Dear Editor:
On February 23, 2021 the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted in favor of establishing "Hero Pay" for grocery and drug store employees. The pay would be $5.00 per hour in additional pay and would apply to publicly traded employers and employers who have over 300 employees nationwide and more than 10 employees per store.
The additional pay would be in effect for 120 days from the date the ordinance is passed. In its current form, the ordinance would only apply to unincorporated areas.
I support this ordinance because these workers are literally risking their lives on a daily basis by being exposed to hundreds of shoppers and should receive additional pay to compensate them for the additional risks they are taking.
In addition, we are dealing with large stores, not "mom and pop" operations. According to a study from the Brooking Institution, these stores have been making record profits since the start of the coronavirus Pandemic.
Since this ordinance only applies to unincorporated areas, we need to consider the well-being of other workers who are risking their lives working at stores in incorporated areas. As a resident of Culver City, I would like for the Culver City City Council to adopt a similar ordinance. I want to commend the City Council for agendizing this issue at its February 22nd meeting.
The bottom line is this: Adopting Hero Pay is morally the right thing to do, the large stores can afford it, and such an ordinance reflects the progressive values of our community. Let's do it!
Sincerely,
Darryl Cherness
Culver City
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