Eureka City Council set to discuss premium pay for grocery workers during the Covid-19 pandemic

EUREKA, Calif. (KIEM) — The Eureka City Council is set to discuss premium pay for grocery workers that have continued to show up to work each day during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The proposed ordinance would require grocery store owners to offer hazard pay for employees increasing hourly wages. It’s similar to the hero pay ordinance brought before the Arcata City Council last month.

For businesses that employ over 500 workers nationally and more than 15 workers per store in Eureka that means an additional $4 per hour. For businesses that employ more than 25 workers, but less than 500 an increase of $3 an hour would be required.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 is an organization that represents local grocery workers. They said in a statement, “by Eureka making this small temporary investment in workers they are investing in our community. And as re-opening expands, grocery workers will be spending the money here, locally, in our community.”

The Eureka City Council meeting is Tuesday night at 6 pm. A link to the meeting can be found on the city of Eureka’s website.