The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) has issued a response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to end the Farm and Food Workers Relief Program. The UFCW, which represents 1.2 million workers in sectors such as meatpacking, food processing, grocery, and retail across North America, expressed its concerns over this decision.
UFCW International President Milton Jones stated: “Meatpacking workers put their lives on the line during the pandemic to keep America’s food supply secure and communities fed. They were among one of the hardest-hit industries, facing extreme risk and, at times, financial strain, to do their jobs. The USDA’s decision to terminate the Farm and Food Workers Relief Program now, under the guise of DEI, is not just misguided; it takes money out of the pockets of essential workers.”
Jones emphasized that “these funds were never about race, gender, or any other protected characteristic – they were about providing relief to those who had to pay for things like emergency childcare and personal protective equipment in order to do their jobs.” He further noted that “this program was a promise by the government to deliver long-overdue support to the workers who carried this country through a global crisis and breaking that promise sends a dangerous message about how essential workers are valued in this country.”
