One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
LA Gets One Step Closer To Pandemic Hero Pay For Grocery Store Workers
An employee scans items behind a protective shield at a grocery store in in Little Tokyo. (Chava Sanchez/ LAist)
The Los Angeles City Council is closer to adopting a "hero pay" ordinance that would give some employees in large grocery and drug stores an extra $5 per hour during the pandemic.
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to direct the city attorney's office to create a draft of the ordinance.
The City of Long Beach already adopted a similar, $4 per hour increase. In response, supermarket chain Kroger said it would close two of its stores in the city.
Asked if there could be similar closures in L.A., Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz told our newsroom's public affairs show, AirTalk, that it's possible:
"Honestly, I think if there are market closures, it will just be out of spite on behalf of the market chains. I don't think it's because they'll struggle to survive because they pay their employees an extra $5 an hour. I mean a checker, a stocker, did not take this job to work $17 an hour, with the expectation that they'd be risking their lives."
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH KORETZ HERE:
Sponsored message
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
