Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO

UFCW 400: declare grocery workers “first responders”

3/27/2020

The union representing thousands of union workers in area grocery stores and food processing facilities on Friday called for states to declare all grocery store, pharmacy, and food processing workers as ‘first responders.’
“We are calling on Governor Hogan and every state to declare all grocery store, pharmacy, and food processing workers as ‘first responders,’” said UFCW Local 400 President Mark Federici, “so they may also be eligible to get free coverage for all coronavirus treatments and tests, as well as the medicines and personal protective equipment they need to stay safe on the job while they continue to serve our communities.”

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan on Friday signed an order to classify all “food distributors and suppliers” as “essential persons,” making them eligible for access to free child care services during the COVID-19 crisis. Federici hailed the move as “a crucial first step to addressing the needs of our members.”

UFCW has launched an online action targeting governors of all states as well as the mayor of Washington, D.C.

See also: Local Grocery Store Workers Have Gone From A Near-Strike To The Pandemic’s Frontlines (WAMU) Jenny Gathright / WAMU

LABOR CALENDAR

3/27/2020

Union City Radio: 7:15am – 7:20am daily (now including weekends!)
WPFW-FM 89.3 FM; click here to hear today's report

“Know Your Rights (COVID-19): Labor Leaders and Advocates Tele-Town Hall”: Fri, March 27, 11am – 12pm
Call-In: 888-802-8640 ID #: 9047942

NoVA Coalition to Repeal Right to Work (via Zoom): Fri, March 27, 7:00pm – 8:30pm

National Writers Union Chapter Meeting (via Zoom): Sun, March 29, 2pm – 4pm

Transit workers: “Please stay home”

3/27/2020

Social distancing in a subway car is tough, and nearly impossible on a bus. We checked in with ATU Local 689’s Brian Wivell earlier this week to find out what the transit worker’s union is asking folks to do during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. “First and foremost, our number one ask right now is that if you do not have to be traveling to other places, please, please, please stay home. Do not use public transit if at all possible. It is really essential that we keep public transit accessible to those that are essential employees and need to be using public transit at this time. If you do not need to use public transit, if you have the means of getting someplace without coming into contact with other people, please use that. Help us keep our members safe, help us keep public transit functioning during this critical time. So if you have the ability and means to do so, you know, stay home.” ATU Local 689 represents nearly 7,000 metro-area transit workers.
- David Stephen

Sanitize and organize

3/27/2020

SEIU 32BJ represents about 21,000 metro-area workers, from airport workers to commercial office cleaners, federal contracted workers, workers who maintain area universities, doing the landscaping, cleaning the dorms and so on. Union City caught up with 32BJ Area Director Jaime Contreras the other day to see how his members are coping with the COVID-19 crisis.
“One of the things a lot of workers have said, especially at the airport where we have active organizing campaigns, is that this is one of the reasons why all workers in the United States need a union to speak for them in a time of crisis like this,” said Contreras. “We have about 125,000 contracted workers at airports, who don't necessarily work directly for the airlines. If it wasn't for the union, these workers would have been left out of the deal that made it to Congress. And our organizing campaigns continue.”
- Chris Garlock

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