Weekly Update: UFCW 227 COVID-19 ACTIONS
UPDATE FROM PRESIDENT BOB BLAIR: UFCW 227 COVID-19 ACTIONS
May 11, 2020
Dear Union Family,
You continue to show up and work hard to make sure families in every community have what they need to get through this global crisis. Over the last several weeks, our union family has risen to face the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and you continue to make sacrifices every single day.
Indiana and Kentucky are both phasing in opening business that have been closed for weeks. You can read about Kentucky's and Indiana's re-opening plans on our website. While we wish we could tell you that this public health crisis will be over soon, we have concerns about what these re-openings will mean for us all. The number of positive cases of coronavirus continue to rise. The virus is still a very clear danger.
We want you to know about some of the important actions our union family has taken to prioritize your safety and needs. As things re-open, we need to hear from you. Please use our Coronavirus Health and Safety Reporting form to let us know your concerns. We have heard from hundreds of you and continue to use the form to fight for your needs.
Employer DiscussionsSome employers are using the phased re-openings as an excuse to end hero pay and/or bonuses. They say we are returning to a "new normal". We say there is nothing normal about getting your temperature checked at work and being required to wear a mask. The virus is still a threat to your health and safety and you deserve this emergency pay. You can read the letter I sent to Kroger's CEO here and see news coverage here.
Not every employer has stepped up and others are offering something, but it's nowhere near acceptable. We will continue to fight for more of you to get emergency pay for as long as this crisis continues and as long as you remain a frontline essential worker making and selling the food we all need for our families.
Health and SafetyWe recently sent a letter to Vice President Pence urgently calling for the White House Coronavirus Task Force to prioritize five safety actions targeted toward the meatpacking industry, including: (1) increased worker testing, (2) priority access to PPE, (3) halting line speed waivers, (4) mandating social distancing, and (5) isolating workers with symptoms or testing positive for COVID-19. We are also working with Governor Beshear and Governor Holcomb to provide UFCW members with access to critical protections and benefits. You can read a letter I sent to Gov. Beshear here.
While many of our customers are grateful for the hard work of our union family at Kroger and Meijer, careless customers continue to be the greatest threat to your health and safety. Working with UFCW local unions all across the country we are asking customers to take the pledge to #ShopSmart. We hope to roll out more information on how our customers can join our campaign for safety over the next few weeks. The pledge includes:
Always wear a mask or face covering when they are in the stores
Respecting social distancing at all times by keeping six feet of distance from workers and other customers
Making sure masks and gloves are not left in shopping carts, but thrown away in the garbage so as to not unnecessarily expose workers
Member Resources
It's important for you to have information so that you can make decisions about what is best for you and your family. We continue to develop resources available to you on our website, so that you have the latest information all in one place. We recently added:
As things start to re-open there are rules that even businesses that never closed will have to follow. You can read about Kentucky's rules for Healthy at Work here. If your employer fails to follow the rules, we need to hear from you through our Coronavirus Health and Safety Report form.
Please know that no matter how long this crisis may last, your union will be fighting to protect you in every we can.
Thank you again for all that you do.
In Solidarity,
Bob Blair
UFCW 227
President