UFCW - United Food and Commercial Workers International Union

10/03/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/03/2025 12:25

UFCW Urges Washington to Put Working Families First and End the Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), America's largest private sector union representing 1.2 million workers in meatpacking, food processing, grocery, retail, and other essential industries across North America, released a statement in response to the government shutdown.

UFCW International President Milton Jones said:

"UFCW members expect their elected officials to do their jobs, but they've failed to do their simplest one: keep the government open. Republicans' failure to fund the government only creates more uncertainty for Americans after the brutal cuts to key programs this summer.

"Rising costs threaten families' pocketbooks, and if Republican leaders fail to work with Democrats, they will slap working families with another devastating price hike, this time on health insurance. With Medicaid slashed and health care subsidies ended, workers across the country are facing a health care emergency.

"A prolonged shutdown also threatens the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which has already been devastated by partisan cuts earlier this year. SNAP supports families in need and the workers in grocery stores, meatpacking plants, and food processing facilities who feed our country.

"It's not too late to change course and put workers first, but so far, it's clear that the party in power in Washington has no desire to. It's time to champion working people, fund the government, and prevent a manufactured crisis that leaves millions of workers without health care."

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The UFCW International is the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.2 million workers and their families in grocery, meatpacking, food processing, healthcare, cannabis, retail, and other essential industries. UFCW members serve our communities in all 50 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the UFCW at ufcw.org.

UFCW - United Food and Commercial Workers International Union published this content on October 03, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 03, 2025 at 18:25 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]