Grocery workers union says Murphy’s right to keep mask requirement

A labor union representing grocery store workers is applauding Gov. Phil Murphy’s decision continue requiring vaccinated New Jerseyans to wear masks despite new Center for Disease Control guidelines that say it’s no longer necessary.

“New Jersey frontline grocery workers have put their lives on the line daily to make sure families have the food they need during this pandemic,” said Marc Perrone, the international president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.  “While vaccinations are helping us slow the spread of COVID, the pandemic is far from over and we cannot let our guard down.”

Murphy said on Friday that it could be weeks before he relaxes the restriction and Perrone wants other states to do the same as New Jersey.

“As the union for frontline food and retail workers across the country, UFCW is calling on governors to follow the lead of states like New Jersey and Hawaii that are keeping these life-saving mask mandates in place as we work to vaccinate the millions of Americans still at risk,” Perrone said.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli and multiple GOP legislators have bashed Murphy’s decision not to follow the CDC recommendations.

“It’s time for a free society to be free again. Murphy claims to follow the science, but continues to act like King Phil,” Ciattarelli said on Friday. “From his all-knowing and powerful throne, he’d rather prey on people’s fears and shame his subjects into obedience, all the while practicing the politics of divisiveness with dictate after dictate.”

But Perrone’s statement, released by Governor’s office on Sunday, resembles an indication of support for Murphy’s re-election campaign.

“Governor Murphy’s is showing the leadership New Jersey workers need by keeping the state’s mask mandate in place,” Perrone stated.