On March 1, the UFCW released a statement in support of the introduction of the Food and Nutrition Delivery Safety Act by Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman. Senator Fetterman is joined by Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown as the original bill’s cosponsors. The bill would require relevant federal agency partners, such as the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Agriculture, to establish guardrails that ensure essential labor protections for all delivery workers under retailers participating in the online Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) delivery pilot program.
“SNAP is a lifeline for working families across the Commonwealth and the nation. We must ensure the food delivered through SNAP is delivered safely by introducing protections for consumers and workers alike,” Fetterman said. “This bill will require SNAP-authorized retailers to guarantee both fair wages and good working conditions for their employees and benefit protections for SNAP recipients.”
“With the rise of the gig economy, countless delivery workers are underpaid and lack important resources for the hard work they do delivering essential goods to households across the nation,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone in a statement. “This is even true for SNAP delivery workers who are the ones that ensure that SNAP recipients and their families have food on their tables. This landmark piece of legislation would establish long-needed guardrails for all delivery workers within the SNAP delivery program.”
“Delivery workers’ pay should reflect the significant value their essential work provides in communities nationwide,” Perrone added. “The UFCW urges Congress to pass this bill in order to give SNAP delivery workers the basic labor protections, pay, equipment, and resources they deserve.”