Retail workers say the refusal by 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� has left them feeling forgotten, unappreciated and at risk as the Omicron wave leaves many stores short-staffed amid renewed consumer stockpiling.

Multiple grocery store workers say they are busier than ever, with more staff calling in sick in the last two weeks than during the entire pandemic.

Shoppers are also once again B次元官网网址渃learing the shelvesB次元官网网址� and stocking up on food, increasing workloads and compounding labour shortages in stores, they say.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 still panic and people are still stocking up,B次元官网网址� said Tammy Laporte, a full-time grocery store worker. B次元官网网址淭he workload has definitely increased. ItB次元官网网址檚 just a never-ending struggle.B次元官网网址�

She said the last two years have been the hardest of her 23-year career as workers have been called upon to meet higher demand, increase cleaning and enforce public health measures.

But the $2-an hour pay premium Loblaws, Metro and Sobeys offered workers during the first wave of COVID-19 made a difference.

B次元官网网址淚t made us feel appreciated,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t made us feel like the employer cared, and like they understood the risks we were facing.B次元官网网址�

Despite a two-decade-long career with a major grocer and working full time, she said the pandemic bonus brought her pay B次元官网网址渢o the edge of a living wageB次元官网网址� for the first time.

Laporte said gift cards werenB次元官网网址檛 as helpful as the pay bonus, as they were a taxable benefit that ended up actually reducing paycheques.

Meanwhile, workers are now provided with personal protective equipment, including the ubiquitous blue medical face masks, but she said a pay bonus would allow her to invest in N95 respirator masks.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 around the public all day long and it would be good to have some better protection with this new variant,B次元官网网址� Laporte said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 like to wear an N95 but as a grocery store employee, I canB次元官网网址檛 afford it.B次元官网网址�

Loblaws, Metro and Sobeys did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

While the grocers offered a mix of bonuses, gift cards or other benefits during subsequent waves of the pandemic, none appeared to be offering any additional pay as a result of the Omicron surge.

Sobeys has committed to reinstating its B次元官网网址渉ero payB次元官网网址� when regions or provinces go back into lockdowns that close all non-essential retail.

Yet while many provinces have curtailed capacity limits B次元官网网址� and in some cases are even urging people to use contactless curbside pickup whenever possible B次元官网网址� none has reinstated full-scale lockdowns that have shuttered non-essential stores.

Paul Meinema, UFCW Canada national president, said the pandemic has highlighted the crucial role of grocery workers in the economy.

The union has been calling for significant and permanent wage increases for grocery store workers, he said in an email.

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

Karen Lobb, who has worked at a grocery store for 27 years, said workers would appreciate an acknowledgment of the risks they face.

B次元官网网址淭hey took the bonus away, but COVID never went way,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e never closed, we havenB次元官网网址檛 stopped.B次元官网网址�

Lobb added: B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e short-staffed and some of us are working longer hours to make up for it. Some recognition would be nice.B次元官网网址�

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 in a recent interview. 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次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� Brett Bundale, The Canadian Press