Improving public health

Coronavirus isn’t going away any time soon. Since the very beginning of the pandemic, we’ve been at the forefront making sure that employers and elected leaders do the right thing to keep our members, workers and communities across America healthy and safe. We’ve called on them to mandate and enforce masks as well as improving health care access in these dire times for America’s essential workers who are helping keep our country running. Crisis or not, public health should come second to nothing.

Watch our COVID-19 Playlist on YouTube

Although we’ve come a long way, there is still room for improvement. Too many Americans are dissatisfied with our government’s response to the current public health crisis. At UFCW, we are committed to continuing to push employers and elected leaders to properly respond and be proactive about improving public health. Not only do we protect our members, we push regulators and government agencies to do more to protect workers, families and communities. 

“We’ve won improved protocols and we have established a reporting process to make sure that everyone in the plant is safe. The COVID-19 committee gives us the authority to refuse to start the lines until all the health and safety measures are in place.”

– Gloria Lopez, UFCW Local 770

Our work goes beyond the workplace to keep everyone safe. Retail workers asking for enforceable pandemic precautions make every grocery shopper safer. Our Chemical Workers Union Council has been a leader in pushing for inherently safer processes that not only ensure workplaces are safer, but that whole communities are less likely to have devastating chemical explosions or leaks. Our food processing and packaging division works to ensure safe and wholesome food for all Americans by pushing for regulations that keep workplaces and food safe. We’re not there yet, but we’re creating a safer, more healthy country.