Instacart Gig Workers Plan Nationwide Strike Over Coronavirus Protections
Approximately 175,000 Instacart shoppers plan to walk off the job on March 30, demanding hazard pay, free safety gear, and expanded sick leave during the coronavirus pandemic. The strike joins a growing wave of wildcat labor actions across the United States.
Representing roughly 175,000 gig workers, the Instacart Shoppers and Gig Workers Collective plans a nationwide strike on Monday, March 30. These workers argue that the grocery delivery giant puts them directly in harm’s way while profiting greatly from the increased demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic. They refuse to accept this lack of protection as a normal working condition.
The striking shoppers demand specific safety measures and financial compensation from Instacart. Their requirements include free personal protective equipment like hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes, an extra $5 in hazard pay per order, and a default in-app tip of at least 10 percent. Additionally, they want expanded paid sick leave for workers with pre-existing health conditions who possess a doctor's note to self-quarantine, with the benefit deadline pushed past April 8.
This upcoming walkout builds on a massive wave of wildcat strikes sweeping across the country as the pandemic worsens. Recently, Amazon warehouse workers in New York, sanitation workers in Pittsburgh, and poultry plant workers in Georgia have all walked off their jobs demanding better coronavirus protections. The Instacart action marks a significant moment as it represents the first major strike by United States gig workers who face the dangerous double bind of working on the front lines without basic labor protections.