As workers in pharmacies, grocery and retail stores face the added risk of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, some companies are stepping up protections by mandating the use of the best masks available.
Toronto Grocery store worker Rechev Browne says many of his colleagues who have been working throughout the pandemic can't afford to stay home, even when they feel sick.
Posted: Jan 14, 2021 1:02 PM ET | Last Updated: January 15
A man holds up a sign as a group advocating for provincially mandated paid sick days for workers participates in a die-in rally outside Queens Park in Toronto, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. Advocates say the federal sickness benefit doesn t offer enough protection to convince all essential workers to stay at home if they are sick.(Cole Burston/The Canadian Press)
The federal sick leave program that was created to make sure people wouldn t face financial hardship if they have to miss work due to COVID-19 is facing criticism for not protecting enough people who need it.
What it’s like to work at a grocery store during the second wave
No Frills worker Rechev Browne explains how the sentiment celebrating frontline heroes has withered along with pandemic pay By NOW Staff
Clark Young / Unsplash
One of our most popular stories in the spring was an interview with Rechev Browne, a grocery store worker at No Frills who we interviewed for our issue on frontline workers.
Eight months later, we catch up with Browne to find out the job hazards of working through COVID-19, dealing with people’s daily frustrations and microaggressions, the baggage that comes with being labelled a “hero” and organizing workers. He explains how attitudes have evolved and the sentiment celebrating frontline workers has withered away along with pandemic pay.