Ty Harasemow has worked in grocery stores for over a decade, and until now his biggest concern during a shift might have been stocking shelves.

Now, when he steps into Nelson害羞草研究所檚 Save-On-Foods location, Harasemow is surrounded by reminders he is suddenly an essential service worker in the middle of a global pandemic.

害羞草研究所淲e are working the front lines. None of us really know if we害羞草研究所檙e going to get sick害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� said Harasemow.

害羞草研究所淭o be perfectly honest, we害羞草研究所檙e taking our precautions. We are so diligent in this store I don害羞草研究所檛 believe any of our hands can take sanitizer much longer.害羞草研究所�

Grocery stores are among the few places people are allowed, out of necessity, to gather. But for employees, many of whom are working for minimum wage, the realities of COVID-19 were not something they signed up for.

Harasemow, a head shop steward representing UFCW 1518 and the approximately 150 employees at the Nelson store, said many of his coworkers deal with some level of panic daily. Others, he added, are more relaxed.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 want to take away from the fact that yes, there is added stress being so congregated in our store, trying to abide by these rules that we害羞草研究所檙e socially applying to our customers, and actually fulfill them ourselves while still conducting a business. That害羞草研究所檚 proven problematic and stressful.害羞草研究所�

UFCW 1518 represents workers at stores including Save-On, Safeway and IGA. In Nelson, the changes made at Save-On and Safeway are quickly apparent to customers. Carts are wiped down and hands sanitized at the door. Tape on the floors show how close to stand to others, and which direction to walk in. Plexiglass separates the till from the buyer.

Harasemow says his co-workers and union are generally content with the safety measures introduced by the company, and that he害羞草研究所檚 impressed by how quickly changes were made in March when lockdowns in B.C. began.

He added Save-On and the union also agreed to a raise of $2 per hour, retroactive to the beginning of March, as so-called hero害羞草研究所檚 pay during the pandemic.

害羞草研究所淭hat just re-affirmed no types of political issues are going to [keep] us from working together as one right now, and that害羞草研究所檚 very good to see,害羞草研究所� he said.

Dan Goodman, the secretary treasurer of UFCW 247 based in Surrey, mostly agrees with Harasemow害羞草研究所檚 characterization of union-company relations.

Goodman害羞草研究所檚 union represents 14,000 grocery store workers across B.C. at stores including No Frills, Extra Foods, Safeway and, in Nelson, the Wholesale Club. While he gives those companies credit for what they害羞草研究所檝e done, Goodman also thinks the pandemic will change union expectations once bargaining resumes.

害羞草研究所淚 certainly think our members are going to be a lot stronger or less inhibited in telling the company how they feel about what their entitlement should be,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪o I think it害羞草研究所檚 going to make things challenging at the bargaining table, for sure.害羞草研究所�

The real issue the members of his union face, Goodman said, is with customers who aren害羞草研究所檛 respecting the rules or are perhaps becoming too comfortable in stores.

害羞草研究所淚 think they view the grocery store as a return to normalcy,害羞草研究所� said Goodman. 害羞草研究所淚 think people can害羞草研究所檛 go to a restaurant, you can害羞草研究所檛 do all these things you normally do in your every day life. You can害羞草研究所檛 send your kids to the park because it害羞草研究所檚 covered in yellow tape.

害羞草研究所淪o I think when they get into the stores, sometimes people forget, which I think is one of the reasons why they are going to the store too much. It害羞草研究所檚 an excuse to get out and forget about everything going on. They forget about that distance, they forget about having to wait or walk around somebody.害羞草研究所�

What that害羞草研究所檚 meant, Goodman says, is a re-evaluation of a capitalist motto: the customer is always right. Younger staff have had an easier time asserting themselves, he said, while some more experienced staff have been reticent to express their needs with customers.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e telling our members that when someone is in your space, you need to turn to them and say you need to give me my two metres,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淵ou have the right to do that, because ultimately you have the right to a safe workplace. So I think that害羞草研究所檚 been a bit of a challenge. That害羞草研究所檚 a whole new role, a whole new aspect that probably wasn害羞草研究所檛 there before.害羞草研究所�

And it may not be one experienced in every store.

Harasemow said he害羞草研究所檚 been touched by how often customers have showed his colleagues patience and gratitude for doing a difficult job in trying times.

害羞草研究所淪o that害羞草研究所檚 the biggest thing I have to show appreciation for害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e all on the same team here, we all want to be on the same page.害羞草研究所�

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tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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