Supermarkets across the U.S. have called on federal and state officials to designate their employees as first responders during the coronavirus pandemic.
The designation would make sure these employees have priority access to personal protection equipment (PPE) — like masks and gloves.
The request by certain supermarkets as well as the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union comes after 30 of its members have died from the virus. A release from the UFCW on Monday said about 3,000 UFCW food and grocery workers have been directly impacted by COVID-19.
“Grocery workers are deeply concerned,” Marc Perrone, the UFCW International president, said. “The fact is that this pandemic represents a clear and present danger to our nation’s food supply and all grocery store workers.”
Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the U.S., and the UFCW — announced on Tuesday that they were urging state officials to designate grocery store employees as “extended first responders” or “emergency personnel” during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Given the significant daily risk these workers face, we are calling on all of our federal and state leaders to take immediate action. Specifically, we are requesting our nation’s leaders to assign a temporary designation of first responder or emergency personnel status for all grocery workers,” Kroger and the UFCW said in the joint statement.
Most stores remain closed to limit the spread of the virus, but supermarkets are deemed essential, causing workers to fear for their safety amid a higher risk of infection, as they help millions of Americans get supplies.
Grocery stores, as well as health workers and first responders, have struggled to get a necessary supply of masks, according to NPR.
“Working together, Kroger and the UFCW have already taken significant steps to keep Kroger associates safe and reward them for their incredible sacrifices throughout this ongoing crisis. The truth is more must be done and it must be done now,” the statement said.
“We urge our national and statewide elected leaders to act now and protect these essential workers.”
The statement comes as Kroger announced that four of its workers in Michigan died after becoming infected with COVID-19.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of four Kroger family members,” a Kroger spokeswoman said, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We are mourning along with their families during this extraordinarily difficult time.”
Their plea to government officials was made after Albertsons, the second-largest supermarket chain in the U.S. and the UFCW requested a similar designation with their employees.
“These men and women are sacrificing every day to protect our nation’s food supply, and now is the time for our leaders in state and federal governments to do the same for them,” Albertsons Cos. President and CEO Vivek Sankaran and Perrone said in a joint statement on April 7, according to supermarketnews.com.
The UFCW represents 1.3 million workers in the grocery, health care, meatpacking, food processing, retail, and other industries in all 50 states.
Supermarkets have taken steps in recent weeks to protect their employees like installing plexiglass shields at pharmacy lanes and checkout counters.
Some have also limited the number of customers who can come in at one time. Still, many are looking for additional ways to protect their employees on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, as casualties from the virus continue to mount.