Paid Leave for Barbara’s Bookstore Employees

Barbara’s Bookstore
111 N. State St. Chicago Illinois, 60602
(312) 781- 5257

Re: COVID-19 Paid Time Off

Dear Owners and Management

On behalf of Barbara’s Bookstore employees, this letter is a Petition for Emergency Measures to Address COVID-19 at Barbara’s Bookstore

On March 17, 2020, Barbara’s Bookstore at Macy’s in Chicago shut down and sent their workers without pay or healthcare. Given the urgency and the rapidly evolving situation with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we demand that temporary measures be put in place to help workers to take care of their immediate needs to survive the pandemic. Meeting the demands below will enable us and our loved ones to stay safe and healthy. The demands will also enable us to immediately return to our jobs once our store reopens, which both the workers and Barbara’s need to stay financially afloat in both the immediate and long term.

We respectfully call for Barabara’s to:

Pay their employees a shutdown stipend so they can remain fed and housed through the store closure equalling to average number of hours worked per pay period

Maintain current employee list in the case re-opening (no layoffs)

During these trying and uncertain times, we urge Barbara's Bookstore to look after its staff and to treat them with dignity. By fulfilling the desired results mentioned above, Barbara’s Bookstore will ensure the health and financial well-being of its employees impacted by this devastating global crisis. This pandemic has also clearly demonstrated that the ability of our society to resist a pandemic relies entirely on everyone having access to affordable healthcare. Until the government institutes a program like Medicare For All that provides universal coverage, all socially responsible employers should provide healthcare benefits to their employees. We ask that Barabara's also work immediately to provide an affordable healthcare plan for their employees

In addition we ask any Barbara's Bookstore employees at other locations who may be going through a similar situation to please reach out to us through this form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRGl36sLHWTNBcakYZ4XJ7sk4TJRK3g0d_TSd4JOaUidhfPw/viewform?usp=sf_link

In the spirit of compromise, we look forward to your reply and hope that this issue will be resolved.

Yours Truly,
Barbara’s Bookstore Employees at Macy’s