SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) – On Monday, one of the country’s largest unions called for better protection for grocery store workers during the pandemic.
As grocery stores and other retailers with big food businesses continue to be busy during shelter in place, employees are feeling anxious about coming into contact with so many people.
That’s what the United Food and Commercial Workers Union said as it asked for help securing better conditions for workers.
“We are actually sort of facing a situation where people are very fearful in many cases about going to work, and that they think that their employers are not doing enough to protect them, and that more could be done,” John Logan said.
The labor group says 30 union members have died, and another 3,000 have been infected.
So UFCW is asking for mandates to require the use of personal protective equipment for store workers.
They’re also asking for help urging customers to wear masks and gloves.
“The kinds of changes I think that would make the most difference, the grocery chains have been slow to introduce, and sometimes have been reluctant to adopt,” Logan said.
One chain, Nugget Markets, is now requiring that all shoppers wear masks.
Spokespeople for Safeway and Whole Foods told KRON4 that they do not currently have such requirements.
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