PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Dominican Grocers Association rallied at City Hall to demand safety and fairness at their stores.
"We feel left out by the city of Philadelphia," said Enerolina Melendez, president of the Association.
Melendez said dozens of members rallied at City Hall because they don't feel safe.
"We need a safety plan for our members to ensure they get home after 14 hours, working every day."
DGA Vice President Elizabeth Rodriguez says being a bodega owner can be a dangerous job in Philadelphia.
"And we just want the violence to stop. Unfortunately, a lot of members have been killed or have been robbed," she said.
She says some of the neighborhood store owners also feel discriminated against.
"There's a lot of new convenience stores in Philadelphia, and they don't have the same laws for them or the same regulations as they have for us."
KYW Newsradio reached out to the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections for comment regarding those claims but did not immediately get a reply.
