Many United-States-based companies are not increasing protections enough for their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the union giant Teamsters.

Tech giants Apple and Tesla are not reimbursing shuttle drivers like their competitors Facebook, Genentech, Electronic Arts, Linkedin, Twitter and Salesforce, who are offering shuttle drivers reimbursements, health care and ensures contracted drivers will receive paychecks throughout the pandemic, according to a statement by Teamsters union joint council 7. 

Great Lakes Coca Cola, a company controlled by another American giant corporation Coca Cola, is not offering its employees similar protections due to the coronavirus as their competitors. 

Great Lakes Coca Cola’s competitors, Pepsi Co. Beverages North America and the American Bottling Company, are offering their employees percentage-based increases to their essential workers in addition to their regular hourly pay, paid sick leave to those diagnosed with COVID-19 or forced to quarantine and paid sick leave for workers due to factory closures, according to a statement by Teamsters Local Union number 727 of Park Ridge, Illinois. 

How Has Coca Cola Responded? 

Great Lakes Coca Cola proposed a $100 US dollar weekly stipend only to employees who complete all of their weekly shifts. 

Yet, popular union Teamster is not happy with this proposition.

“It’s absurd that any company during an international health crisis is essentially telling its members they must come to work, no matter what,” said John Coli Jr, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local Union 727 based in Chicago.  

Coca Cola has increased their sanitation efforts to thoroughly clean high touch surfaces, restricts visitors, encourages remote working and will implement isolation protocol if an employee becomes diagnosed with COVID-19, according to a statement. 

How Has Apple Responded? 

Apple reopened all of its greater China stores on March 13 while closing all stores outside of the greater China region but continues to take orders through their online stores and promises “fast and free delivery”, according to Apple’s official website. 

Apple is continuing to deep clean office spaces while asking employees who are able to work from home to do so, conducting health screenings and temperature checks, according to a statement on March 13. 

Hourly workers will also be receiving usual pay as with business as usual operations and Apple has extended their leave policy to include health COVID-19 related health circumstances such as recovering from coronavirus, caring for a sick loved one, mandatory quarantining or childcare challenges due to school closures, according to a statement. 

How Has Tesla Responded?

In a Feb. 4 newsletter Tesla explained they want to “become the world’s safest company by continuously integrating safety into the way we work and the products we build, which is why we rely on each of our employees, dedicated leaders and Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) professionals and service providers to promote a culture of safety,” wrote Laurie Shelby, Vice President of Environmental, Health & Safety at Tesla. 

Teamsters Local Union 853 represents over 1000 shuttle drivers some of which work for Tesla and Apple in the area. 

“I am shocked that Apple and Tesla would be so cold-hearted as to refuse to do even the minimum that the other companies are doing for the drivers,” said Stacy Murphy, Teamsters Local 853 Business Representative.