Loblaw, Sobeys, Dollarama, Cargill, Giant Tiger and Walmart Canada are among the firms that have announced a pay bump.Many front-line workers in the grocery, banking, food and retail sectors will receive temporary pay increases to reflect the hardship and increased danger of their work, though labour groups are calling for broader access to hazard pay and protections for workers exposed to risk.
Major grocery retailers have voluntarily increased pay for staff in their stores and distribution centres by about $2 an hour. Companies, Prof. Tufts said, have the incentive to offer “pandemic pay” for two main reasons: It encourages staff to continue to come into work and it may preclude governments from stepping in with steeper, more prolonged wage increases.
Prof. Tufts said another way employers could consider rewarding staff is through shift-retention bonuses, in which workers who show up for a set number of shifts during the pandemic period are paid an additional lump sum. He noted that providing workers with drastic wage increases brings its own challenges, including having the effect of compelling people to come into work even if they are feeling unwell.
Mr. Rowlinson said some union members, such as security guards, are working in drugstores, offices and grocery stores, where they have to interact with people. “They’re going to be in a challenging position,” he said.