Vaccine proof wrath hits retail staff

Business owners say employees being abused for doing their jobs

It's been a trying four days at Living Skies Cannabis in Saskatoon.

Employees there have faced verbal abuse and vulgarity as they enforce the government-imposed proof of vaccine mandate that began Friday. According to owner Cierra Sieben-chuback, it's happened several times a day at all four of their locations in Saskatoon.

“There has been a lot of backlash, to say the least,” she said.

Her employees are simply asking for proof of vaccination and identification, as required. When they do, some customers let loose.

“People are dropping f-bombs to the staff, swearing lots, just saying really mean things to our staff, who are just doing their job,” she said. Some customers threaten to never come back, perhaps unaware that every cannabis store in the province is required to do precisely the same thing.

“This especially hurts when you're a local business that has worked really hard to build our brand up in the city,” said Sieben-chuback. It's tough to see a one-star review about “discriminating” based on vaccine status hitting Google due to a policy she has no control over.

“We actually got an email accusing us of being Nazis,” she added.

The staff at Living Skies are not alone in grappling with the stress of enforcing a policy with such fervent opponents, some of whom have a distorted view of the law. According to Sharon Friess, bargaining chair of SGEU Local 6080 representing Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) workers, one liquor store customer threatened to contact their lawyer and file a complaint against an employee due to the policy.

Unpleasant interactions about the mandate are not rare, according to Friess. Rude comments are most often directed at female employees, she added, sometimes forcing other staff members to step in.

“It's stressful. I mean everybody's mental health these days has been unstable because of all the other issues that are going on with COVID,” she explained. “It's not a position that the employees themselves should be put in.”

In Friess' view, SLGA has been doing the best it can to support its employees through a difficult process.

“I just think we need to really remind people to be respectful,” she said.

Such issues are not universal. Some businesses are reporting a relatively easy adjustment to proof of vaccination, at least from their customers. “Everyone has been perfectly lovely,” said Tania Fraser, co-owner of Fresh & Sweet café in Regina.

That's also mostly true at Regina's Fat Badger, though one prospective customer threw a milkshake at the bar's window after she had a vaccine certificate but no corresponding ID, according to general manager Julie Nickerson. That was the worst of it.

Aside from that, Nickerson has heard grumbling and muttering about the mandate. But she's also heard from customers, including some she hadn't seen in ages, who now feel safer about coming out for a drink.

Sieben-chuback said Living Skies has done everything possible to accommodate unvaccinated customers — within the rules — including through delivery and curbside pickup. She aimed to publicize the SLGA requirements as quickly and widely as possible to make sure her customers were aware. But for those still dropping f-bombs in their neighbourhood pot shop, none of that seems to matter.

“It is affecting staff,” she said. “It's just a huge toll on somebody's mental health, having to tip toe, walking on egg shells ...

“Just please be kind,” Sieben-chuback added. “You don't have to agree with it, but understand that these staff members who are asking for it are doing their job. You never know what someone is going through or how many times they've been yelled at this day.”