Those of us who work in the retail industry risk being exposed to the deadly coronavirus every day on the front lines. While our work has always been essential to the communities we serve, the corporations we work for have not always prioritized our health and safety or our lives. The tragic rise of the Delta variant has made it abundantly clear: vaccines, while a critical tool in keeping individuals safe from severe cases of Covid-19, cannot be the only way our government and business leaders fight the virus. Because of Delta’s highly contagious nature, retail workers — even those of us who are vaccinated — are at risk of getting sick and bringing the virus home to our families and communities, many of whom remain unvaccinated. Our country is seeing the predictable effects of turning our focus away from basic preventative measures, which we have been calling for since the beginning of the pandemic. Retailers now have a second chance to make up for their earlier failures to prevent illnesses and death by properly addressing our needs to survive this pandemic.
That’s why we’re calling on Amazon, Walmart, and PetSmart to take responsibility for the safety and well-being of all of their essential workers by guaranteeing:
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- A $5/Hour Pay Increase + $500 Vaccination Bonus
- Essential pay is warranted when we risk our lives at work, plus a $500 bonus to get the vaccine.
- Pandemic Paid Leave
- We need time at home when the virus threatens our health and families, including up to 3 days time off to get both doses of the vaccine and recover.
- Vaccines and Virus Safety On The Job
- Frontline retail workers need the vaccine now! Reduce our daily risks by providing PPE and N95 masks, enforcing social distancing and requiring customers to wear masks, and disinfecting our workplaces.
- Retaliation Protections
- No one should be punished for speaking up about safety or taking the necessary time at home to take care of our health.
- Our Voice in Solving Health & Safety Problems
- Executives must join a task force with retail workers to ensure everyone is safe.