Pierce County Executive to veto newly-passed grocery store hazard pay ordinance
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The Pierce County Council passed an ordinance enacting an additional $4 an hour in hazard pay for grocery workers on Tuesday night, with County Executive Bruce Dammeier stating his intention to veto the measure not long after.
The council passed the ordinance by a slim 4-3 margin along party lines. The measure would have applied solely to unincorporated areas of the county for grocery stores with 500 or more employees worldwide. Convenience stores, food marts, and farmers’ markets would have been exempted.
“These workers have been on the frontlines for the last year and it has not been easy,” said County Councilmember Jani Hitchen, one of the co-sponsors of the bill. “While the proposed additional pay won’t make their jobs easier, it provides much-needed compensation for the hazards of working while facing significant exposure to COVID-19.”