ShopRite Makes Hazard Pay Deal

ShopRite has struck a hazard pay deal with about 50,000 union grocery workers.

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers – announced a new agreement on hazard pay for nearly 50,000 union grocery workers in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.

The deal with ShopRite, the largest employer in New Jersey, recognizes the ongoing risks ShopRite workers have faced as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and provides retroactive hazard pay ahead of the holiday season that covers all hours worked between July 26 and August 22, the union said.

UFCW confirmed this week that there have been at least 109 grocery worker deaths and over 48,000 grocery workers infected or exposed since the pandemic began. Today’s deal was reached by ShopRite workers across the Northeast who are members of UFCW Local Unions (One, 152, 342, 360, 371, 464A, 1262, 1500) and RWDSU Local 338.

“Grocery workers have been on the frontlines since this pandemic began and continue to put themselves in harm’s way to help families put food on this Thanksgiving,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone. “This new UFCW agreement is a powerful victory for ShopRite grocery workers across New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.

The new UFCW agreement with ShopRite announced today includes:

• Nearly 50,000 union ShopRite grocery employees represented by UFCW and RWDSU, will receive retroactive premium pay for this past summer
• Retroactive premium pay will be provided to each employee in the form of lump sum payments equal to one dollar ($1.00) per hour for all hours worked between July 26 and Aug 22.  
• In the case of future COVID-19 outbreaks resulting in government orders closing all businesses, except essential businesses, ShopRite has agreed to meet UFCW and RWDSU local unions to discuss additional hazard pay.
• Additionally, ShopRite has agreed to observe a moment of silence on Workers Memorial Day and Labor Day each year, starting in 2021, to recognize frontline workers lost to COVID-19 and the collective strength union membership has provided to its employees.

In September 2020, UFCW launched a national campaign to restore hazard pay for America’s 3 million grocery workers still on the frontlines of this pandemic. Just weeks after launching the campaign, UFCW announced a new hazard pay agreement for 56,000 Stop & Shop grocery workers across New England, New York, and New Jersey. Additionally, UFCW Local 663 secured a hazard pay deal for Minnesota grocery workers. 

ShopRite is a registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, N.J. With nearly 280 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves millions of customers each week. Wakefern is is No. 25 on The PG 100 2020 listing of North America’s top retailers of food and consumables.