America’s Largest Union for Frontline Grocery and Food Workers Calls on Nation’s Leaders to Address Safety Threats and Concerns of Essential Workers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), America’s largest food and retail union, released a statement in response to the Atlanta area grocery store shooting that reportedly followed an argument over wearing face masks in the grocery store.
UFCW International President Marc Perrone said:
“For too long, many of our leaders have failed to consider how the changing COVID guidelines affect America’s essential workers who face daily exposure to individuals who are not vaccinated and refuse to wear masks. When workers are forced to play mask and vaccination police, they put their lives at risk. This has now resulted in the heartbreaking murder of an innocent grocery store cashier who was simply doing her job.
“Our country must do more to acknowledge the real and present dangers these workers continue to face on the front lines of the pandemic. As the union for essential food and retail workers, the UFCW is calling on leaders to address the safety threats and concerns of essential workers and act promptly to ensure that these workers and the communities they serve will be protected.”
BACKGROUND:
According to the Associated Press, a grocery store cashier in the Atlanta area was killed and three other people were wounded on Monday, June 14, 2021, in a shooting that followed an argument over wearing face masks.
The UFCW has been a leading national voice for frontline workers, and was one of the first groups to call for mask mandates and other vital COVID safety measures to be enacted by elected leaders when the pandemic first began.
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UFCW is the largest private sector union in the United States. UFCW International represents 1.3 million professionals and their families in healthcare, grocery stores, meatpacking, food processing, retail shops and other industries. Our members serve our communities in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the UFCW at ufcw.org.