Sign petition urging Macy’s to protect their workers amid crisis

BAD ACTOR ALERT: Unlike grocers, Macy’s unwilling to step up and help their employees

UPDATE (March 30, 2020) — See UFCW 21’s Macy’s COVID-19 update regarding the company’s temporary closure of stores. Bottom line: the union is still urging supporters o sign this petition.

(March 27, 2020) — Throughout Washington state, grocery stores with employees represented by UFCW 21, 367 and 1439 and Teamsters 38 have reached agreements to better support and protect grocery store workers and shoppers amid the coronavirus crisis. But not all retail stores can say the same.

UFCW 21 reports that Macy’s has refused to bargain fairly over the effects of COVID-19 and angry employees have launched an online petition drive to urge the company to do more to protect their workers. (Please sign “COVID-19 Relief for Macy’s Workers” here.)

The petition reads:

We are Macy’s workers, customers, and members of the communities where Macy’s operates. We demand that Macy’s steps-up to do the right thing to support workers and communities in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying economic crisis. This is truly a historic moment; it is time that Macy’s acts like it.

The health of our families, coworkers, and communities should not become secondary to CEO Jeff Gennette’s $12 million yearly paycheck.

Since Macy’s has refused to do the right thing, we are demanding that they must:

► Provide extended paid leave for workers who are required to be quarantined by their doctor, Macy’s, or by emergency government guidelines;

► Work with non-profits and local governments to assist their workers with childcare during school closures;

► Provide more than 2 weeks of partial replacement pay for temporary closures of stores and assist workers as they file for unemployment benefits;

► Allow workers whose stores are closed to get temporary work without the fear of losing their jobs at Macy’s; and

► Guarantee fair severance in the case of permanent store closure.

Report Bad Actors! Do you know of other employers in Washington state that are not stepping up in this time of crisis to protect their workers and customers/clients? Let us know.