TRACY- Sources inside the distribution are reporting even more cases today of coworkers in the Frozen and Variety Departments at Safeway’s distribution center being diagnosed or sent home today with symptoms. The Produce department where several workers were already confirmed, was taped off today. Workers are on edge especially after yesterday’s confirmation by Safeway management that in fact employees have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Although Safeway did not publicly disclose the number of workers, our sources tell us it was 9 yesterday and several more today. They mentioned that they believe even more are infected but continuing to work for fear of losing pay.

In addition to those who are out sick, many more are refusing to go to work prompting the company to bring workers from other warehouses like US Foods and Sysco. They are also pulling assistant managers from the retail grocery stores to work at the warehouse. We have not been able to reach Safeway to confirm the claims, however our sources who work inside the distribution center believe there may be up to 50 people including management, infected with coronavirus at the distribution center, many of whom have not been diagnosed or seen a doctor, but are displaying symptoms.

Safeway announced in their public statement that they are implementing temperature taking, but sources also disclose there is a gap in time between when workers arrive and when they are being tested.

County wide these are the numbers as of today that are confirmed in the Central Valley. Also teamsters local 439 union that represents the workers have not made any public statements to our knowledge about what is being done to ensure the safety of the workers they represent.