Grocery, meatpacking workers call for hazard pay, vaccine priority
Grocery store and meatpacking workers said they still feel just as vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 now as they did at any point during the pandemic. In an organized call, the United Food Commercial Workers union called for hazard pay and that food service workers be prioritized for the vaccine.
![PHOTO: Butchers at Old Fashion Country Butcher process meat as they work to meet increased demand due to COVID-19 related shortages on May 21, 2020 in Santa Paula, Calif. The separation of work stations means fewer people on production lines.](https://s.abcnews.com/images/Health/covid-grocery-meatplant-2-02-gty-iwb-210219_1612902903896_hpEmbed_3x2_992.jpg)
![PHOTO: Supermarket workers protest in front of a Food 4 Less store in Long Beach, Calif., Feb. 3, 2021, after owner Kroger closed two supermarkets rather than pay workers "hazard pay" for their continued work during the coronavirus pandemic.](https://s.abcnews.com/images/Health/covid-grocery-meatplant-3-02-gty-iwb-210219_1612902903908_hpEmbed_5x3_992.jpg)
At least 137 grocery workers and 132 meatpacking workers have died from COVID-19, according to the call.
Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that front-line essential workers, like grocery store employees, should be prioritized for the vaccine. But not every state has done so and union officials said their workers still can't get the vaccine even when it's being offered at the pharmacy in the store where they work every day.
"What is inexplicable, given the threats and the risks that these essential workers face and the fact that a new report, it shows only 13 states currently prioritize access for food workers, which puts our food supply at risk,” said UFCW President Marc Perrone.
ABC News’ Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.