With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
How Many Grocery Store Workers Have Died From Coronavirus?
Olga Jiminez stands behind a protective plastic screen and wears a mask and gloves as she works as a cashier at the Presidente Supermarket on April 13, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
At least 68 grocery store workers nationwide have died from COVID-19, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents 20,000 grocery store employees in Los Angeles County.
The union also says more than 10,000 of its members have been exposed to COVID-19 or sickened by the virus in the last five weeks.
Union President Marc Perrone is calling on grocers to reinstate a $2 per hour pay bump they recently rolled back:
"These companies, by eliminating this hazard pay, ignores what the American people know -- that this virus is still very much a threat, and especially for those workers who must interact with thousands of customers everyday."
Sponsored message
A sign reads "If You Don't Wear a Mask Please Do Not Come Inside" at a convenience store amid the coronavirus pandemic on April 8, 2020 in Los Angeles. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Following weekend protests against Kroger, the parent company of Ralphs and several other grocery chains, the company announced a "thank you" bonus for full and part-time workers.
A similar bonus was paid out at the beginning of the panedmic, in addition to the hourly increase.
The union is also calling on all food retailers to release the number of workers who have been killed or sickened by COVID-19.
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our nonprofit public service journalism: Donate now.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
