Retail workers say the refusal by Canada91裸聊视频檚 grocers to reinstate 91裸聊视频渉ero pay91裸聊视频� has left them feeling forgotten, unappreciated and at risk as the Omicron wave leaves many stores short-staffed amid renewed consumer stockpiling.

Multiple grocery store workers say they are busier than ever, with more staff calling in sick in the last two weeks than during the entire pandemic.

Shoppers are also once again 91裸聊视频渃learing the shelves91裸聊视频� and stocking up on food, increasing workloads and compounding labour shortages in stores, they say.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 still panic and people are still stocking up,91裸聊视频� said Tammy Laporte, a full-time grocery store worker. 91裸聊视频淭he workload has definitely increased. It91裸聊视频檚 just a never-ending struggle.91裸聊视频�

She said the last two years have been the hardest of her 23-year career as workers have been called upon to meet higher demand, increase cleaning and enforce public health measures.

But the $2-an hour pay premium Loblaws, Metro and Sobeys offered workers during the first wave of COVID-19 made a difference.

91裸聊视频淚t made us feel appreciated,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚t made us feel like the employer cared, and like they understood the risks we were facing.91裸聊视频�

Despite a two-decade-long career with a major grocer and working full time, she said the pandemic bonus brought her pay 91裸聊视频渢o the edge of a living wage91裸聊视频� for the first time.

Laporte said gift cards weren91裸聊视频檛 as helpful as the pay bonus, as they were a taxable benefit that ended up actually reducing paycheques.

Meanwhile, workers are now provided with personal protective equipment, including the ubiquitous blue medical face masks, but she said a pay bonus would allow her to invest in N95 respirator masks.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 around the public all day long and it would be good to have some better protection with this new variant,91裸聊视频� Laporte said. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檇 like to wear an N95 but as a grocery store employee, I can91裸聊视频檛 afford it.91裸聊视频�

Loblaws, Metro and Sobeys did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

While the grocers offered a mix of bonuses, gift cards or other benefits during subsequent waves of the pandemic, none appeared to be offering any additional pay as a result of the Omicron surge.

Sobeys has committed to reinstating its 91裸聊视频渉ero pay91裸聊视频� when regions or provinces go back into lockdowns that close all non-essential retail.

Yet while many provinces have curtailed capacity limits 91裸聊视频� and in some cases are even urging people to use contactless curbside pickup whenever possible 91裸聊视频� none has reinstated full-scale lockdowns that have shuttered non-essential stores.

Paul Meinema, UFCW Canada national president, said the pandemic has highlighted the crucial role of grocery workers in the economy.

The union has been calling for significant and permanent wage increases for grocery store workers, he said in an email.

Other retailers, such as Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. and Home Depot Canada, replaced temporary pandemic bonuses with permanent wage increases.

Karen Lobb, who has worked at a grocery store for 27 years, said workers would appreciate an acknowledgment of the risks they face.

91裸聊视频淭hey took the bonus away, but COVID never went way,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e never closed, we haven91裸聊视频檛 stopped.91裸聊视频�

Lobb added: 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e short-staffed and some of us are working longer hours to make up for it. Some recognition would be nice.91裸聊视频�

Unifor national president Jerry Dias said while front-line supermarket workers are facing the biggest risks, executives are receiving the biggest rewards.

Top grocery bosses have cashed multi-million dollar bonuses as sales and profits soar during the pandemic 91裸聊视频� even as they refuse to bring back pay bumps for employees, he said.

91裸聊视频淓mployees on the front line are at risk every day and yet it91裸聊视频檚 the executives being rewarded handsomely,91裸聊视频� Dias said in a recent interview. 91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e making record profits, but don91裸聊视频檛 have the decency to pay their employees what they91裸聊视频檙e worth.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频� Brett Bundale, The Canadian Press