The failure of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 grocers to reinstate B次元官网网址渉ero payB次元官网网址� for employees amid an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases is B次元官网网址渁bout greed, period,B次元官网网址� the head of the countryB次元官网网址檚 largest private-sector union said Friday.

Unifor national president Jerry Dias said while front-line supermarket workers are facing the biggest risks, executives are receiving the biggest rewards.

Top grocery bosses have cashed multi-million dollar bonuses as sales and profits soar during the pandemic B次元官网网址� even as they refuse to bring back pay bumps for employees, he said.

B次元官网网址淓mployees on the front line are at risk every day and yet itB次元官网网址檚 the executives being rewarded handsomely,B次元官网网址� Dias said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e making record profits but donB次元官网网址檛 have the decency to pay their employees what theyB次元官网网址檙e worth.B次元官网网址�

His comments come after the federal NDP critic for economic development, MP Brian Masse, sent a letter to the heads of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 biggest supermarkets this week saying workers are doing risky work and again deserve a wage premium to keep stores open and shelves stocked.

Three grocery chains B次元官网网址� Loblaws, Metro and Sobeys B次元官网网址� ushered in a $2-an-hour pay bump in the early days of the pandemic. It was cancelled after the first wave subsided.

While each chain has sporadically reintroduced either wage bonuses or other incentives, it appears none have offered workers pay premiums as a result of the Omicron surge.

Loblaw did not respond to multiple requests for comment, while Metro declined to comment.

However, Sobeys shared a letter CEO Michael Medline sent in response to MasseB次元官网网址檚 concerns.

B次元官网网址淲e are the only retailer in Canada who publicly committed to reinstating our Hero Pay/Lockdown Bonus program when regions or provinces go back into lockdowns that close all non-essential retail,B次元官网网址� he said.

Sobeys has distributed over $110 million in B次元官网网址渉ero payB次元官网网址� and bonuses to its front-line team members since the beginning of the pandemic, Medline said.

Sobeys spokeswoman Jacquelin Weatherbee added in an email that the company is closely watching the constantly changing restrictions.

If government-mandated lockdowns once again close all non-essential retail, the grocer will reinstate its lockdown bonus, she said.

Yet Dias said the risk of catching COVID-19 has never been greater for retail workers as infections surge across the country.

B次元官网网址淧andemic pay was a recognition that front-line workers are at an increased risk from the coronavirus,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hat danger is still there.B次元官网网址�

Dalhousie University professor of food distribution and policy Sylvain Charlebois said other parts of the food industry, including processing and distribution, have seen wages increase permanently during the pandemic.

B次元官网网址淓mployees in stores also deserve higher wages,B次元官网网址� Charlebois said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 time to look at wages seriously.B次元官网网址�

Other retailers, such as Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. and The Home Depot Canada, replaced temporary pandemic bonuses with permanent wage increases.

However, part of the issue in food retail is that itB次元官网网址檚 a B次元官网网址渉igh volume, low margin environment,B次元官网网址� Charlebois said.

B次元官网网址淚f grocery chains raised wages by $2 an hour across the board, most of the stores in their networks would likely run at a loss,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the reality of grocery shopping.B次元官网网址�

Meanwhile, increasing automation could reduce the number of workers companies need to run a grocery store, but those people could be better paid, Charlebois said.

B次元官网网址淜nowing the financial realities of running a grocery store, you canB次元官网网址檛 afford to keep the same amount of people (and increase both automation and wages across the board),B次元官网网址� he said.

But Dias said employees deserve a living wage.

B次元官网网址淵ou can always find justification not to do the right thing,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he bottom line is those on the front lines deserve to have decent hours and to make a decent living wage.B次元官网网址�

UFCW Canada, which also represents grocery retail workers in Canada, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

B次元官网网址擝rett Bundale, The Canadian Press