Sources: Press of Atlantic City; HolidayExpress.org
Nearly 50,000 ShopRite union grocery workers in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut will receive hazard pay from an agreement between the company and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers.
The deal with ShopRite recognizes the risks its workers have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides retroactive hazard pay ahead of the holiday season that covers all hours worked between July 26 and Aug. 22.
There have been at least 109 deaths and more than 48,000 infections or exposures of grocery workers in the U.S. since the pandemic began, the union said in a statement.
“Grocery workers have been on the front lines since the pandemic began and continue to put themselves in harm’s way to help families put food on the table this Thanksgiving,” UFCW president Marc Perrone said in a statement.
“This pandemic is far from over, and every CEO must do the right thing by providing the hazard pay that these brave essential workers have earned and deserve as the threat from COVID-19 continues.”
The Holiday Express annual mission is to deliver music, food, gifts, financial support and friendship to those with the greatest need for the gift of human kindness during the holiday season and throughout the year. Though we might not be able to rock Red Bank with music during the annual town lighting, but our mission is still going on.
A typical Holiday Express duffel bag contains warm wintery items (hat, scarf, gloves, socks, blanket); and some fun surprises (stuffed animal, baseball hat, crayons, coloring books, leftover Halloween candy). Help us fill our 27,000 gift bags for those desperately in need and often forgotten.
We are in particularly need of these items (all of which should be brand new):
– Crew cut socks (adult)
– Toothbrush & Toothpaste (adult)
– Coloring Books/Crayons
– Baby Body wash/Baby Lotion
Items can be mailed to Holiday Express, 151 Industrial Way East Building A., Eatontown, NJ 07724. They can also be dropped off — first, please call 732-544-8010 or email us at info @ holidayexpress. org. Amazon shoppers can select Amazon Smile and choose Holiday Express as your charity of choice. Online monetary donations are gratefully accepted: HolidayExpress.org/Donate
Thank you for your help!