by Melanie Lennon
Grocery store workers are at the forefront of the chaos during this pandemic. Despite often being overlooked and undervalued in the past, these employees are among the frontline workers keeping our communities up and running.
Meghan Tetford, a 19-year-old grocery store worker from Whitby, Ont., has been adjusting to the endless changes at her workplace since the COVID-19 outbreak.
She talked to me about what it’s like to be a cashier in these times.
How do you feel about working during the pandemic?
I think it's kind of challenging because we have to go in, there's people wearing masks and gloves. People that come in with gas masks on. I've seen all different types of people. And it's very nerve-wracking because I never know if someone coming through my lane is going to carry it and they could give it to me.
How have you seen the store changes in the past month?
My grocery store has implemented a lot of different things. We all have glass, like Plexiglas shields in front of us at cash and behind us. All of our cleaning routines have changed. And we're just sanitizing everything a lot more. Our hours have changed too. Even in our break rooms, we have to stay six feet apart from everyone and there's also now a line that's outside so people have to wait to get in if it's busy.
Have you seen a change in the number of employees?
I think there's probably less people working now. A lot of people have been laid off or asked to be laid off because they have, they're living with elders or people who have not as strong of an immune system. So, they're self-isolating during this time, which is completely understandable. I think there's quite a few, people who just don't want to work and risk it. So, they're taking it off too. Yeah, I think there have been some new employees. I've seen some new people around the store. So, I don't think we're hiring but I think people from other stores might have been coming in.
Why have you decided to continue working right now?
I feel like I have a strong immune system so I can work… I know a lot of people can't work. So, you know, I want to try and serve the community by still going to work in these hard times. I know that it's hard for everyone and some people, I know some people personally who really can't work during this time. So, to help out the store, I keep going to work
because I can and I'm healthy enough to and I want to keep people calm in this time.
Do you think that there's enough being done to support frontline workers?
I think my grocery store especially has done a really good job at helping the employees. Every time we go in, we get a lunch, they basically give us a free lunch every time we work during these times along with the pay raise. But, I feel like it's very safe there because they have everyone socially distancing. They're limiting the number of people entering the store. And like the Plexiglas and stuff… I've been to other grocery stores to shop for myself and I don't see them cleaning down everything like we do, which I feel like we're taking the right steps towards it to like help stop the spread. We’re cleaning everything after everyone touches it, but I know some stores aren't doing that and they need to do more.
How often are you working now?
When the outbreak first started and we were told to stay at home, my hours were cut drastically in those first two weeks. So, around the week of March 18.
But now they're back to normal…which I'm happy with and I get the pay raise. My normal hours are between, I would say 18 to 25 hours, part-time.
How are customers acting? Besides the fact that they're now coming in wearing a lot of protective gear, are they treating you any differently?
The only thing I will say I have noticed is a lot of people don't even want to converse with some of the cashiers anymore. It's almost like people are much more quiet. They don't want to talk and get the chance of spreading it, I guess. So, people really keep their distance and don't even say anything. Other people thank me for working, which I appreciate. It's nice to hear because other people don't even want to talk to me, which definitely has been affected from COVID-19. People are usually pretty friendly with the cashiers. Other than that, I think everyone understands that we're all in this together in a way and they are pretty nice to me still. I haven't had anyone be extremely rude to me or anything about the COVID-19. I've had people tell me that I should be wearing a mask, that they don't know how I'm working and stuff. But, I just take it day by day.
Is there anything else that you want to add?
Stay inside, stay safe. There's a lot of people taking non-essential trips to the grocery store.
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