Early on into the COVID-19 pandemic my mom called me from home to tell me that I should get myself a mask. I waited until the last moment to buy a mask, because I can be lazy, and was astonished at the prices. I did a little digging around online until I found some reasonably priced masks on Walmart’s online store. That task done, I went on with my day.
Later, after a week filled with cleaning my house, getting laid off, and then coping with being unemployed by participating in the spreading baking craze, I realized that I needed to go to the store. Luckily, there is a one-stop corporate giant nearby to restock on everything: Walmart!
After dodging shoppers who were walking the opposite way down the one-way indicated isles, and those in masks and gloves who were indifferent to the social distancing signs, I was finally ready to be rung up! While putting my produce on the conveyor belt, I noticed that the cashier had her scarf wrapped around her face. I found this odd as I assumed that a big chain store such as Walmart would supply their workers with masks. I asked her why she didn’t have a mask and she said that the company didn’t give them out anymore. This was a few weeks ago and things might have changed since then, but on my subsequent trips to Walmart I have noticed that when staff are wearing masks, they are all of different makes, designs and colours. I asked the cashier, “You know that Walmart is selling masks online, right?” Sighing and looking resigned, she replied “yes.” Not knowing what to say I said, “That sucks, sorry,” and walked away with my groceries.
I find it baffling how multimillion corporations such as Walmart, London Drugs, Amazon and Dollarama only provide the same level of safety measures as small independent grocery stores, with some paying an extra $2 hazard pay in exchange for the health, both mental and physical, of their employees. Furthermore, it looks likely that at least some are following Amazon’s footsteps, taking away even this meager compensation.
