Union Dairy’s Honest Staff Shortage Sign Causes a Big Stir in Freeport

The Union Dairy Ice Cream shop in Freeport posted a sign in their window recently, that shared their frustrations over trying to hire more staff.

The sign that has caused all the controversy, also has a good handle on the truth. The truth of trying to hire new employees in a post-pandemic economy. Their sign echoed what I bet most employers are thinking.

The sign said,

"sadly due to government handouts no one wants to work anymore. Therefore we are short-staffed. Please be patient with the staff that did choose to come to work today. They chose to show up to serve you. Thank you for your understanding"

Because of all the commotion the sign caused, Union Dairy management decided to take the sign down.

In my opinion, the reaction has been so strong due to the fact that the sign spoke a lot of truth. It used some strong language, but it's pretty accurate.

I do not pretend to know what it's like to run a restaurant or bar, but I am close with several individuals who do, and I've heard plenty about their struggles trying to operate their respective businesses with a limited amount of employees.

When the pandemic forced these employers to lay off or let go of some of their staff, most of those employees immediately filed for unemployment benefits. Those benefit amounts, in many cases, were larger than than what they were making at work. Guess what they're likely to say to the prospect of going back to work? And you can't blame them when there's no end in sight to those unemployment benefits.

I thought the sign hit the nail on the head. I don't think it's accurate to say "no one wants to work anymore", but I certainly understand their frustration.

You'd also be surprised at how many restaurant and bar customers have not been very kind when things don't move as quickly or as smoothly as they once did. Lots of our favorite places have many new employees and it takes time for things to be like they once were. I've witnessed some pretty rude behavior since Illinois fully reopened that bothers me much more than Union Dairy's sign.

The ice cream shop put up a new sign that says,

"During that pandemic it has been very hard finding employees. Due to that reason we are short staffed. We ask kindly that you understand and are kind and patient with our workers who came to work today to serve you. We are working as hard as we can.

Due to a food supply shortage some of our menu items and ice cream flavors are not available as well.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

Management."