FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE​:

February 5, 2021

UFCW: Kroger COVID Vaccine Payment Important Step,

But Fails to Outweigh Safety Failures, Company Retaliation
Against Hazard Pay Laws with Store Closures and Layoffs
Union for Kroger Grocery Workers Across the Country Calls on
Company to Address COVID Outbreaks, Restore Hazard Pay
WASHINGTON, D.C.​ — Today, the ​United Food and Commercial Workers International
Union (UFCW)​, which represents ​1.3 million frontline food workers​ — and is the ​union for
Kroger grocery workers​ nationwide — called Kroger’s one-time vaccine payment a positive
step, but it fails to address safety failures that have allowed COVID grocery outbreaks and recent
company action to retaliate against cities mandating hazard pay for its frontline grocery workers.

UFCW International President Marc Perrone released the following statement​:

“Kroger workers deserve free vaccinations for the risks they have faced and continue to face as
COVID cases increase. This one-time payment from Kroger is appreciated, but given the way the
company has treated its workers during the pandemic, it does not recognize the contribution of
these essential workers to our nation or the risks they face daily.

"Kroger has made billions in pandemic profits this past year, but the company ruthlessly cut
hazard pay for its essential grocery workers last spring. This week, cities like Seattle and Los
Angeles stepped up to restore hazard pay and require all grocery companies, including Kroger, to
share their windfall profits from the pandemic with its frontline employees. We applaud these
cities for recognizing the risks these workers have faced to help keep food on our tables.

"If Kroger really cares about its employees, the company must share the profits the pandemic has
generated with all of its frontline grocery workers across the country, and ensure that they not
only have free vaccine access, but that every Kroger store takes immediate action to prevent
future COVID outbreaks as the pandemic continues."
BACKGROUND​:

Earlier this week, ​Kroger retaliated against a new hazard pay mandate​ by closing multiple stores
and laying off dozens of workers. It has been nearly ​nine months since Kroger cut hazard pay​,
despite ongoing COVID risks workers face, including ​over 300 Kroger COVID cases​ in
Houston.

UFCW has led the push to restore grocery hazard pay​ for these essential workers. This past
week, UFCW local unions helped secure new grocery hazard pay mandates in ​Seattle​, ​Los
Angeles​, ​Long Beach​, and many other cities on the West Coast. This has prompted action from
national grocery chains. ​Trader Joe’s expanded hazard pay for its 10,000 grocery workers​, but
Kroger retaliated by closing multiple grocery stores​, a move condemned by UFCW. In recent
months,​ ​UFCW’s national hazard pay campaign​ ​has helped secure additional hazard pay deals
for​ ​120,000 grocery workers​ ​in California, New York, and across New England.

COVID NUMBERS: ​UFCW has been​ ​a leading national voice​ ​for frontline food workers
during the pandemic and recently highlighted the impact on the union’s essential workers,
confirming there have been at least ​134 grocery worker deaths ​and ​28,700 grocery workers
infected or exposed nationwide.

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UFCW International is the largest private sector union in the United States. UFCW International represents
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​.