Whole Foods Worker Sends Mass Email Calling for Hazard Pay | Eater

"At the start of the pandemic the chain instituted temporary protections like hazard pay and more flexible sick time, but most of those benefits were quietly ended by summer; with a severe winter wave underway, frontline employees are pushing for their return. A Detroit team member circulated an email demanding reinstated $2/hour hazard pay, health benefits for part-time staff, expanded PTO, reinstatement of a previous dress policy that allowed workers to wear shirts supporting causes such as Black Lives Matter, and mandatory customer masking, and said union pins would be distributed to show support. The message criticizes company leadership for not sharing pandemic-era gains with workers and argues that the employer’s existing measures are insufficient. A company spokesperson said leadership is listening and pointed to a $450 million investment in safety measures and benefits, and reporting was later updated to note the employee email was not sent company-wide." - Jaya Saxena