Hero wages are coming to an end, but Fred Meyer workers will get one more cash bonus
“Hero” wages may be coming to an end for Fred Meyer employees, but they will be receiving one more financial bonus.
Kroger Co., the parent company of the local Fred Meyer stores, announced in a news release on Friday afternoon, May 15, that it will be providing one-time “thank you pay” to its workers. The bonus will be $400 for qualified full-time workers and $200 for qualified part-time workers and will be paid out in two installments on May 30 and June 18, totaling $130 million.
The bonus will replace the hero pay, which was a $2-an-hour increase. The hero pay was instituted last month as the new coronavirus spread across the U.S. and grocery stores became one of the few industries to remain open in many states. The final hero pay payment is scheduled for Saturday, May 23, according to the news release. The company also gave an appreciation bonus in March as the pandemic restrictions took hold.
The company also announced it was continuing to provide paid time off for workers who test positive for the virus or are experiencing related symptoms.
The UFCW Local union urged the company to continue the hero pay bonus, holding events at stores, including the Bakerview Fred Meyer in Bellingham, earlier in the day on Friday, May 15. In a statement, the UFCW said it will continue to push for better pay and improving safety at the stores.
“Kroger still needs to be clear on their commitment to support workers for the entire pandemic and to make stores safer with limiting the number of shoppers in stores to allow for safe social distancing and guaranteeing that customers wear masks. This not over, we will continue to push for Hero Pay,” according to the UFCW statement.
This story was originally published May 15, 2020 at 2:39 PM.
