Instacart workers threaten strike

Instacart shoppers are set to have a nationwide walk off Monday over the grocery delivery service’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The shoppers will stop accepting deliveries until Instacart provides cleanliness products at no cost to workers, hazard pay of $5 per order and an extension and expansion of pay for workers affected by the coronavirus.

“This is an extraordinary time in history, and as Shoppers, those of us who are able — and have the means to protect ourselves — do want to help those in our community by delivering groceries and supplies,” Instacart shoppers wrote in a Medium post issued with labor activism group Gig Workers Collective.

“But with Instacart neglecting the basic wellbeing of its 150,000+ drivers, we believe there is no choice but to not only walk off, but to raise awareness to the company’s practices,” the post reads.

Demand for grocery delivery has exploded as more states and cities recommend individuals stay home to slow the spread of coronavirus. Instacart last week announced it would hire 300,000 new gig workers over the next three months to match that demand.

Up until now the company has offered 14 days of paid leave for those diagnosed with COVID-19 or mandated to quarantine.