Workers strike to demand better coronavirus protections

CHICAGO - A plea from the governor Saturday as the number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois surpassed 10,000. He’s urging people to continue to stay home and flatten the curve, and to employers, he says, do the right thing.

Complaints from essential workers are increasing. In Bedford Park, Raymundo’s employees walked off the job because a coworker was diagnosed with COVID-19 and they say the company isn’t taking steps to properly sanitize their workspace.

The union claims sick workers are being forced to come in. The union is demanding Raymundo’s shut down until it can be properly cleaned. They also want employees to have paid time off while it’s being cleaned and then hazard pay of an extra $2 per hour when they return.

On Friday in Chicago, Amazon employees protested, demanding better protections during the pandemic. The company has said they would begin taking employees temperatures, but one worker tells us that hasn’t happened yet. She makes deliveries for Amazon and says they are extra busy lately as online shopping increases, but the company isn’t providing protective gloves, masks or sanitizing wipes. She wishes the company would assign trucks to drivers so that she doesn't have to come in each day and be exposed to someone else’s germs.

Stories like these are upsetting to the governor who says it’s like being at war. He says people should report companies that are making people, who are sick, work. In Chicago, you can call 311 to report an employer who isn’t taking precautions to keep people healthy during the coronavirus outbreak.

MOBILE APP USERS: Watch Fox 32 News on the go by clicking here