Delivery Workers; the true heroes behind the cape

In recent weeks, there have been many local residents, nurses, and grocery store employees who have received the same praise. Whether it is bringing pizza to people stuck in it, filling shelves with bread, milk, or toilet paper, these people are risking their lives and those of their loved ones to do their jobs. If the virus were to spread, Americans would face shortages of food and raw materials, but it is equally important to maintain a healthy supply of food, water, and other essentials for all Americans.

Many local restaurants have had to turn to food delivery to survive this new reality just to stay afloat, but we should not forget the work of our local suppliers and their families.

While Americans in several states were ordered to stay indoors, many were able to put their supermarkets on the front lines of the COVID 19 pandemic. While risking their lives to keep their businesses afloat, they were also out when dining rooms across the country went dark.

Doctors have found that even the survival of a mild case of COVID could leave 19 patients with severely impaired lung function. While the national response to the coronavirus crisis has led to better paid and paid sick leave, the increase is not enough to improve the quality of life of the vast majority of grocery store workers in the United States. Starbucks baristas in Philadelphia successfully launched a petition demanding that the store continue to pay its employees, and supermarket chains such as Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions have agreed to pay $2 an hour or more. This absurdity was demonstrated only by the mayor, who ordered a $1,000 pay increase for every hour of sick leave for all employees.

As delivery drivers, we have no property insurance and cannot afford the high costs of medical care, insurance premiums, and insurance cover. Our employers handle virtually all of our deliveries through restaurant apps, but as a delivery driver, I have no claims insurance.

That is why we need delivery companies to give us paid sick leave and demand more protection and pay while we continue to work while asking large parts of the country to isolate measures to prevent coronavirus. According to a New York Times report, Amazon and Instacart plan to hire tens of thousands of new employees.

This puts the focus on the workers who buy and deliver the highest supply and demand. Amazon then hires 100,000 people to keep up with the demand for things we could buy elsewhere, such as food, clothing, and other goods.

In the wake of this panic buying, supermarkets are struggling to maintain the same supply and demand as they did at the start of the Great Depression. As people stay at home and follow the directions and recommendations of federal and local governments, the prices of food, clothing, and other goods have soared in both the US and Europe.

The shortage of truck drivers in California, for example, continues to pick up, leading to rising prices for gasoline, food, and other essentials such as water. But our devotion to truckers has kept the shelves filled for a day or two, even in times of economic crisis.

Health workers have been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 and, worse, there is no protective equipment to put them at greater risk. Like my grandfather, workers around the world silently do the courageous work that keeps our society going. Even the skeletal staff assembled on this paper have endeavored to work diligently against all odds.

As Americans panic that they may be exhausted, low-wage workers, including truck drivers, deliver shipments to earn a living. No one values their work as much as they do, and some people risk their lives to restrict the delivery of their meals.

It is encouraging to see large corporations getting involved in the fight against our enemies, but we must turn our eyes away from big corporations and focus happily on the men and women who work without pay and willingly expose themselves to infection while serving the rest of the country. Those of us who work on the fifty floors of Wall Street must recognize that these workers are our own and provide a labor force that sustains and enriches our privileged lives.

First responders and medical personnel have been at the forefront of COVID-19, but we know that everyone in the delivery business is now at the forefront.

Life isn't easy for anyone, however that can't stop you from at least appreciating the efforts of others in their respective fields. When you, and everyone is so busy in appreciating the great organizations that are committing to work hard in times of these crises, you don't see what is behind those great names, you don't see who is the real hero behind the Cape.

Start appreciating these workers because they are the reason you are so comfortable where you are.

You never know how much your appreciation can be of benefit as an encouragement for the heroes that work, day and night to make our lives better, and more efficient.