2 California supermarkets closing after city orders pay hike
Kroger Co. will close two Southern California supermarkets in response to a local ordinance requiring extra pay for certain grocery employees working during the pandemic.
The decision announced by the company Monday follows a unanimous vote last month by the Long Beach City Council mandating a 120-day increase of $4 an hour for employees of supermarkets with at least 300 employees nationwide and more than 15 in Long Beach.
The statement added: “This misguided action by the Long Beach City Council oversteps the traditional bargaining process and applies to some, but not all, grocery workers in the city.”
A $5-per-hour hazard pay wage increase was approved Tuesday by the Oakland City Council. In Los Angeles, the City Council voted to draft a similar ordinance.
Last week, Santa Clara County supervisors voted to draft a $5-per-hour measure, which could come up for a vote next week.
The Los Angeles suburb of Montebello previously approved a hazard pay measure and others are being considered in the L.A. suburb of Pomona and in San Jose and other San Francisco Bay Area cities.
Last week, Santa Clara County supervisors voted to draft an ordinance for a $5 hourly raise for some essential workers, including grocery store workers. It could come up for a vote next week.
Yes, that’s been a big story on the local talk radio (and other places) here. The banana scanners are all up in arms. Did you know they are HEROS that put their lives on the line everyday and they are entitled to HERO pay?
I get it, they might be worthy of some bonus pay, but if it is at the gratitude of their employer, not forced by the government.