'This Is About Life Or Death,' | Grocery Store Union Urges Shoppers To Change The Way They Shop During COVID-19 Pandemic
DAMASCUS, Md. (WJZ) -- At least forty-one grocery workers have died nationwide from the coronavirus, according to the Washington Post.
Now, workers are saying the CDC guidelines don't go far enough to properly protect them or their customers.
During a press call with the largest food and retail union Monday, members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union voiced some of their biggest frustrations.
Jane St. Louis works at the Safeway in Damascus, Maryland. She's been an employee there for more than 27 years.
"A lot of them are still not wearing masks," she said. "People are not social distancing… that is huge."
The union's president Marc Perrone said some of the blame lies with shoppers themselves.
"The careless customers are probably the biggest threat we have right now," to his millions of union members, he said.
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"I find myself a lot of times having to go into a quiet room because I feel like I'm gonna break down," St. Louis said.
In a nationwide poll UFCW conducted, 5,000 grocery workers were asked to describe in one word how they felt about going to work. Many answered "anxious, worried, stressed or scared."
The CDC is recommending everyone wear face coverings outside of the home, but the union is calling on the CDC to require it for all grocery workers.
In Prince George's County, face coverings are now mandatory in supermarkets for both employees and customers.
"This is about life or death, workers are being exposed and they are dying," Perrone said.
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