Photograph by Bettmann/Getty Images
Joe McMichael Stocking Grocery Shelves
12/19/1940, Minneapolis, MN: Joe McMichael, who worked in a grocery store while practicing at night with his brothers, fellow members of the Merry Macs. From the original caption: "For him, being a good groceryman is an important occupation and he wouldn't think of looking down on his past."
The spread of coronavirus has caused businesses around the world to shutter, unemployment rates to skyrocket, and the economy to collapse. In these last few weeks, certain jobs have proven even more necessary to a functioning society, whether they be cashiers, stockers, bus drivers, or custodians—and their value doesn’t necessarily translate to the wage they make. Governor Tim Walz even declared grocery stores workers as emergency workers.
That’s why, starting today, we will be sharing the stories of the Minnesotans still showing up to work. What’s it like to leave the house and do your job in this precarious moment of social distancing? As we wrote last week, the face-to-face economy is the lifeblood of not just these Twin Cities, but of the world. So we want to know how the spread of coronavirus has affected your job. What’s it like to be interacting with people right now? Is your employer taking steps to protect its workers, and are rules being enforced? Are you at higher risk of death from COVID-19, but still have to show up to make ends meet? How do your loved ones feel? We want to hear from you. Please email your story to edit@mspmag.com, and we’ll be in touch. Stay safe, Minnesota.
Dan*, 22, cashier/bagger at a local co-op
In the last week it’s become very clear that profits and customers are at the forefront of everything the “leadership team” decides. There is very little care for employees at all. It’s strange because in many ways the employee atmosphere has become even more communal and tight. We are supporting each other through this time, and seem to be on a more united front than ever.
The store has consistently been out of toilet paper, paper towel, pasta, frozen vegetables, a few canned items, several bulk items, and several produce items. They have put up plexiglass “shields” and marked out where customers are advised to stand. They have also announced that employees are welcome to use negative sick time to be paid for hours they do not work.
Cashiers are expected to clean registers, carts, and baskets significantly more than we were before. Some are cleaning in between each customer based on recommendation, which is incredibly difficult to do sometimes and relies on the cashier to have the confidence to address an eager customer and tell them how to behave.
[My loved ones] continuously ask me to find another job. They feel that it’s not worth the risk to continue to work at the co-op during this time, or after. I currently live alone, however myself and several of my friends and coworkers are immunocompromised and yes, I worry every day. So much so that I have panic attacks before work or even just before going in to shop.
John, 32, hotel front office supervisor
Working at a downtown property is a busy, lively, nonstop environment. I get to meet people from all over the world who come to Minneapolis for many different reasons. In the last week things have drastically changed. In what was supposed to be the beginning of our busy season, the city seems totally empty. Even the skyway is deserted on a cold rainy day. Today, the phone lines stopped ringing off the hook for the first time that I can remember.
As an hourly employee, but also a supervisor working in the front office and front desk, my hours have decreased very little. That is not the case for other departments and positions. No restaurant staff and less rooms needing to be cleaned keeps me busy enough to work full time. I will be transitioning to a salaried manager as of Monday, so I may be working more hours if the COVID-19 closures continue.
We have a very specific and detailed cleaning and sanitizing assignment for every area of the property. Each shift change must complete the mandatory tasks and any contact surface must be cleaned regularly. As an extra precaution, we have installed hand sanitizer dispensers in the lobby and public spaces.
I feel completely safe going to work just like I normally would. I try to limit direct contact as much as possible and wash my hands constantly. Our branded hand lotion is amazing and it smells great. My partner is happy that I still have my job and he trusts that my company will keep me safe. He makes sure to remind me to wash my hands the moment I walk in the door. My father has some ongoing health issues. Even if I was quarantined and working from home I would not want to be in direct contact with him during this pandemic.
Guests have left gifts (champagne!) and many other gestures of thanks for our commitment to their safety and happiness. This is what hospitality is all about and is why we do what we do. Everyone is in the same situation right now and it really has brought out the attitude to be kind to each other.
Mark*, 55, Walgreens employee
Self Service sales are up at our store 43 percent for the month, and 72 percent the past week. It is like a shopping holiday, people are pleasant and grateful that we are open, but concerned they can’t get the items they are seeking.
People are looking for masks, but we’ve been out of those for a couple months; rubbing alcohol, gloves, hand sanitizer, any wipes or cleaning products, thermometers, most cough/cold drugs, and of course toilet paper and paper towels the past few weeks, and water. This past week they’ve been buying food products and aloe vera.
We’ve been provided gloves, and the checkout lanes are being changed to keep cashiers farther away from customers. We’re supposed to receive care packages of cleaning supplies and masks [but] have not received them yet.
I would feel more safe at home, but that is not an option. I practice social distancing with everyone and wash my hand probably 20 times a day. Employees are provided with paid leave, if necessary. If we miss work due to the virus they are paying us for time missed.
Overall, customers have been pleasant, just worried, but not worried enough to stay home. People need to stay home, especially the elderly. They’re not doing that now.
Julie*, 21, cashier at a local co-op
Two weeks ago was the busiest I have ever seen the store. Mind you, I've worked around Thanksgiving, which annually is our busiest week, and we also have an annual 25 percent off our whole health and body care section. So I've seen crazy, and this was a complete next level of craziness. But it wasn't at the point where you've seen a lot of videos of grocery stores across the country right now, where people get in fights. It was definitely much more positive and welcoming than that type of energy, because we're in a community-focused grocery store in Minneapolis. But there were a lot of people that were freaking out, people that were denying it.
I don't think anyone's hours have really changed. More so in the hours we are working, we're less likely to have breaks to step away and use the restroom. On Monday I was unable to use the restroom from when I started at 9 a.m. until when I went on lunch at 1:30. I definitely have seen managers stay longer—usually they'd work a 7–8 hour shift, and I’ve seen some of them do 8–9.
I do have a compromised immune system, which comes into play with a lot of my emotions too about what's going on. We have multiple people who work in the front end that are 50 or older, and there are a couple that have to be in their 60s or 70s. I also know a lot of my coworkers that have health issues, or their sister, or roommate, or partner do. And a lot have kids and vulnerable family members.
I work between 15 and 21 hours a week, and because of my health issues, I've exhausted a lot of sick time and paid time off. And because I'm not full-time, I'm not earning that back quite as fast as someone who is working more. We are allowed to go into the negative with PTO right now, but who's to say my health issues won't get worse in three months, and I'll need to take more time off? I think something that's not being talked about right now is the negative paid time off and how harmful that may be for people who have recurring health issues, or who have kids.
I think especially for immunocompromised staff, they should be encouraged and given paid time off to cover any hours they could be missing. I think there should be direct instruction on how we should be cleaning and what products we should be cleaning with, and feel like we have the agency to take those steps without being yelled at for taking too long, or if a customer gets mad and you page over a manager, your manager will say, “Hey, this is very important, this person deserves to have a clean workspace, and you also as a customer deserve to have a clean area.”
One thing I know some people don't like to hear right now is the very condescending "Thank you for being here." I know that has all the greatest intentions of the world, I know the people who are saying it do mean that in a good way, but it feels like a slap in the face. I would much prefer a "How are you doing right now?" or "Are you feeling supported?" or even silence and a smile. The last thing I want to talk about or think about with customers right now is COVID-19. I just want to ring up these groceries, interact with people, and keep a sense of community going if I can.
This was my senior semester of college, too. My biggest thing three weeks ago was figuring out graduation, and moving on my own in a few weeks, and finding internships for the summer. Now it's a very much day-by-day time of life.
These interviews have been edited for length and clarity. A * denotes name changed for privacy.
