TELL CONGRESS: make workers well-being and economic security your top priority

As COVID-19 wreaks havoc across the world, people coming down with the virus is skyrocketing, and it is uncertain when this pandemic will end. What is clear is we are not taking all the necessary steps to fight this virus..

Millions of the brave nurses, doctors, firefighters, policemen, and other first responders do not even have basic protective gear they need to not get infected themselves. Millions of Americans have been laid off , or seen their hours cut as business are ordered to shut down and people ordered to stay at home.

We all have a role to play in reducing the spread of this virus, but we cannot do it alone. We need our elected leaders to rise to the occasion. Right now, Congress is working on legislation to address this public health and economic crisis, and we need to make sure they hear our voice.

We are asking all UAW leaders, members, retirees, and their family members to call Congress and demand workers’ well-being and economic security is their top priority rather than Wall St and the well connected . Conversation with them should focus on two critical issues:

1. Frontline workers addressing this crisis must be protected as much as possible. Right now they are not. Without workplace protections, we run the risk of more frontline workers getting sick and hollowing out everyone’s ability to fight this virus. Legislation must require Occupation Safety Health Administration to issue an emergency temporary standard to ensure that health care workers and other high-risk workers receive protection from the spread of the coronavirus.
2. People are losing their jobs through no fault of their own. Right now, unemployment benefits are not nearly enough to keep families afloat and are difficult to access. Unemployment benefits and other financial assistance must provide full wage replacement to laid off and quarantined workers. Workers should not be punished for the outbreak of the virus.

Call your Representative’s office right now at 1-866-287-6350, and call your Senator’s office at 1-888-329-5096. Make sure you let them know who you are, where you live, and that any federal legislation dealing with this pandemic protects frontline workers and working families across America.