer (WWG1WGA, MAGA!)
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To: Nifty

My wife just got a call from a friend. She and her husband went to Trader’s Joe as senior citizens this morning.

They limited the shoppers in the store to ten. The areas out side the store were squared off with red tape on the sidewalk to hold 2 people. They got in the store in about 25 minutes. It was well stocked with the exception of tp*. They loaded up on fresh meat/sea food and frozen stuff.

When they left the store, TJ let another couple into the store.

Then, they drove past Whole Foods with zero people outside and basically no cars parked outside. Then, they, did their Target and Outdoor store stuff. Again, they waited outside the stores until customers came out.

As they left the shopping center, they went past Whole Foods with no one outside waiting and zero cars in the parking lot. Trader Joe had a line of customers outside waiting to get in.

tp* Last week a neighbor went to TJs and asked if we needed any. My wife said tp, and our neighbor got us 12 rolls.


31 posted on 03/30/2020 11:40:44 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (NYers fleeing NY are presumed to be infected. They should be tested/quarantined in any other state!)
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To: Nifty
Why do I think the GM lack of response to Kokoamo making ventilators was a union thing?
32 posted on 03/30/2020 11:41:43 AM PDT by depressed in 06 (60 in '20. Now, more than ever! (61, I didn't take into account Mittens.))
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To: Nifty

Our closest Whole Foods is a “365” store that hasn’t converted to a full store yet, although we have been seeing signals of it with certain products like non-organic lettuce disappearing while the organic varieties remain. Higher prices for less attractive lettuce and less of it. Swell.

As it is, this store can’t keep up with demand and it out of a lot of their stables, especially the frozen products. Salad bar is closed (never used it myself). They might as well just close it anyway. Unfortunately, the next closest Whole Foods store is about 30 minutes away buried in downtown Austin. No thanks.


33 posted on 03/30/2020 11:43:22 AM PDT by CatOwner
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To: Codeflier

“That is what I am thinking. Fire and replace almost immediately. Millions of newly unemployed are practically begging for jobs.”

In California, there are thousands of college kids at home driving their parents nuts. We know a couple who would be glad to work.


34 posted on 03/30/2020 11:43:59 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (NYers fleeing NY are presumed to be infected. They should be tested/quarantined in any other state!)
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To: depressed in 06

From what I’ve heard locally, there was no lack of response. It’s just bad blood between GM and Trump.
GM’s hoping their next bankruptcy will be under a Biden administration.


35 posted on 03/30/2020 11:44:38 AM PDT by nascarnation
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To: CatOwner

*staples (my kingdom for an edit feature!)


36 posted on 03/30/2020 11:44:54 AM PDT by CatOwner
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To: Nifty

Been to ralphs food 4 less 99 cent store and they dont go a a rip but these lazy union aholes who sell their overpriced crap have the drama to stage this nonsense..


37 posted on 03/30/2020 11:45:58 AM PDT by max americana (Fired ONE libtard at work at every election since 2008 because I enjoy them crying)
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To: Nifty

hazard pay of double the current hourly wage for employees who show up to work during the pandemic.

These are the same people who want laws against gouging. /s


38 posted on 03/30/2020 11:46:26 AM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: depressed in 06

More likely lawyers and execs looking to hold up the taxpayers for more money. GM forced a lot of parts manufacturing to...China.


39 posted on 03/30/2020 11:55:11 AM PDT by steve8714
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To: Nifty

My son works at Whole Foods. We are high risk, and he lives with us. He’s been off schedule for the past 2 weeks as we’ve tried to figure out what to do. I’ve told him I don’t think it’s worth it to go back.

We are in the SF Bay area, and rents are exorbitant. He absolutely cannot work there and live with us.


40 posted on 03/30/2020 11:55:20 AM PDT by luckystarmom
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