Whole Foods workers plan nationwide sick out, will walk out of stores Tuesday

Workers at Whole Foods will stage a mass sick out and walk out of the store on Tuesday.

The nationwide 'strike' is in response to a lack of protections that workers feel haven't been put in place by the food retailer amid the growing coronavirus pandemic.

"On March 31st, DO NOT GO TO WORK. Whole Foods has temporarily relaxed its strict attendance policy, which means that team members can participate in this act of protest without fear or reprisal," read a note on coworker.org. "We encourage all retail workers at other companies to join us in this act of solidarity."

The online petition has been circulating for the last couple of days. As of Tuesday morning, 8,083 people had signed it.

Workers at Amazon, which owns Wholes Foods, have also walked out at certain locations after reports that some workers were getting infected. While those who test positive are sent home, a lot of workers don't feel the protections are enough.

Originally scheduled for May 1, the organizers moved up the strike a month as the virus has spread rapidly through the country.

"We cannot wait for politicians, institutions, or our own management to step in to protect us," read the petition.

Even as much of the economy has ground to a halt, parts of the service industry have continued to work. Employees at grocery stores and pharmacies have become unlikely heroes during the COVID-19 outbreak, as both kinds of businesses have been deemed essential.

Both Meijer and Kroger have responded to the growing need by dedicating time for seniors to shop at their stores, due to the risk many elderly people and those with underlying conditions face if they come in contact with the coronavirus.