COVID-19 – Food & Drug Conference

America’s Largest Food & Retail Union Calls on CDC for COVID-19 Vaccine Early Access for Essential Workers in Grocery, Meatpacking, and Food Processing on Frontlines of Pandemic as Infections Skyrocket

Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) – which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers – called on the CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to prioritize essential workers in grocery, meatpacking, and food processing for early COVID-19 vaccine access. Ahead of today’s ACIP meeting on vaccine distribution, [...]

richie2020-12-02T17:14:26+00:00December 2nd, 2020|Tags: COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccine, ufcw|

Retail workers ‘scared’ as cases surge

Labour activists in the US say big retailers like Amazon and Walmart must do more to protect workers as surging coronavirus cases coincide with the holiday shopping rush. They are calling for hazard pay, paid sick leave and better communication about outbreaks, among other things. The campaign comes as workers [...]

richie2020-11-24T16:59:05+00:00November 24th, 2020|Tags: amazon, COVID-19, walmart|

Virus Cases Rise, but Hazard Pay for Retail Workers Doesn’t

With coronavirus cases rising across the country, retailers are preparing for another rush from shoppers worried about new lockdowns and pandemic shortages. But many retail workers, heralded as heroes during the first wave of the pandemic, are not being provided with the same level of bonuses and raises this time, [...]

richie2020-11-24T16:55:23+00:00November 24th, 2020|Tags: COVID-19, hazard pay|

Workers call on Walmart, Amazon and other retailers to bring back hazard pay ahead of holiday rush

Workers at Walmart, Amazon, Kroger and other major retailers are calling on their employers to reinstate hazard pay and strengthen safety protocols ahead of the busy holiday shopping season as coronavirus infection rates skyrocket. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), which represents 900,000 grocery employees at chains such [...]

richie2020-11-24T16:46:27+00:00November 24th, 2020|Tags: amazon, COVID-19, hazard pay, Kroger, walmart|

Cal/OSHA requires face masks, sick pay in new COVID-19 worker protections

Cal/OSHA approved temporary new standards Thursday, Nov. 19, that will require employers to establish stronger workplace protections against COVID-19 and make it easier for the state to pursue those who do not comply. Though several guidelines have been released in the past, including from Cal/OSHA, the new standards streamline and [...]

richie2020-11-23T17:13:46+00:00November 23rd, 2020|Tags: Cal/OSHA, COVID-19|

Grocery store rationing is back, but relax: The supply chain is doing fine

Hard times have returned to the nation’s toilet paper aisles. With coronavirus cases and lockdowns once again on the rise, shoppers are reverting to the panic-buying patterns of the early days of the pandemic. In response, grocery companies such as Target, Ralphs parent Kroger and Vons parent Albertsons Cos. have [...]

richie2020-11-23T17:08:27+00:00November 23rd, 2020|Tags: COVID-19, grocery rationing|

Covid-19 Has Changed Shopping for Good, Retail Giants Predict

Shopping may never be the same thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. The consumer behaviors that accelerated at the start of the virus -- think digital ordering, bulkier baskets and no margin for error when it comes to delivery -- are showing zero signs of abating eight months in. For three [...]

richie2020-11-23T17:05:33+00:00November 23rd, 2020|Tags: COVID-19, retail|

How grocery categories have fared during the pandemic

Meat and fresh seafood along with meals and baking aisles are seeing booming sales as the coronavirus pandemic upends the grocery industry. Using data collected by marketing research firm 210 Analytics and IRI, Grocery Dive examined sales across 11 categories at multiple outlets, including grocery, dollar and mass merchandisers. To [...]

richie2020-11-23T17:02:12+00:00November 23rd, 2020|Tags: COVID-19, meat, seafood|

Yes, Sacramento is panic buying toilet paper again as city hunkers down for COVID-19 surge

The shortages are back. Supermarkets and other stores in the Sacramento area are having trouble keeping paper towels, counter wipes and certain other products in stock again as shoppers react to the surge in COVID-19 infections and the renewed lockdown on economic activity. On Thursday, as Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered [...]

richie2020-11-20T22:48:30+00:00November 20th, 2020|Tags: california, COVID-19, sacramento, toilet paper|

Tyson suspends managers at pork plant who placed bets on how many workers would get COVID-19

As state officials and lawmakers urged the shutdown of a Tyson Foods pork-processing plant in Iowa, managers at the plant reportedly placed bets on how many would end up getting sick. That is one of the many new allegations leveled against Tyson Foods in an amended lawsuit filed Wednesday. The [...]

richie2020-11-20T22:45:40+00:00November 20th, 2020|Tags: COVID-19, Tyson|