Sacramento, CA – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council applauded the California Legislature for sending AB 685 by Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-San Bernardino) to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for his signature. The legislation will save lives and help reopen the economy safely by requiring employers to report COVID-19 infections in workplaces.
“Companies are using threats to keep workers silent about COVID-19 outbreaks and that puts us all at risk,” said John Grant, president, UFCW Local 770. “We must protect the workers in our hospitals, grocery stores, farms, meatpacking plants, restaurant kitchens and countless other businesses that have been going to work for six months to keep Californians fed, safe and healthy. AB 685 will help workers take appropriate steps to protect themselves, their families and the public, allowing our state to reopen safely. We urge Governor Newsom to sign this critical legislation into law because without a requirement to report COVID-19 exposures, no workplace in California is safe.”
“Knowing where COVID-19 cases are is essential to stopping the spread and AB 685 gives us the important, thorough and accurate data to stop the hotspots cropping up in our workplaces,” said Joe Duffle, president, UFCW Local 1167. “It’s not enough to say California cares about the lives of Latino, Black, and Asian Pacific Islander communities in our state – we have to step up and fight for these communities that make up the majority of our state’s low-wage workers and that’s exactly what UFCW members are doing. We’re proud to sponsor AB 685 to help California protect workers, their families and their communities and prevent more major COVID-19 outbreaks in our workplaces.”
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The United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council is the regional coordinating body of 11 UFCW local unions representing over 200,000 workers in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. The Council is a part of the 1.2 million member strong UFCW International Union. UFCW members are standing together to improve the lives of workers, families, and communities.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2020
Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, [email protected]