Employees of multinational supermarket chain, Whole Foods, have reportedly called for a mass walk-out on Tuesday across the USA to protest against the overall lack of protection provided to low-wage workers that are serving the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whole Foods Market is a US-based supermarket chain known for selling products that are free of preservatives, fats, and artificial flavors. One of the employees of Whole Foods stated that he is afraid he would probably contract coronavirus, with probably being high that it would be at the workplace. The employee also expressed that the company has not done enough to ensure safety of its staff amidst this health crisis. Employees of the company have demanded paid leaves for workers who have self-quarantined themselves, reinstatement of health care policy for seasonal and part-time workers, hazard pay that is twice the presently paid hourly wage, as well as a commitment to close down any store location if a worker is diagnosed with COVID-19. The employee also stated that the company has had a lackadaisical attitude regarding the ongoing pandemic, expressing concerns that not enough has been done by the company to ensure the safety of its workers that are out working for the company. The decision of a mass-walkout by the employees follows a similar step taken by the workers of Instacart, an online grocery-delivery facility, who walked off after demanding higher safeguards to protect workers from COVID-19. Workers for both these organizations are deemed essential and are required to continue working to keep the citizens well-supplied with essentials. Meanwhile, Brittany Conard, another Whole Foods employee stated that the company is doing all it can to safeguard its workers from the disease. Conard stated that the company has provided sufficient hand sanitizers and gloves to the workers. The firm has also positioned a security guard at the main door who ensures that people would stay at least six feet away from the workers and prompting them to stand in a proper line. Source credit: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/whole-food-workers-expected-to-join-nationwide-sick-out-tuesday/2338143/
