Designate Grocery and Food Processing Workers as First Responders

Wisconsin AFL-CIO Joins United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1473 in Encouraging Governor Evers to Classify Wisconsin Grocery Store Workers and Food Processing Workers as Emergency Responders During Coronavirus State of Emergency

CLICK HERE:  Send a letter to Governor Tony Evers encouraging him to classify grocery store, retail, and food processing workers as emergency responders during the COVID-19 crisis.

First responder status will help workers get two weeks paid leave and allow for grocery and food processing workers' children to be prioritized in childcare facilities. These workers must also have the appropriate personal protective equipment to keep them safe on the job.

TAKE ACTION:  Encourage Governor Evers to designate grocery store and food processing workers as first responder status.

John Eiden, President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1473 union, representing over 11,000 grocery store and food processing workers throughout the state of Wisconsin, recently sent a letter to Governor Tony Evers requesting that Governor Evers use an executive order to classify grocery store and food processing workers as first responders and guarantee these workers two weeks paid leave during the coronavirus public health state of emergency.

“Keeping our communities healthy and safe is our first priority,” wrote UFCW Local 1473 President John Eiden in a March 18 letter to Governor Tony Evers. “Our members need strong worker protections like paid leave to continue to do these vital jobs. Our UFCW members in grocery stores, retail establishments, and food processing plants are on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak working around the clock to keep these businesses open and ensure that families in our communities have the essential food and supplies they need. These workers help power Wisconsin’s economy every day and their courage and dedication is needed now more than ever.”

As this novel virus spreads through our communities, a novel group of frontline responders are stepping up. Grocery stores workers and food processing workers, many represented across the country by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, are risking their own personal health and safety on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis to stock shelves with needed food and supplies like toilet paper and hand sanitizer and soap, that families across Wisconsin need during this pandemic.

Americans deeply understand the vital and essential work UFCW members in grocery, retail stores, and food processing facilities are doing every day to support and sustain our families during the COVID-19 crisis. They deserve first responder status.

A list of UFCW Local 1473 union grocery stores can be found here.