On Tuesday, March 23rd, UFCW Local 152 President Brian String issued the following statement on the mass shooting tragedy that took place in Boulder, Colorado:
To the members and staff of UFCW Local 152:
Our hearts go out to everyone who was affected by yesterday’s senseless act of violence at a King Soopers supermarket in Boulder, Colo., where a mass shooting left 10 people dead.
Not one person should have to live in fear of gun violence, or any kind of violence, in the workplace.
Reports reveal how members of UFCW Local 7 in the store helped customers escape harm’s way by guiding them through back exits. We join the rest of the country in recognizing these brave men and women as heroes.
We already knew they were heroes when they started work yesterday, just as they have been throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Union members in grocery stores have kept our country running at great risk to themselves, and the additional stress they feel under the threat of violence is unacceptable.
As we continue to grieve and process yesterday’s events, please keep in your thoughts the brave workers at King Soopers in Boulder and all grocery workers across the country for the exceptional job they do in the face of hardship.
If you feel a need to talk with a mental health professional, contact the Health & Welfare Fund at (800) 228-7484. You may also call your Union Representative to talk and get more resources.
We’ll get through this together, as we always have.
Yours in solidarity,
Brian String
President, UFCW Local 152
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The United Food and Commercial Workers International President Marc Perrone has also issued a statement on the attack.