Hi John,

Since the coronavirus upended our world, essential workers have put their lives on the line everyday to keep us safe and healthy with the services and goods we need during this crisis. Many of these individuals are at the lowest end of the pay scale. I believe essential workers deserve MORE for the work they’re doing.

Sign here if you agree with me: Essential workers deserve better >>

In order to compensate for the danger these workers must face daily, some companies instituted "hero pay,” a temporary raise of $2 or $3/hour or a bonus check. Now, many of the companies offering “hero pay” are ready to terminate it. Starbucks will end its raises by the end of May, Amazon will continue its $2 an hour raise for just two more weeks, and Kroger not only ended “hero pay,” it attempted to make its employees return the bonus money they received.

Tell companies like Amazon, Starbucks, and Kroger: We can’t end “hero pay” while we are still in a pandemic.

Essential workers bear our nation’s economy on their shoulders. To refuse them additional financial support or compensation is wrong. To tear those bonuses away is inhumane. Essential should NOT mean dispensable.

We can’t allow companies like Starbucks and Amazon to take advantage of their already undercompensated workers in this way. This is blatantly unjust and deserves our attention. I hope you will stand with me today in calling on these businesses to respect their workers with the compensation they deserve for putting their own lives at risk every day during one of the most trying times in our history.

In solidarity,

Betsy Sweet