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Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

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Re: Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

#21

Post by NovemberWhiskey »

elicash wrote: post #3

Here's what they're asking for: https://www.coworker.org/petitions/global-retail-worker-sick... -Guaranteed paid leave for all workers who isolate or self-quarantine instead of coming to work. -Reinstatement of health care coverage for part-time and seasonal workers. -Increased FSA funds to cover coronavirus testing and treatment for all team members, including part-time and seasonal. -Guaranteed hazard pay in the fo…

>Guaranteed paid leave for all workers who isolate or self-quarantine instead of coming to work.

Does anyone have any idea how they're supposed to operate their business if they have to pay workers who don't work? I mean, they would have to hire replacement workers - who also don't need to come to work? Or are the replacement workers supposed to be second-class vs. the original workers?

Re: Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

#22

Post by draw_down »

m0zg wrote: post #19

I don't understand. WF charges 2-3x as much as a "regular" grocery store and prides itself on "ethics" and "sustainability". Why are we even having this discussion? Why aren't those employees fairly compensated and protected?

Perhaps because marketing isn't reality, and confusing the two is detrimental to one's sanity?

Re: Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

#23

Post by usaphp »

m0zg wrote: post #19

I don't understand. WF charges 2-3x as much as a "regular" grocery store and prides itself on "ethics" and "sustainability". Why are we even having this discussion? Why aren't those employees fairly compensated and protected?

Where do these “2-3x as much” figures come from? Their prices are not much different from Vons in my experience, they just sell a lot of premium items they you won’t find in your local vons - but for stuff you find in a regular supermarket - they charge around the same. And their 365 products sometimes are even cheaper than non organic alternatives

Re: Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

#24

Post by jdc »

zzzeek wrote: post #17
nn35 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

-Immediate shutdown of any location where a worker tests positive for COVID-19. This seems likely to shut down the majority of Whole Foods stores in short order. An unreasonable request, IMO. Grocery stores are genuinely essential to society and the death rate for I do think high-risk employees should basically be allowed to stay home, though.

this fails to consider that if an employee of the store tests positive that has an implication for the store itself as well as all the food and products being sold to the public.

I think discarding any product said employee could have touched (eg. baked goods) and sanitizing the store would be cheaper than a full shutdown.

Re: Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

#25

Post by elicash »

nn35 wrote: post #11
elicash wrote: post #3

Here's what they're asking for: https://www.coworker.org/petitions/global-retail-worker-sick... -Guaranteed paid leave for all workers who isolate or self-quarantine instead of coming to work. -Reinstatement of health care coverage for part-time and seasonal workers. -Increased FSA funds to cover coronavirus testing and treatment for all team members, including part-time and seasonal. -Guaranteed hazard pay in the fo…

-Immediate shutdown of any location where a worker tests positive for COVID-19. This seems likely to shut down the majority of Whole Foods stores in short order. An unreasonable request, IMO. Grocery stores are genuinely essential to society and the death rate for I do think high-risk employees should basically be allowed to stay home, though.

I'd bet that if Amazon agreed to all demands but that one that the workers who organized this would be ECSTATIC.

There should be negotiation, back-and-forth. What's frustrating, as somebody not affiliated with the organizing here but has been in similar circumstances, is when the company won't even come to the table to bargain.

Re: Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

#26

Post by toomuchtodo »

jdc wrote: post #24
zzzeek wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this fails to consider that if an employee of the store tests positive that has an implication for the store itself as well as all the food and products being sold to the public.

I think discarding any product said employee could have touched (eg. baked goods) and sanitizing the store would be cheaper than a full shutdown.

How will you track every product a cashier touched while ringing up customers during a shift? Every product touched while restocking shelves? Every cart touched while collecting them from the parking lot? Will you sanitize the store nightly or weekly? Will you communicate when you do to customers? Will you communicate when the last confirmed case was in your store? How often are workers replacing PPE and is enough available to them (if critical medical staff can't get it, how will you?)? Or are they handling everyone's products and payment methods with the same set of gloves during their entire shift? All important questions.

Re: Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

#27

Post by nn35 »

zzzeek wrote: post #17
nn35 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

-Immediate shutdown of any location where a worker tests positive for COVID-19. This seems likely to shut down the majority of Whole Foods stores in short order. An unreasonable request, IMO. Grocery stores are genuinely essential to society and the death rate for I do think high-risk employees should basically be allowed to stay home, though.

this fails to consider that if an employee of the store tests positive that has an implication for the store itself as well as all the food and products being sold to the public.

It does not seem remotely workable to me to shut down every grocery store in America with a positive COVID test among their staff.

If you want to argue for less extreme measures, I will probably support them.

Re: Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

#28

Post by thanatropism »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #15
nn35 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

-Immediate shutdown of any location where a worker tests positive for COVID-19. This seems likely to shut down the majority of Whole Foods stores in short order. An unreasonable request, IMO. Grocery stores are genuinely essential to society and the death rate for I do think high-risk employees should basically be allowed to stay home, though.

> I do think high-risk employees should basically be allowed to stay home, though. Employees in states where a shelter in place order is in effect can stay home and collect unemployment backed by the federal government [1]. One might argue everyone is high risk, as you might have a risk factor you're not aware of, leading to an unexpected death. [2] [1] https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-stimulus-package...…

Are you guaranteed your job back if there's a stay in place order?

Re: Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

#29

Post by matz1 »

zzzeek wrote: post #17
nn35 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

-Immediate shutdown of any location where a worker tests positive for COVID-19. This seems likely to shut down the majority of Whole Foods stores in short order. An unreasonable request, IMO. Grocery stores are genuinely essential to society and the death rate for I do think high-risk employees should basically be allowed to stay home, though.

this fails to consider that if an employee of the store tests positive that has an implication for the store itself as well as all the food and products being sold to the public.

Yes but the risk is lower then not having grocery store at all. People still need to eat.

Re: Whole Foods employees are staging a nationwide 'sick-out'

#30

Post by diob »

nn35 wrote: post #11
elicash wrote: post #3

Here's what they're asking for: https://www.coworker.org/petitions/global-retail-worker-sick... -Guaranteed paid leave for all workers who isolate or self-quarantine instead of coming to work. -Reinstatement of health care coverage for part-time and seasonal workers. -Increased FSA funds to cover coronavirus testing and treatment for all team members, including part-time and seasonal. -Guaranteed hazard pay in the fo…

-Immediate shutdown of any location where a worker tests positive for COVID-19. This seems likely to shut down the majority of Whole Foods stores in short order. An unreasonable request, IMO. Grocery stores are genuinely essential to society and the death rate for I do think high-risk employees should basically be allowed to stay home, though.

If they're essential to society, do you support free medical care for all the employees who get sick during this time? Do you support paying for the ongoing costs of an employee that suffers the rest of their life due to complications or after effects from COVID-19?
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