MA Coronavirus: Grocery Stores Advised To Operate At 40% Capacity

BOSTON — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announced new guidance to be issued to Massachusetts groceries, advising them to operate at 40 percent capacity.

Staff will be included in the advisory, Polito said in a news conference Tuesday.

The news comes on the same day grocery store workers in the South End protested outside stores demanding hazard pay and more protective equipment during the new coronavirus pandemic.

Employees stood 6 feet apart outside Whole Foods demanding changes be made to protect their lives as they work on the front lines.

The workers and their supporters came from a variety of stores including Stop & Shop, Shaw's and Trader Joe's. A Whole Foods spokesperson Rachel denied that any of the protesters participating were employees at the South End Whole Foods.

Grocery store employees outside the store demanded hazard pay and more protective equipment during the new coronavirus pandemic. One protester was seen on video demanding time-and-a-half hazard pay and fully paid family and sick leave for all employees.

"We're out here because Whole Foods owned by Amazon, one of the richest corporations in the history of our planet, is refusing to pay its workers more than $2 an hour hazard pay, is not providing its employees with adequate protective equipment, masks, gloves, etc," the worker said.

The spokesperson said Whole Foods does provide personal protective equipment for all its workers. The company in a statement said:

"There is no higher priority for us than taking care of our Team Members, which is why we have rolled out extensive measures to keep them safe at work. In addition to social distancing, crowd control and enhanced deep cleaning, we are requiring temperature screenings for anyone working in our stores and facilities, installing plexiglass barriers at check out, and distributing gloves and masks to Team Members at the beginning of each shift. Team Members in our stores and facilities are being paid an additional $2 per hour on top of hourly base pay, as well receiving enhanced overtime, and any Team Member who is placed in quarantine or diagnosed with COVID-19 has access to up to two weeks of additional paid time off. As always, we encourage dialogue between Team Members and leadership, feedback which continues to shape the decisions we are making every day."

The Washington Post reported at least four grocery store employees in the United States, including workers at Trader Joe's and Walmart, have died after contracting the virus.

An employee at Market Basket in Salem died from the new coronavirus. In Hingham, two Whole Foods workers tested positive for COVID-19.

Grocery stores have been declared essential businesses by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker during the new coronavirus crisis. As of Monday afternoon, 260 Massachusetts residents have died after contracting COVID-19.

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