Union calls on Kenney government to improve working conditions in grocery stores, processing plants

Calgary — The recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus at meat packing houses and the potential risk of exposure grocery store employees face on a regular basis has prompted the food workers union to call for increased safety measures.

In a letter to Premier Jason Kenney dated April 23, Tom Hesse, president of United Food Commercial Workers (UFCW) Canada Union Local 401, asked the province to treat food workers — who have been designated by the province as contributors to an essential service — as essential and not expendable.

"Our members have become sick with COVID-19, and some have died," said Hesse in his letter. "Recent events suggest that food production has been prioritized over protection of workers’ lives. As a result of the situations at Cargill in High River and JBS in Brooks, we have lost faith in the willingness of the Alberta government to do everything necessary to protect workers.

"Now is the time for everyone involved to truly work together to ensure the safety of food workers, our members. It is long past time to establish a working group of labour, employers, and health experts to set rules and regulations to protect workers’ lives in all food sector workplaces. This should involve a worker-centred approach that emphasizes the experiences of workers in the food processing industry. It should also be comprised of individuals far removed from political and employer agendas."

Hesse says the union has been working with employers in an effort to ensure social distancing measures are observed and personal protective equipment (PPE) is available to employees, but, without government regulation and enforcement of the rules, worker safety can fall through the gaps.

UFCW is calling on the province to introduce several measures including:

The union has also released a list of requested changes to grocery store operations. The requests include:

"Grocery stores and food processing plants are the last major battlefields to defeat COVID-19. Surely, we have now learned lessons from the horrific outbreak affecting more than 480 at Cargill in High River and the developing outbreak at JBS in Brooks. We are at a junction in these food workplaces where we still have the opportunity to avoid the same experience. We cannot afford to wait."

The officer of the premier has not commented on the demands of the UFCW.