Washington DC – Albertsons Cos. and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union, have joined forces to seek a temporary designation of “extended first responders” for supermarket employees that are working during this COVID-19 crisis. Presently there is no federal law protecting grocery store workers.
“Since the onset of this pandemic, associates in Albertsons Cos. stores, who are also proud members of UFCW union, have been working tirelessly to make sure that America’s families have the food and groceries they need,” said Albertsons Cos. President and CEO Vivek Sankaran and UFCW International President Marc Perrone in a joint statement. “These men and women are sacrificing every day to protect our nation’s food supply, and now is the time for our leaders in state and federal governments to do the same for them.”
The temporary designation of a first responder or emergency personnel status would help ensure grocery workers would have access to priority testing and personal protection equipment as well as other workplace protections necessary to keep themselves and the customers they serve safe and healthy.
This joint initiative by Albertsons and UFCW is an example of Americans working together to protect everyone working on the front lines against the COVID-19 crisis – first responders, transportation workers and healthcare professionals, as well as the associates at our nation’s grocery stores who are providing communities with the essential food and supplies needed every day.
