2 Kroger grocery stores set to close in Long Beach Saturday due to Hero Pay ordinanceÂ
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Two Long Beach grocery stores set to close due to âHero Payâ ordinance
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Two Kroger grocery stores in Long Beach are set permanently close on April 17 due to mandated raises, also known as the hero pay ordinance that was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this year, Long Beach became the first city in Southern California to pass the ordinance, which requires grocery store workers to be paid an additional $4 an hour.
Less than two weeks later, Kroger announced it would close two of its stores in Long Beach.
Trader Joe’s has boosted extra pandemic pay for its hourly and non-management employees by $2 an hour at stores nationwide.
Now, those employees will temporarily receive an extra $4 an hour with the Thank You wage in recognition of the outstanding, inspiring work they do every day, in our stores and communities, the grocer said in a blog post.
The increase comes as President Joe Biden calls on employers to provide hazard pay to frontline essential workers as part of his American Rescue Plan. City councils in Seattle and several California cities, including Long Beach and Berkeley, have passed mandates for grocery store companies to pay essential workers additional pay.
3 Feb 2021
Kroger announced Monday that it will be closing two stores in Long Beach, California a Ralph’s and a Food 4 Less after the city council voted to require that large grocery store chains pay workers additional “hero pay” of $4 per hour.
Local Fox affiliate KTTV-11 reported:
Ralphs and Food 4 Less, both owned by the parent company Kroger, announced Monday that they will be closing 25% of their stores in Long Beach after the city council passed an ordinance requiring companies with over 300 employees nationwide to pay employees an extra $4 per hour.
“As a result of the City of Long Beach’s decision to pass an ordinance mandating Extra Pay for grocery workers, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close long-struggling store locations in Long Beach,” said a company spokesperson. “This misguided action by the Long Beach City Council oversteps the traditional bargaining process and applies to some, but not all, grocery workers in the city.”
Kroger closing 2 California stores after city orders pay hike Share Updated: 9:46 AM EST Feb 4, 2021 The Associated Press Share Updated: 9:46 AM EST Feb 4, 2021 The Associated Press Kroger Co. will close two Southern California supermarkets in response to a local ordinance requiring extra pay for certain grocery employees working during the pandemic.The decision announced by the company Monday follows a unanimous vote last month by the Long Beach City Council mandating a 120-day increase of $4 an hour for employees of supermarkets with at least 300 employees nationwide and more than 15 in Long Beach.Kroger said it will close a Ralphs market and a Food 4 Less on April 17, the Press-Telegram reported.“As a result of the City of Long Beach’s decision to pass an ordinance mandating Extra Pay for grocery workers, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close long-struggling store locations in Long Beach,” the company
The decision announced by the company Monday follows a unanimous vote last month by the Long Beach City Council mandating a 120-day increase of $4 an hour for employees.