As the pandemic continues, the essential workers at grocery stores and delivery services like Instacart are increasingly at risk, facing severe challenges to their health without adequate protections against COVID-19. Instacart employees, who provide vital grocery deliveries, initiated a strike on Monday, demanding necessary safety measures such as hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and paid sick leave. Meanwhile, Whole Foods staff participated in a “sick out” on Tuesday, advocating for similar protections.
On March 30, Instacart workers walked off the job, expressing their frustrations in a Medium post. They stated that they require fundamental protective gear, including disinfectant wipes and soap, alongside paid sick leave, hazard pay, and minimum tips. The Gig Workers Collective highlighted their ongoing struggle to get Instacart to implement proper safety procedures, criticizing the company for turning the pandemic into a public relations opportunity rather than prioritizing worker safety. Despite Instacart’s announcement of a paid leave program, many workers found the eligibility criteria and deadlines nearly impossible to meet.
On the following day, Whole Foods employees conducted a “sick in,” voicing their demands for paid sick leave, hazard pay, funding for coronavirus testing and treatment, and basic protective equipment like hand sanitizer. The labor organization Whole Worker pointed out that Amazon, which owns Whole Foods, continued to operate stores even after employees tested positive for the virus. Moreover, Whole Foods management reportedly requested that employees with accrued paid time off donate their leave to colleagues who were ill, rather than extending paid leave to all staff. “Whole Foods employees are already getting sick. We must act NOW,” emphasized Whole Worker in its statement. “We are working harder than ever before, risking our lives, and we deserve to have our needs met.”
In a related context, Amazon has faced criticism for failing to adequately protect its warehouse workers from COVID-19, with cases reported in 14 warehouses. Recently, workers at an Amazon facility in Staten Island, N.Y., also staged a walkout, demanding paid leave and a thorough cleaning of their workplace while ensuring they receive pay during the closure. The Whole Foods strike prompted a call for grocery store employees across the U.S. to stand in solidarity and join the walkout.
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In summary, workers from Instacart and Whole Foods are uniting to demand better protections and benefits during the ongoing pandemic, highlighting the challenges faced by essential workers in the grocery and delivery sectors. Their strikes underscore the urgent need for safety measures and fair treatment as they continue to serve the community.