Reaction to Cities Adopting Hero Pay

What’s the deal? Cities are passing ordinances to pay essential workers, front line workers, grocery store workers more during the pandemic. In response, 2 grocer associations, Northwest Grocery Association and the Washington Food Industry Association, have sued Seattle for its hero pay.

Why should we care? Economists point to other grocers, like Trader Joes and Costco, that implement hero pay on their own and display it, are making a profit. Its an industry split- one side saying hey we’ve got this, we’re here for our employees; and the other side saying we can’t afford city mandated hero pay.

How can this impact me? In California, some grocers are closing rather than pay supplemental pandemic rates to employees. part of the opposition argument is that all essential employees should get this bump in pay, not just grocer employees.

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