Union for 1.3 Million Food and Retail Workers Condemns Increase in Violence, Including Recent Attack on California AAPI Grocery Worker with Disabilities
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which represents 1.3 million frontline workers in food and retail condemned the recent rise in hate crimes against members of the Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. A new report highlighted a recent attack on an AAPI grocery worker with disabilities in California who is a UFCW5 member and among the millions of essential food workers across the country serving on the frontlines to keep families fed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
UFCW is one of the country’s most diverse labor unions — with workers of color making up more than one-third of its members in grocery, healthcare, meatpacking, and other industries on the frontlines of COVID-19. UFCW stands with leaders across the country to demand justice for the communities we serve, calling on elected officials at all levels of the government for immediate action to protect the AAPI community.
UFCW International President Marc Perrone released the following statement:
“As America’s largest food and retail union and one of the most diverse labor unions in the nation, UFCW stands with leaders across the country to condemn these sickening and abhorrent attacks on the AAPI community. For too long, we have witnessed these brutal attacks go unanswered. We must all unite as one nation to condemn these increasingly violent and deadly attacks.
“UFCW is calling on all local, state, and federal elected leaders for immediate action to protect the AAPI community, and for all decent Americans to stand with our AAPI brothers and sisters. Uniting together, we can and must send a powerful message that acts of hate will never be tolerated in our America.”
BACKGROUND:
UFCW has been a leading national voice for essential food workers and recently highlighted the dangerous vaccine delays in more than 30 states where grocery, meatpacking and food processing workers still do not have access.
NEW COVID NUMBERS: UFCW confirmed this week that nationwide there have already been at least 420 frontline worker deaths and at least 82,800 frontline workers infected or exposed. In this group of workers impacted, UFCW reports:
- 155 grocery worker deaths and at least 34,700 grocery workers infected or exposed
- 132 meatpacking worker deaths and 22,000 meatpacking workers infected or exposed
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UFCW is the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.3 million professionals and their families in healthcare, grocery stores, meatpacking, food processing, retail shops and other industries. Our members serve our communities in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the UFCW at ufcw.org.