NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS |
June 5, 2020 | PAGE 3
Heroes
no
longer?
Fred Meyer ends hero pay
They’ll still wear masks and put
themselves at risk to make sure
the rest of us can eat, but Fred
Meyer grocery workers saw the
end of “hero pay” May 22. De-
spite objections from United
Food and Commercial Workers
(UFCW), Kroger-affiliated
stores across the United States
ended the $2 an hour bonus they
had began paying since March.
Instead, the company an-
nounced it will pay one-time
“Thank You Pay” bonuses of
$400 for full-time workers and
$200 for part-time, paid out in
installments on May 30 and
June 18.
“They’re still making people
wear masks, so the danger is ob-
viously still ongoing,” said
Miles Eshaia, spokesperson for
Tigard-based UFCW Local 555.
Meanwhile, Albertsons Com-
panies extended its $2 an hour
“Appreciation Pay” through at
least June 13 for all 20 of the
chains it owns, including Safe-
way, Albertsons and Haggen.
The grocery industry is
booming. Sales are up dramati-
cally with the closure of most
restaurants, and grocery prices
rose 2.6% on average in April,
the largest one-month jump in
46 years, according to the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Kroger has hired more than
100,000 workers since mid-
March.
Labor Appreciation Night postponed
The annual Labor Appreciation and Recognition Dinner spon-
sored by the Northwest Oregon Labor Council has been post-
poned until further notice due to concerns about the coronavirus
pandemic. The event, now in its 23rd year, is a special evening
honoring men and women identified by their peers for outstanding
contributions to labor and their community. It also serves as a
fundraiser for Labor’s Community Service Agency. The Northwest
Oregon Labor Council will announce when a new date has been
set.