United Food and Commercial Workers Union reports 72 worker deaths due to COVID-19, asks for protections

Tuseday, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), with members working in markets and retail locations such as Stop & Shop, Shaws, CVS, and Rite-Aid, released a new update on the number of frontline workers who have been exposed, sick, and died from COVID-19.

According to the UFCW’s internal reports, there have been at least 72 worker deaths and 5,322 workers directly impacted among UFCW members. This covers grocery, retail, pharmacy, meatpacking, and other essential industries and those directly impacted include workers who tested positive for COVID-19, missed work due to self-quarantine, are awaiting test results, or have been hospitalized, and/or are symptomatic.

Looking for protections for workers, UFCW International President Marc Perrone released the following statement:

“America’s frontline workers in grocery stores, pharmacies, meatpacking plants, and many other essential businesses are putting their lives on the line every day to ensure families have the food and medicine they need to stay safe during this crisis. These workers never signed up to be first responders in an emergency, but that is exactly what they are now and they need protections immediately before more lives are needlessly lost.

“The human cost to America’s food, retail, and commercial workers is real and growing. From grocery stores to meatpacking plants, from senior care facilities to pharmacies, the impact on workers’ lives from this coronavirus is beyond tragic – and this crisis must be stopped before it gets worse.

“As we remember all of America’s brave frontline workers, across every industry, who have died from COVID-19, we are calling on all of our country’s leaders in the White House, in Congress, and states across the country to strengthen safety standards and take immediate action to protect the millions of workers who are keeping our communities strong throughout the crisis. American lives are on the line. We cannot wait any longer. We need action now.”

In a related move late Tuesday, President Donald Trump used the Defense Production Act to sign an Executive Order which will direct the Department of Agriculture to have meat and poultry processors continue operations uninterrupted to the maximum extent possible.

In a statement, Trump issued the order over concern involving the closure of meat and poultry processing plants due to COVID-19 and the impact it could have on the Nation’s food supply chain and keeping supermarket shelves stocked.