Journal
NEW SOLUTIONS-A JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH POLICY
Volume 31, Issue 2, Pages 170-177Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/10482911211015676
Keywords
grocery workers; occupational safety and health; unions; worker protection; COVID-19
Categories
Funding
- Georgetown University
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This report outlines efforts made by a local union to protect grocery store workers during the pandemic, including negotiated paid sick leave and specific safety practices. Findings show that restrictions on reusable bags and management enforcement of customer mask usage were associated with lower COVID-19 rates, and stores that responded positively to worker complaints had better outcomes. The union is currently working to promote improved ventilation and vaccination uptake.
Grocery store workers are essential workers, but often have not been provided with appropriate protection during the current pandemic. This report describes efforts made by one union local to protect workers, including negotiated paid sick leave and specific safety practices. Union representatives from 319 stores completed 1612 in-store surveys to assess compliance between 23 April 2020 and 31 August 2020. Employers provided the union with lists of workers confirmed to have COVID-19 infection through 31 December 2020. Worker infection rates were calculated using store employees represented by the union as the denominator and compared to cumulative county infection rates; outcome was dichotomized as rates higher or lower than background rates. Restrictions on reusable bags and management enforcement of customer mask usage were most strongly associated with COVID-19 rates lower than rates in the surrounding county. Stores that responded positively to worker complaints also had better outcomes. The union is currently engaging to promote improved ventilation and vaccination uptake.
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