SNAP (basic food) benefits were suspended on November 1 because of the federal government shutdown, leaving hundreds of thousands of Washington families, including many UFCW 3000 members, without the food assistance they rely on.
This crisis is not an accident
It’s the result of the rise of the billionaire class, a system that rewards corporate greed while starving programs that working families depend on. When billionaires and politicians fail working people, our union steps up.
What we’re doing about it
UFCW 3000 is organizing to make sure no one in Washington goes hungry again. Through our Fresh Food for All campaign, we’re fighting to:
Expand access to fresh, affordable, healthy food statewide.
Build power to hold billionaires and politicians accountable.
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ood deserts aren't a natural phenomenon. Giant grocery store corporations create them when they starve our neighborhood stores to feed Wall Street shareholders.
By closing six full-service stores in Puget Sound right before the holidays, Kroger, the Cincinnati-based corporation that owns Fred Meyer and QFC, wants to leave our working-class communities high and dry.
We won't stand for it.
In response to these closures and to rising corporate greed, we've launched our Fresh Food for All campaign, a new vision for the grocery industry that puts people first. We aim to make sure every family has access to fresh, affordable groceries in safe, well-staffed stores.
Right now, we're sitting at the table with grocery store workers, community organizations, and elected officials to discuss policies that will realize this vision.
A Food Justice Vision for Washington
Public-Option Grocery Stores: To protect our neighborhoods, Washington should support public-private partnership grocery stores to keep food affordable and accessible for all.
Grocery-Oriented Development Zones (GODZ): Pair new workforce housing with full-service grocery stores, reserving some units for workers who rely on SNAP/WIC.
Ban Surge and Surveillance Pricing: No more secret algorithms that jack up food prices in real time. Families deserve stable grocery bills, not digital discrimination.
Ban Digital-Only Coupons: Discounts shouldn’t be locked behind smartphones, inaccessible to the elderly and low-income shoppers.
Mass Layoff Protections: Washington should set the standard for worker justice. We must require 90 days’ notice for mass layoffs and severance pay for displaced workers.
This is about more than SNAP
The billionaire class created this crisis — but working people can fix it. By acting together, we feed each other, defend each other, and build power to ensure every family in Washington has Fresh Food for All.
