Allies of Gig Workers Collective and delivery workers at Instacart can contact Instacart’s CEO to express solidarity with the employees, pledge to honor the strike until the workers’ demands are met and spread the word on social media. Contact info:
apoorva@instacart.com
or
or
corporate hq: (888) 246–7822
Below is the email I sent this morning:
Dear Apoorva,
I am a new customer who started using your Instacart services a few weeks ago when the COVID19 crisis hit. I have relied on your company because I am over 65 and cannot risk going to a grocery store. I appreciate your service and the employees who literally risk their lives to provide that service. Just yesterday, I said to my husband, “I really like using Instacart and think I’ll continue past this pandemic.”
This morning when I turned to my LA Times subscription, I read “Delivery workers are keeping California fed. They say no one’s keeping them safe.”
Consequently, I will be boycotting your company on Monday and every day thereafter until Instacart meets the workers’ reasonable demands for a $5 a day increase, two weeks of sick pay that extends beyond April 8th, some PPE and a higher tip setting. The tip setting escaped me at first, but on the second or third order I realized it was ridiculously low.
This is particularly disturbing because many of us high-risk seniors using Instacart do no want to open the door or have any contact with the delivery person to minimize risks and have minimal cash on hand, so we cannot give extra tip money at the door. Granted, I changed the Instacart tip setting once I realized you could alter it, but I imagine many others are not aware you can do that.
If things don’t change, I will routinely turn to my local neighborhood market, Bob’s Market in Santa Monica, which delivers on its own without Instacart. I have already submitted an order to them for delivery on Tuesday.
Apoorva, I’d appreciate it if you would kindly get back to me on your next steps in meeting the workers’ demands. Grocery stores are bargaining with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) to ensure grocery employees have PPE, pay increases and sick pay — and some, like Albertsons, Safeway and Gelsons, are coming on board sooner rather than later. I see that Gig Workers Collective is organizing your workers and I read their Medium post with great interest.
I ask that Instacart come on board as well and treat its employees better; otherwise I cannot use your services in good conscience.
Please write back to me and let me know your plans vis a vis the strike on Monday and the workers’ demands.
Respectfully,
Marcy Winograd
Retired Public High School Teacher
Blogger & Activist
Santa Monica, CA 90405
