The Green Party of Virginia (GPVA) stands with Nabisco workers across the country who are striking from poor pandemic working conditions, including workers in Henrico County. Despite record profits during the pandemic and a CEO pay that is 561 times the median worker salary, Nabisco workers have been subjected to 7-day work weeks, 16-hour work days, changes to overtime pay that have costed some workers $10,000 in annual wages, and a new healthcare plan that will cost workers more.

However, the actions taken by these brave workers show the importance unions play in protecting workers rights. Virginia is just one of many states with right-to-work laws which play a heavy detriment to workers in various other fields and industries across our state. There is no doubt that other workers in the commonwealth have suffered from unfair labor practices exacerbated by the pandemic, which further demonstrates the need for the Virginia General Assembly to get to work repealing right-to-work.

Co-Chair Blaizen B Bloom stated, “The treatment we’ve seen by these massive corporations over this pandemic has been abhorrent. No human being deserves the punishments that have been doled out over the course of the past year and a half by supposed businesses like Nabisco. We stand with our friends and family fighting for justice in their workplaces in Henrico and throughout the country.”

Yet despite recent strikes at Frito-Lay and now at Nabisco, elected officials in both parties continue to refuse to take action to support the working class. The Green Party remains the only national party committed to ending right-to-work, raising the minimum wage to a living wage, implementing a single-payer Medicare for all healthcare system, and mandating paid sick leave among other policies.