Thousands Of Grocery, Food Service Workers Likely Infected With Coronavirus

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, of UFCW, which represents 1.3 million grocery and food processing workers, warned that at least 30 grocery workers in the U.S. have died from COVID-19, while some 3,000 others have likely been infected.

Grocery and food service workers are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus infections since they work in essential businesses that remain open and they are in frequent close contact with the public.

A survey taken by UFCW also revealed that 85% of grocery store customers are failing to practice social distancing measures and 28% of stores do not limit the number of customers that can be inside the store at a time.

UFCW further warned that the real infection and death totals may be even higher than their estimates since some large grocery chains like Whole Foods (WFM) and Trader Joe’s are not unionized.

The country’s largest supermarket chain Kroger (KR) and the union also wants the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as state and federal government agencies, to classify grocery employees as "extended first responders" or "emergency personnel" so they can obtain high priority access to virus testing and protective equipment.

"Since the onset of this pandemic, Kroger… associates, who are also members of the UFCW, have been working tirelessly to make sure that millions of American families have the fresh food and products they need… Grocery workers play a critical role in our communities and they must be protected,” Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen and UFCW International President Marc Perrone said in a joint statement. "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.”

McMullen and Perrone added: “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… This designation is absolutely critical as it will ensure these frontline workers have priority access to personal protection equipment like masks and gloves. This urgent call for temporary first responder or emergency personnel status is not just about protecting grocery store workers; it is also about protecting the customers they serve and our nation's food supply in general."

Perrone cited the case of Instacart, a San Francisco-based grocery delivery and pick-up service which requires its employees to obtain a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis before they can get sick leave. But such tests are now in such high demand that it’s difficult for workers to take the time off from their jobs to undergo tests. In addition, many hospitals conduct tests only for the most severe cases, suggesting many other cases go unreported.

UFCW warned that grocery store workers’ health could impact the health of shoppers, i.e., the public.

Last week, two Walmart (WMT) employees in the Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park died from the coronavirus, although it’s unclear if they contracted the illness on the job.

Kroger said four of its workers in Michigan – who were employed in four separate stores -- have died after becoming infected with COVID-19.

Smithfield Foods, the Virginia-based pork processing company, said "numerous plants across the country have COVID-19 positive employees." Smithfield closed its facility in South Dakota until further notice.

UFCW also noted that governors in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania have issued executive orders to protect grocery workers from infection. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday ordered businesses to provide essential workers with free masks.

In March, the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency had classified food workers as “essential, critical infrastructure” in the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.