Ralphs employee eager to serve Laguna Beach during pandemic
By Barbara McMurray, Special to the Independent
Lanky and affable, Nick Henrikson is a familiar face behind the counters and checkout stands at the Ralphs store in Sleepy Hollow. A 2010 graduate of Laguna Beach High School and 12-year store employee, Henrikson is unabashedly proud of the “essential worker” designation he and his co-workers have earned through the COVID-19 pandemic. He has worked nonstop this year as a cashier, stocking shelves, replenishing supplies behind counters, and working in the meat and seafood department.
In March, he was concerned about his personal health and safety and about bringing the virus home to his parents. “I’m still a bit nervous, but now I’m pretty used to it,” he said.
Ralphs employees must follow safety protocols that include temperature checks, frequent hand-washing reminders, and wearing face shields or masks. Sneeze guards were installed at the checkout lanes and in the deli and meat departments.
Although most shoppers now comply with the mask mandate spelled out on signs at the store’s entrance, some objected at first. No skirmishes erupted on Henrikson’s watch, he said, adding, “I try not to get involved in mask wars.”
His favorite part of his job is the customers, especially those who offer compliments that acknowledge that he is working long hours in a hazardous job that places him in contact with hundreds of people each day. Appreciation helps, but clearly, bigger paychecks go further to balance the risks.
“We received ‘hero pay,’ but that lasted only a few months. Our union is now fighting for us to continue receiving hazard pay,” he said.
At its annual meeting in late June, Kroger, Ralphs’ parent company, announced that the $2 an hour hazard pay granted to employees in March would be coming to an end. Employees were given modest “thank you” bonuses – a cheap way out of providing hourly pay increases, according to the union representing 1.3 million grocery store workers in the United States and Canada. Increased demand during lockdown sent Kroger’s first-quarter operating profits skyrocketing to 47%. As long as COVID-19 remains a threat, the union wants hazard pay for all grocery store workers. For now, Kroger employees—including Henrikson and his Laguna Beach Ralphs team—will have to be satisfied with promises of gradual increases in wages and benefits.
Aside from wage battles fought on his behalf by his union, Henrikson’s least favorite part of his job is wearing a mask eight hours a day. A co-worker obtained a more comfortable alternative for him, a clear plastic face shield with an eyeglass-style frame.
Hundreds of customers visit the store every day. Store manager Mark Louch noted that because of the store’s proximity to the beach, “it’s more like a big 7-Eleven,” with tourists stopping in for supplies and mingling in the aisles with locals making grocery runs.
“It’s a bustling store,” Louch said. “Nick is our go-to guy. We rely on him. He’s always willing to do whatever needs to be done, with a smile on his face.”
