While you may have been panic-shopping at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, getting restaurant food delivered or ordering toiletries on Amazon, workers around the country have been putting their lives at risk to get us our essentials. But today, May Day, employees of Target, Amazon, Whole Foods and Instacart are protesting in solidarity with one another by leading a massive, nationwide strike. Those striking are also asking customers around the country to not cross the picket line by pausing all ordering from the affiliated companies.
The workers have been considering a strike for a long time but the situation has been particularly exacerbated by the conditions they are allegedly facing right now—many are working without hazard pay or guaranteed sick leave—while the corporations continue to profit.
“The guests’ desire for recreation are not more important than team members’ needs for safety. Our pay and compensation are not adequate enough to cover the costs of hospitalization or funeral expenses related to COVID19,” shared the Target Workers Unite, in a public statement on their site.
But in a Twitter thread originating from the flyer announcing the protest, many employees voiced their fears, mentioning the possibility of losing their jobs in an already uncertain job market if participating in the strike and not showing up for their scheduled hours.
So, what does that mean for all your packages? Depending on the size of the protest, yes, you might have to deal with some slight delivery delays (but, otherwise, the stores in question will remain open). That inconvenience is a small price to pay for the safety of others who have been at the frontlines all along.
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