San Diego's essential retail workers are joining the fight for hazard pay, as several California cities are already mandating the pandemic wage increase. The city of Los Angeles, for instance, is pushing forward to require a pay hike of $5 an hour during the pandemic.
Most grocery stores in San Diego did provide hazard pay during the first few months of the pandemic, but then dropped it, just as the number of coronavirus cases started spiking. Workers are now fighting to have it reinstated, as some cities throughout California are now mandating.
"It's not just the workers who are at risk but their families, because they are taking this stuff home," said Todd Walters, president of UFCW Local 135, which represents 13,000 grocery and drug store workers throughout San Diego County.
Walters said the union is actively lobbying both the city of San Diego and the County to secure hazard pay for their members and for all retail workers, something he hopes can be achieved in the coming weeks.
"The bulk of the retail sector can afford the hazard pay for their workers and share their profits," Walters added,
Throughout the pandemic, some national chains, like Kroger, which owns Ralph's and Food-4-Less, have made record profits.
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