Louisville workers use union tactics to gain COVID-19 incentives, protections

There are few restaurant unions in the U.S. and none in Louisville, but some Heine Brothers’ Coffee employees organized a sickout last Friday to demand more protections against coronavirus.

Hannah Jones, a barista, said that she and at least 35 employees who signed a demand letter to leadership either didn’t work that day or called in sick, although all but one location remained open for the day.

“We’re really just trying to be reasonable about how we can get through this solely, healthfully, as the people who operate this company,” she said.

A week after the sickout, Heine Brothers’ told employees that they would receive $3 more per hour as a “COVID-19 bonus” for eight weeks starting Monday as a result of help from Congress’ CARES Act. This was in addition to extra safety precautions that were previously announced.

Read more: https://www.leoweekly.com/2020/04/local-workers-use-union-tactics-gain-covid-19-incentives-protections/