Kroger, Meijer union employees launch 'Shop Smart' safety text updates

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Grocery store employees are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. They're essential workers exposed to large masses of people each day on the job.

"Our grocery workers, our union members, are concerned about their health and safety," said Caitlin Blair, communications director for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 227. "And they're concerned about the health and safety of their loved ones. Are they going to bring this back to their home? But, that's why we keep calling them heroes because as front line workers, they are risking their health and safety, so we all have what we need. They're serving their community, and that is the definition of a hero."

The union, which represents about 16,000 grocery store workers in the region and about a million workers in North America, launched a new campaign Monday.

Shoppers can text "Shop Smart" to 23396 for store updates and ways to keep themselves and grocery store workers safe during the crisis.

"We're asking customers to take the pledge to do certain things to make sure we all work together to slow the spread of coronavirus and that we're making sure we're pretecting each other when we're shopping for what we need for our families," Blair said.

Suggestions include:

Respect social distancing, not just from other customers, but from employees, as well.
Always wear a mask and gloves inside the store.
Upon leaving the store, shoppers should place the gloves and mask in a trash can — not leave them behind in shopping carts or on the ground in the parking lot.

"We are making sure that by working together and taking simple steps to protect grocery workers that we're doing our part to make sure we all get through this together," Blair said.