Workers From Companies Like Amazon, Instacart, And Whole Foods Are Planning A Strike Tomorrow
Workers from companies like Amazon, Instacart, and Whole Foods announced they will stage a collective strike on May 1 over safety concerns amid the COVID-19 outbreak, according to The Intercept. Here's what you need to know about the action and why workers say they're going on strike.
What's happening?
Workers from these retailers, as well as delivery company Shipt (which is owned by Target), will reportedly walk out on their lunch breaks or call in sick on Friday, which is known as International Workers' Day or May Day.
It's worth noting that many outlets are reporting that workers from FedEx and Walmart will also participate, but they are not listed in a circulated press release obtained by Delish.
Why is this different from other strikes we've seen recently?
This is the first time in recent memory that workers from multiple retailers and companies will be staging an action together.
“It’s more powerful when we come together,” Chris Smalls, one of the lead organizers of the strike, told MotherBoard. Smalls was fired from an Amazon Staten Island fulfillment center in late March after he staged a walk-out there: “We formed an alliance between a bunch of different companies because we all have one common goal which is to save the lives of workers and communities."
Why is it happening?
Workers have staged this and other collective actions recently because they say they are concerned their employers have not taken adequate steps to protect them amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
"At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic essential workers were subjected to exposure in our workplaces due to the lack of PPE, flawed policies, and dense safety guidelines. Because of the failings of our employers, many of our fellow employees have contracted this deadly virus and some have died," workers said in a press release about the May 1 strike.
The coalition listed their set of demands, which varied slightly by company but largely included hazard pay or paid sick leave, protective equipment, and transparency about number and location of coronavirus cases within the companies. Many of these terms echo those that were declared during the multiple organized actions that have been planned over the past few weeks.
Whole Foods workers staged a "sick-out" on March 31. Amazon workers in Staten Island and Instacart workers walked out the day prior. Following Instacart's walkout, the company began providing safety kits to workers. Shipt workers planned a walkout in early April. On the same day as that planned action, the company began offering bonuses, which a representative told the Business Journal was unrelated to the action.
How are companies responding?
Multiple companies have responded to the strike via Delish or other outlets.
An Amazon spokesperson told The Intercept:
“While we respect people’s right to express themselves, we object to the irresponsible actions of labor groups in spreading misinformation and making false claims about Amazon during this unprecedented health and economic crisis. We have gone to extreme measures to understand and address this pandemic."
Instacart said in a statement to Delish:
“We remain singularly focused on the health and safety of the Instacart community. Our team has been diligently working to offer new policies, guidelines, product features, resources, increased bonuses, and personal protective equipment to ensure the health and safety of shoppers during this critical time. We welcome all feedback from shoppers and we will continue to enhance their experience to ensure this important community is supported."
Shipt said in a statement to Delish:
“We actively solicit and listen to shopper feedback and have taken numerous actions recently to support shoppers, including distributing protective equipment, providing financial assistance and paying bonuses. We’re very appreciative of Shipt Shoppers’ commitment to provide an important service to communities nationwide, and continue to see record numbers of shoppers deliver food, household goods and medicine to customers across the country each day."
Target said in a statement to The Intercept:
“While we take them seriously, the concerns raised are from a very small minority. The vast majority of our more than 340,000 frontline team members have expressed pride in the role they are playing in helping provide for families across the country during this time of need." Target also told The Intercept that it had taken measures to protect both its customers and its employees.
Whole Foods said in a statement to Delish:
“Our focus right now is ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our Team Members, which remains our top priority, while continuing to serve our customers and communities. Statements made by this group misrepresent the full extent of Whole Foods Market’s actions in response to this crisis and do not represent the collective voice of our more than 95,000 Team Members. Along with increased pay and benefits for Team Members in our stores and facilities, we have implemented enhanced cleaning protocols, social distancing and crowd control measures, we require temperature screenings and face masks for in-store workers, and in addition to providing face masks, we offer gloves and personal face shields for added protection. We are auditing all of these practices on a daily basis to help protect the health and safety of our Team Members, which remains our highest priority."
Delish reached out to Amazon, FedEx, Target, and Walmart, but did not immediately hear back.
How can you help keep workers safe?
If you're concerned about helping keep essential workers safe, there are steps you can take on your own regardless of where they work. Consider contactless delivery. Cut down on your shopping trips to at most once a week and don't go out if you feel sick. Wear a mask when you go out in public. Tip exceptionally well. Learn more about how to help here.
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