A WHOLE BIG MESS
B’klyn store workers complain grocery titan ignoring virus regs
Whole Foods employees in Brooklyn are accusing the grocery giant of failing to keep them safe in the wake of a series of coronavirus cases at two locations, the Daily News has learned.
The Whole Foods in Gowanus has had 16 cases among employees since Sept. 10 — the most recent one occurring last week — said an employee there, citing notifications the company sends workers whenever there is a positive case.
At the Whole Foods warehouse in Industry City, employees have received nine such notifications since Oct. 22, according to staffers there.
“My concern basically is, they’re not following the protocol,” said an employee at the Gowanus store who requested anonymity to avoid retaliation. “It’s more about the money than our health. I don’t think that’s fair at all.”
The worker was especially concerned about the arrangements for cashiers, who ordinarily man stations back-to-back with just a few feet between them while facing customers.
The stations were reduced to one staffer per pod during the outbreak, but in recent months, management resumed assigning two cashiers per station, the employee said.
“They get mad with you if you don’t want somebody else in a pod with you,” that person said. “They want to take you off the register and make you do something else.”
Whole Foods confirmed it has had coronavirus cases at the two Brooklyn locations, but declined to share details, citing privacy concerns.
“The safety of our team members and customers remains our top priority, which is why we address any confirmed diagnosis in our stores with a comprehensive action plan that includes enhanced cleaning and contact tracing, as well as communicating directly with our team members,” spokesman Nathan Cimbala said in an email.
“We support any team member who is diagnosed positive or placed in quarantine so they can prioritize their health and stay home,” he added.
Whole Foods’ safety protocols include “enhanced” daily cleanings and mandatory masks and daily temperature checks for staff, along with gloves and personal face shields.
Employees at the Industry City location — where workers fill orders for customers, who are not served on premises — voiced similar concerns about the alleged lack of social-distancing measures.
“There is no possible way for us to complete our delivery orders and remain socially distant from each other,” said one worker at the Industry City site, adding that aisles get clogged during shifts and an employee break room is frequently packed with people.
That person said upon voicing their concerns to supervisors, they were told to take unpaid leave if they felt uncomfortable.
“Management’s bottom line is, how fast are you filling orders?” the employee said. “The attitude is, keep working.”
Whole Foods workers get informed of positive cases among staff through impersonal text messages stating in part: “Your location has an additional confirmed case of
COVID-19. Your safety and health is our top priority. We continue to follow the guidance of the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and will inform anyone who may have had close contact.”
Two such text messages about cases at the Industry City site were sent out within the span of 24 hours at the start of this week, according to an employee.
A special team in city government gets in touch with individuals who test positive for COVID and their close contacts. A Health Department spokesman declined to comment on the Whole Foods cases, citing patient confidentiality.
Three workers interviewed for this article said they had never been informed of coming into contact with a positive case and that the air of mystery added to their concerns.
“It’s been really stressful,” said a second worker at the Industry City warehouse. “It’s impossible to completely stay away from people.”
The city’s 311 line has received nine anonymous complaints of “Noncompliance with phased reopening” rules at the Industry City location since Oct. 23. The city closed the cases without reporting concrete action, saying either the report “will be used to inform the city’s ongoing work to ensure that New York’s phased reopening is happening in a safe manner” or that “the complaint received is out of the jurisdiction of the Office of Special Enforcement, and has been forwarded to the appropriate agency for handling.”
The Gowanus supermarket received seven 311 complaints. In one case, the store “denied access” to city employees attempting to take action, according to the 311 website. In the other cases, there were the same outcomes as at the Industry City warehouse.
News of the recent positive cases alarmed customers as they flocked to the store ahead of an expected snowstorm on Wednesday.
“I wasn’t aware of those (cases),” said Jesse Gibb, 32. “If that’s true, I’d be more cautious.”
A local elected official voiced outrage about the workers’ situation, which comes as coronavirus cases have surged so quickly throughout the city that indoor dining was ended this week, with more restrictions expected to come soon.
“I must have missed the Christmas story about the rich getting richer and the workers getting sicker,” said Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn). “While Amazon makes record-breaking profits in the middle of the pandemic, it would appear they can’t even be bothered to protect the health and safety of their workers. Shame on them.
“If the mom-and-pop shops in my neighborhood can figure it out, so should one of the wealthiest companies in the country,” he added. “This is unacceptable.”
In the spring, Whole Foods employees across the country coordinated sick days to protest conditions as staffers contracted the virus.
Workers interviewed for this article said the company should use fewer employees so they can socially distance from one another.
One worker said Whole Foods should just shut down its warehouse for a while.
“Close the place down for a month and pay the employees,” that person said. “It’s not like they don’t have the money.”