Essential Work Should Pay More Than Not Working
Employees in the food, medical and other crucial industries deserve better treatment.
On the front lines.
Photographer: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFPA wave of protests and work stoppages is moving across companies that are delivering groceries and other essentials during the pandemic. These workers have their own motivations, of course, but it’s crucial to understand that government policy — especially the generous extended unemployment benefits Congress passed last month — has potentially lit a match under already combustible conditions.
Some context: The pandemic is leading not just to a partial economic shutdown but to a shift: from a high-touch to a low-touch economy. Restaurants brick-and-mortar retail are out, meal and grocery delivery are in. That’s putting an enormous strain on operations like Amazon and Instacart, where existing employees are being worked to the bone. Faced with huge increases in demand, both companies have plans to hire hundreds of thousands of workers.