Dear Editor,
I’ve been a Coop member for over 15 years and was shocked and dismayed to read about Founder, General Manager and Treasurer Joe Holtz’s suspension in the October Linewaiters’ Gazette. I’ve always felt tremendous gratitude to Joe and the other Coop founders for their incredible contribution to the community and dedication to making and keeping the Coop such an amazing place. But I would be shocked by the severity of this punishment for any Coop member. Banned from even shopping at the Coop and docked a month’s pay? That is cruel and gratuitous. This was not May 2020—we have vaccines, we have effective treatments, and Joe was wearing an N95 mask. I urge the decision makers here to reinstate Joe, award him back pay, and perhaps most important, give him a heartfelt apology.
In cooperation,
Jackie Cheney