Posts Categorized: Legislation and Politics

Last week, UFCW International President Marc Perrone sent a letter about the issue of workplace violence and safety to Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. In the letter, which followed the tragic and senseless mass shooting at a Tops Friendly Markets store in Buffalo, N.Y., where UFCW Local One members are employed, and a second horrific mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, Perrone called on Congress to do two things: take action to address workplace violence, in part by passing the STOP Violence Act, and hold a Congressional hearing on the issue that includes workers’ voices.

The STOP Violence Act would make grocery stores eligible for the same federal funding provided to other workplaces that regularly experience incidents of violence in the workplace. Representative Joe Neguse (Colo.-02) introduced the bill roughly one year after UFCW Local 7 members were victims of workplace gun violence during another mass shooting at the Table Mesa King Soopers store in Boulder, Colo. 

“I am grateful that my union has been a leader in advocating for improving workplace safety, but we all know this is not enough. We need action from Congress,” said UFCW Local One member Rose Wysocki, who works as a produce manager at the Tops Friendly Markets store in Buffalo. “Essential workers should not have to worry or stress about workplace violence; we should be focused on serving our communities and customers. That is why I am asking that our Congressional leaders pass the STOP Violence Act, so my coworkers and I – and the hundreds of thousands of grocery workers across the country – can feel safe at work.”

In his statement about the letter, Perrone noted how important it is to hear straight from the workers who have experienced this violence. 

“It is long past time that our nation’s political leadership steps up to prevent more loss of life,” he said. “As the House of Representatives seeks to move a package of gun safety legislation forward in the coming days, it’s crucial that our leaders hear directly from those who have been impacted by this violence, including from our workers who are facing these risks on the job daily. We must hear their stories, their grief, and their fears.”

To learn more about UFCW’s call on Congress to address workplace violence and safety, click here.  To read the full letter, click here.

UFCW Locals 663, 1155 and 1189 recently helped to pass premium pay legislation for essential workers in Minnesota.

Last week, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed premium pay legislation into law, which allocates $500 million in funding for premium pay for essential workers. All frontline workers—including grocery, meatpacking, food processing, and long-term care workers—are eligible to apply for premium pay funds online in four weeks and members will have 45 days to apply for the funds. Workers will receive $750 one-time premium pay payments. This legislation will direct around $18 million in funds to the 24,000 UFCW members in Minnesota.

UFCW Locals 663, 1155, and 1189, in partnership with the Legislative and Political Action Department, worked hard to pass this legislation. Their multi-pronged campaign included 5,643 emails from members to elected officials; member video testimonials; letters from the locals to elected officials; meetings with Governor Walz; testimonies at committee meetings; speaking at press conferences with coalition partners; and educating members through social media and face-to-face conversations.

“Politicians asked grocery store workers to step up and serve our state by making us Tier 1 essential workers,” said UFCW Local 1189 member Lester Tear in testimony before the Minnesota State Legislature in July. “We did our duty. We have all done our best to step up and it has been an honor. I was more prepared to do this, since I served overseas, so I have been trained to risk my healthy and safety for the country. When we serve in the military, we get combat pay for working in dangerous conditions. It only seems fair to give pandemic pay to grocery workers for working in dangerous conditions.”

Locals that are interested in working on premium pay through legislation at the state or local level should reach out to International Vice President and Director of the Legislative and Political Action Department Ademola Oyefeso at aoyefeso@ufcw.org.