Workers on the frontlines of this pandemic are doing their part to make sure everyone gets the food and supplies they need from retail stores safely and efficiently. Customers need to do their part to help.
Workers are getting scared and concerned with the attitudes of some customers,” said Jeff Traeger, President of UFCW Local 832. “The public needs to do their part to help our members on the frontlines get home safely.”
While many customers are taking this pandemic seriously, others are overly demanding, bullying and, in one case, the Union has heard of a customer being racist towards a worker.
“We are all in this together,” said Traeger. “Bullying and intolerance are never ok, and right now, more than ever, we need to pull together as a community, be kind and support each other.”
Here are five ways customers can do their part:
- One customer per cart
Stores are limiting how many people go in and out, bringing extra people makes it harder to physically distance in the stores, and it means others have to wait longer to get in.
- Shop for your friends, family and neighbours
To keep numbers in stores low, shop for your friends, family and neighbours.
- Don’t ‘hang out’ at the grocery stores every day
Plan ahead, get what you need and come back in a week or two.
- Follow all Social Distancing rules
Keep 2 meters between yourself, other customers and employees, look on the ground for lines while you’re waiting in line.
- Be Kind
Demanding and bullying will not make items appear out of a backroom when there are none. If it’s not on the shelf, it’s not in stock.
UFCW Local 832 represents over 18,000 members working in food production, food distribution warehousing, grocery retail, hospitality, security, personal care, and assisted living.
