Grocery stores in Pomona will be required to pay workers $4 an hour in “hero pay” on top of their regular wages after the City Council late Monday, March 1, approved an ordinance in support of the measure.
The council unanimously approved the ordinance, which will be in effect for the next 120 days, to support frontline retail workers facing greater risk of exposure in the coronavirus pandemic. The ordinance applies to retailers that employ 300 employees nationally and more than 10 within Pomona, and covers both grocery and pharmacy workers.
The ordinance will target the majority of large retail establishments within the city, including Stater Bros., Food 4 Less, Cardenas and Target. Under the ordinance, retailers are prohibited from retaliating against employees by reducing compensation and companies must notify workers of the new rules.
The move to support workers comes as grocery stores across the country have remained open throughout the pandemic as essential service providers. While many grocery stores have implemented various safety protocols such as plexiglass dividers at check stands and daily temperature checks, the stores have been among the hardest hit in terms of virus outbreaks in Los Angeles County.
Pomona joins a growing number of local governments that has pushed for “hero pay” ordinances for retail workers, including Montebello, Santa Ana, the city of Los Angeles and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
The California Grocers Association has already filed lawsuits against some cities to stop such measures, most notably Long Beach. Last week, a federal judge denied the association’s lawsuit to temporarily overturn Long Beach’s ordinance on the basis that it failed to establish a likelihood of success on its claims. The lawsuit is still ongoing.
Pomona City Attorney Sonia Carvalho said Monday evening the city is not aware of any pending lawsuits from the CGA but noted the city is susceptible to any forthcoming claims.
Multiple grocery workers called and emailed comments in support of the extra pay, recalling stories of coworkers contracting the virus on the job. United Food and Commercial Workers 1428, which represents unionized grocery store employees in Pomona, reported 74 COVID-19 positive cases in the city, equaling 46% of their represented employees there, according to a staff report.
“Our members have stood up every day just to do this job, to make sure our communities have what they need,” said Mark Ramos, UFCW Local 1428 president, who called into the meeting.
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March 02, 2021 at 12:48PM
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Pomona approves $4-per-hour ‘hero pay’ for grocery workers - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
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