UFCW International President Perrone participates in Biden-Harris roundtable on economic recovery

President-Elect Biden urged to pressure CEOs to strengthen safeguards, enforce masks in stores, and reinstate hazard pay as pandemic worsens

Wilmington, Delaware – November 18, 2020 – UFCW International President Marc Perrone recently participated in an economic roundtable hosted by U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris to explore strategies for rebuilding the American economy and helping workers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Held on November 16, the virtual online roundtable brought together labour and business leaders from across the United States to discuss ways in which Biden and Harris, the Democratic President-Elect and Vice President-Elect who won the U.S. Presidential Election on November 3, can rebuild the economy coming out of the pandemic, while ensuring that the economic recovery benefits working people. 

Speaking on behalf of UFCW members, President Perrone relayed the importance of protecting workers as the U.S. continues to grapple with the coronavirus crisis.

“America’s frontline workers deserve a president who fights for them and that’s exactly what Joe Biden is doing today. Bringing together union and business leaders, it’s clear that President-Elect Biden is ready to unite our country and take the bold action needed to protect essential workers,” Perrone said in a statement.

During the roundtable, Biden noted that labour unions will have increased rights and access to representation under a Biden Harris administration. He then went on to explain that his administration’s top priority will be making sure that workers stay safe as more businesses reopen, and the economy begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden also stated that his administration will be working with the U.S. Congress to pass a coronavirus economic stimulus package aimed at helping workers, businesses, and state and local governments bounce back from the economic downturn brought on by COVID-19.   

“We agree that we can’t just build back (after the coronavirus), we need to build back better,” Biden told the roundtable participants.

You can find out more about the roundtable here. 

To learn more about UFCW, visit the UFCW International Union’s website.