New York (CNN Business) A Trader Joe's worker says he was fired after writing directly to the chain's CEO calling for stronger Covid-19 safety protocols in his store.
Ben Bonnema, a Trader Joe's employee at a store in New York City, wrote an email to Trader Joe's chief executive Dan Bane on February 26 urging the store to improve its air filtration , not allow anyone inside the store without a mask and adopt a "3 strikes" policy for removing uncooperative customers
"We put our lives on the line everyday by showing up to work. Please, show up for us by adopting these policies," Bonnema said in his letter.
Bonnema on Saturday posted the letter on Twitter and said he was fired for sending it to the CEO. He also posted a termination letter he received from Trader Joe's. Bonnema's account went viral on social media and prompted calls for a boycott of Trader Joe's.
Kenya Friend-Daniel, a spokesperson for Trader Joe's, said Monday in an email that there was "misinformation" online about Bonnema's termination. "Store leadership terminated this Crew Member's employment because of the disrespect he showed toward our customers." She declined to provide specifics.
fcandiax on March 2nd, 2021 at 02:37 UTC »
As someone who worked for TJ's for 5 years, who definitely "drank the Kool-Aid" at one point, I'm so fascinated by the people who jump to the defense of a huge corporation as if it were their friend or family member.
The rainbows and butterflies shown out on the floor aren't always real. I've had co-workers who have had disciplinary conversations with a mate (manager) and have to go from crying their eyes out to painting little kids' faces with a smile on their face. Don't be fooled into thinking it's some magical unicorn palace where they care ever so much about their employees.
I visited TJ's this past weekend and they were limiting the amount of people coming in, but not enforcing masks for customers or employees. It's not the worst with covid safety precautions, but it's certainly not the best. I think this guy was right to stand up for himself and his fellow crew members and demand better precautions. They gamble with their life going into work every day.
Prysa on March 2nd, 2021 at 01:38 UTC »
TJs crew member here!
I know this may come as a shock to most, but corporate has treated us like SHIT! throughout this entire COVID pandemic.
In the beginning of March 2020, just after COVID was declared a pandemic by WHO TJs did NOT alow us to wear masks or gloves. They lied to the public saying "we never had a stance on this" once word got out about that. I had coworkers lose days of work because they didn't feel safe.
Since people in my store ha e contracted COVID, corporate waits to tell crew members until 8 DAYS after someone tests positive.
I've lost track of the number of outbreaks at my store, over 4, but we've never shut down once.
Another close store once had 8+ cases and it was all over the news in our county. The logical thing would be to close that store down, right? Well corporate took members from my store and sent them to the store with 8+ active cases. After a week to two weeks, our members slowly trickled back to our store (zero 14 day quarantine).
They've been allowing more people in the store than the county allows + have faked the square footage of the store to allow more customers.
Hopefully you get the point. Corporate paints this picture for the public to see but throws us down the drain. Please remember this next time you need to grocery shop.
DookeyLukey on March 2nd, 2021 at 01:29 UTC »
The captain of the store I worked at wouldn't let a co worker of mine wear gloves when Covid was first coming out. So he quit on them. Looked pretty bad a few months later when all the regulations got put in place.