Front Line Worker - Jahmal Henderson, SCSU Local 217 Unite Here

Following are remarks by Jahmal Henderson, food service worker at Southern Connecticut State University and member of Local 217 Unite Here, at the May Day Rally "International Workers Solidarity: COVID-19 and Beyond hosted by CT People's World on May 3 via zoom. View the entire rally here.

 
Front Line Worker - Jahmal Henderson, food service at SCSU and Local 217 Unite Here

I've been employed as a food service worker at Southern Connecticut State University for 18 years. I've also been a union steward for eight years as a member of Local 217 Unite Here.

I am among those whose job is closed during these unfortunate times with the coronavirus epidemic having a devastating impact on our lives and country. Myself, and other food service workers throughout, are in solidarity with front line essential workers who are putting their lives at risk in order to keep a sense of normalcy in these dire times.

We at Southern Connecticut State University Local 217 have a "phone tree" system which enables employees to get vital information and available resources to help them with unemployment,  food banks, healthcare, and other emergency needs.

In these times of social distancing,  it is a very good time to stay in contact with each other via Zoom meetings, having daily check ins and discussing strategies that can be helpful.

The majority of Unite Here members across the country are in the hospitality industry and most of our members are now unemployed. The union is organizing to help with applications for unemployment, rent assistance and basic living needs, and demanding that federal relief funds go to the workers and not big employers.

The union is also organizing so that hospitality/food service and all essential workers who are still employed during this epidemic, out there risking their lives, get the necessary resources from Congress and the state government to make sure proper PPE's and safety measures get established going forward so we can return back to healthy productive work environments. 

The petition to Congress: Don't cut off hospitality workers is here.

Car caravans for workers rights and immigrant rights continue

FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS will hold a car caravan at Waterbury Hospital on Saturday June 6 at 11 am as they continue to push Prospect Medical Holdings to put patients before profits and provide proper PPE, hazard pay, and safe staffing. The action is part of the national Workers First Caravan days of action. A caravan was also held last week by Nurses and Technical Employees at Waterbury Hospital, members of CHCA District 1199, National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees (AFSCME), and community supporters.

A DISASTER RELIEF FUND for undocumented immigrants was the demand of a car caravan to the state capitol from Norwalk, Danbury, New Haven, Bridgeport, Willimantic, and Middletown. State legislators, immigrants, union workers, and activist groups demanded Governor Lamont create a $150 million fund.  Sixty organizations, 55 legislators and 4500 petition signers have joined the call.
Kica Matos said "57% of interviewed immigrants in New Haven have been laid off, hours cut, or in quarantine because of illness in the workplace or home with no income or access to relief. Connecticut's 120,000 undocumented immigrants pay $400 million a year in state and local taxes, but are excluded from the federal stimulus packages and ineligible for unemployment insurance.

Front Line Worker - Mario Franco, CT Service Plaza worker 32BJ SEIU

Following are remarks by Mario Franco, worker at Connecticut Service Plaza and member of 32BJ SEIU, at the May Day Rally "International Workers Solidarity: COVID-19 and Beyond hosted by CT People's World on May 3 via zoom. View the entire rally here.

 
My name is Mario Franco. I worked  at the McDonald’s at the Darien Northbound rest stop on I-95 for 26 years.

I am here today to talk about the situation at the rest stops. For one year, I helped my coworkers work with 32BJ to try to get better conditions. I lost my job, and the conditions now are terrible, but I want to continue fighting to make things better.

I had a tragedy at McDonalds. My wife worked together with me for over 20 years. Four years ago, she passed out in the backroom at the McDonalds and hit her head. A few days later, she died in the hospital. McDonald’s paid for nothing, only the stone on her grave.

When I was working, most people only got minimum wage. We did not get holidays.. Most people did not get vacation time. We worked on State property, but we did not get the benefits in the Standard Wage Law. The law says everybody is supposed to have five sick days a year. We had no sick days.

When you have low pay and no sick days, you have to come to work sick. You cannot afford to miss one day of work. Now, many people at McDonald’s are coming to work sick. I do not think they are cleaning and disinfecting properly. It is dangerous for my coworkers and it is dangerous for everyone who comes to the rest stop.

I was laid off with the entire night shift. Most of us on the night shift have many years of experience. The people who continue working do not. I think they laid off the experienced workers because we were protesting.

We are asking Governor Lamont to help us. He can make McDonalds and other fast food companies act better because they are on state property. We are asking for support with a petition. Many of my coworkers are single mothers. They have no income now. I am helping distribute food for them. I am still fighting. I thank you for all your support.

"Money Bags and Body Bags" 100-Car Protest in Fairfield County

On May 21, union workers and community members stopped at the Darien Southbound service plaza at the start of a 100-car caravan tour of wealthy individuals and corporations that are not doing their fair share in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. The tour continued through Greenwich and Westchester NY to visit the homes of local billionaires who pay a far smaller proportion of taxes than all other residents.

The stop at the service plaza highlighted how McDonald’s and other fast food corporations have failed to devote their profits to support essential workers during the pandemic.
Four workers have contracted COVID-19 while working at the rest stops, yet McDonald’s and other stores have demonstrated little evidence that they have properly disinfected their worksite. Workers attested to how McDonald’s and others have not offered sufficient PPE, hazard pay or paid sick days.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed McDonald’s continual mistreatment of its workers into a health threat to all of us who use the Interstate service plazas in Connecticut,” said Juan Hernandez, Vice President of 32BJ SEIU . “It’s one more example of how the indifference and greed of the super-wealthy needs to be directly addressed now more than ever.”

Front Line Worker - Jeanne Wehling, L&M nurse and AFT CT

Following are remarks by Jeanne Wehling, nurse at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital and leader of AFT CT Local 5049, at the May Day Rally "International Workers Solidarity: COVID-19 and Beyond hosted by CT People's World on May 3 via zoom. View the entire rally here.

My name is Jeanne Wehling.  I am a Registered Nurse.  I have worked for the past 8 years at L&M Hospital which is part of the YNHHS.   Today I join you as the Political Action liaison with AFT Local 5049.  I have been elected into this role for the past 4 years

This May Day couldn't be occurring at a more poignant time.  We watched COVID-19 come alive in Wuhan China.  This virus spread far and wide.  We watched and listened to their cries for help as each person became infected and oh too many lost.  This virus spread to almost 200 countries and islands. Yet the USA leads in the world in number of cases over 1.1 million!!!  We have lost over 67,000 Americans to this deadly virus. WHY??? When we are the USA.

When the virus hit our shores and was no longer a "hoax" we were unprepared.  We did not have adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  Our Center for Disease Control (CDC)  lowered the classification of the virus from Airborne to droplet.   

When you think airborne think of TB and tiny particles that with one cough or sneeze spreads wide and far.  Droplet think of the flu larger particles that drop quickly.  This one change put the lives of all Americans at risk.   

What does the public hear. "Stay Home, Stay Safe.".  "Quarantine for 14 days if anyone in your household shows symptoms" "This will flatten the curve and save lives!!!"  

What did we do?  Stay closed to essential business only, schools are now at home.  We are working from home and educating our children at home.  We are celebrating with zoom parties and drive by parades.  We are calling our loved ones and not visiting for the fear that one visit can spread the virus and end their life.

I want to thank you all for doing your part.  You truly are saving lives!!!

I wish I could say the same about us in the hospital.  When we all apply to a position in a healthcare industry we are all vowing to save lives.  From the lowest job to the CEO and all in between.  We in healthcare have taken an oath to do no harm.  I have read the Nightingale Pledge in two different pinning ceremonies.  It is the core of  who we are as healthcare professionals. 

By the CDC changing the standard we are doing harm. We are spreading the virus!  Before Covid 19 1 applied a mask before entering the patient rooms and immediately discarded upon exiting. We were taught that wearing PPE protects not only the nurse however her other patients.  We are keeping those germs with the infected patient only. 

Currently now in the hospital per the CDC and DPH they have lowered those standards putting not only the staff lives in harm's way but also our patient's lives.  When the CDC lowered the standards the hospitals went directly to crisis mode of PPE.  They by passed all the previous steps. 

All of the PPE and cleaning supplies were taken off the floors.  Some stock locked in the managers offices, the rest locked up at the warehouse.  The manager is to leave out only enough for the next 24 hours at the nurses' station.  Typically PPE is in a caddy on the door of the patients with precautions. 

When this was first rolled out, we were given one level 1 mask (not rated for droplet precautions) to be used indefinitely. We have now moved up to one level 1 mask per shift.  Sad to think that this is an improvement.  N95 masks are only being used on our COVID floor, ICU and ER, and rule out patients. We apply the mask at the beginning of our shift taking it off to go home.  That means is if we come in contact with the virus we are then bringing it into each of our rooms. 

My floor has not started taking COVID positive patients yet, we anticipate this week.  However we have had many patients moved to the COVID floor and ICU when they start to rapidly decline or show symptoms. 

We are also no longer being told when a patient does test positive.   The hospital is running under the frame that we all employees have already been exposed and do not need this information.  Again failing to do no harm!!!  This also does not allow us to self quarantine when exposed.  We are not allowed to self quarantine if a family member shows symptoms or becomes positive.  Only if we the member show symptoms.  With each exposure you are not only  increasing your viral load and risk for infection.

More than six weeks ago all three locals at L&M - RN's 5049, TECH 5051 and Healthcare 5123, have asked to negotiate.  The hospital ignored our requests until they wanted to mandate nurses to Greenwich and then Bridgeport. We accepted their offer to bargain.  We stood hard and firm with our members and their concerns regarding the mandate.  The hospital backed down on the mandate portion only.  We still have not come to a memorandum of understanding regarding adequate PPE, safety, incentive for this time of pandemic, workers compensation, paid time off, not using personal PTO and sick time and Familyand Medical Leave Act.

We are working around the clock to keep our patients, our members and the community safe..

Remember STAY SAFE STAY HOME and  WASH YOUR HANDS

Frontline Worker: Scott Marks II, Yale New Haven Hospital workers and New Haven Rising

Following are remarks by Scott Marks II, worker at Yale-New Haven Hospital and leader of New Haven Rising, at the May Day Rally "International Workers Solidarity: COVID-19 and Beyond hosted by CT People's World on May 3rd via zoom. The call to action is to attend the New Haven Board of Alder's Finance Committee public hearing on the budget on Monday, May 11, 2020 by zoom.

I’m Scott Marks and I work at Yale New Haven Hospital as an environment service associate.

Since Pandemic started it’s been a trying time for me. I go to work everyday knowing that I have to clean COVID-19 rooms. At the peak of this crisis, I was part of a team who cleaned seven rooms per day. It’s stressful work because of so much gowning up and gowning down. But, ultimately, I know if I don’t clean the room properly it can cause the next person to be sick, or make me and my co-workers sick that we bring home to our families. Like everyone else in the hospital, my work has life or death consequences right now. This is a lot of stress for the money that I make.

I know some of you heard about YNHH giving out a Covid-19 Recognition Award which is a payment of 5% of your earnings since the beginning of the calendar year. This came after 11,000 people signed a petition calling on the hospital to provide hazard pay. It was announced the same day that Hospital leaders admitted about 1,000 employees tested positive or had symptoms for COVID-19. 5% is not enough!! For me, this means only an extra 85 cents for every hour I work. Yet we put our lives on the line everyday.

This isn’t just a problem at the hospital. This crisis shows that our economy cannot work without workers. My work saves lives. The same is true for other custodians, grocers, delivery drivers, receptionists and many more. If the economy cannot work without us, we deserve to have pay that allows us and our families to live in dignity. We deserve to have access to health care. We deserve to have paid sick leave. We deserve to have pensions. We deserve to have protective equipment and workplace safety. Unfortunately, wealthy individuals and organizations ask us to go without these basic standards so that they can have even more.

Instead of treating workers with the dignity that we deserve, many corporations treat us as if we’re disposable. Right now, 32% of America is unemployed. Employers across the country are throwing people off of their health care and pushing them into unemployment in the middle of a pandemic. Right here in New Haven, workers at the Omni Hotel are scared they are going to lose their health care at the end of the month. People should not have to live with this fear.

So, we’re stuck in a situation where the injustices of our country are laid bare. These injustices are breaking people and breaking communities. Black, Brown, and poor people are the ones who have less of a chance to work from home. There are more people getting sick in their neighborhoods. They are the ones who will experience the biggest costs due to this economic crisis. I have seen people in the hospital just give up after losing a loved one. I know others are going to be in a lot of pain with this economic crisis.

But this is why we have to fight for something better. That’s why I fight as a NHR key leader for economic and social justice. I believe everyone deserves a good job that can support their family during a pandemic, but I know that we all have to work to win this justice. We still meet weekly to organize to keep the fight for the good jobs we’ve won. We can’t let large employers like Yale use this pandemic as an excuse to take our victories away from us. Instead, we need to move forward and we have to push organizations like Yale to fulfill their leadership roles in our city.

So I encourage everyone to attend On May 11, 2020 the Budget Public Hearing For New Haven hosted by BOA Finance Committee on Zoom. We all need to make the case that the large and powerful institutions do their fair share in this moment.

May Day Rally Actions

With appreciation to all who attended the inspiring May Day Rally hosted by CT People's World highlighting stories and struggles of courageous front line workers. These solidarity actions were presented at the May 3rd rally:

Donate here.    View the entire rally here.

May Day Action #1

We demand that Gov Lamont create a Disaster Relief Fund for Our Undocumented Community.

https://www.facebook.com/CTImmigrantRightsAlliance/photos/a.569556833064203/3153845854635275/?type=3&theater

May Day Action #2:

Sign the Peace Council open letter to End Sanctions Against Iran, Venezuela, Cuba and other countries

https://uspeacecouncil.org/

May DayAction #3: (AFT CT)

Fund Front Line workers and communities. Make the billionaires pay their fair share.

https://www.ctstateemployees.org/news-interest/sebac-unions-respond-sen-fasanos-push-take?fbclid=IwAR2JwOuAyLmp0A54r8noNOVng2wbh18ifwd3nQ0l0QTh1kMS2KrefChZlQM

May Day Action #4 (UNITE HERE)

Congress: Don't cut off hospitality workers

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-dont-cut-out-hospitality-workers?source=facebook&&fbclid=IwAR17GrhuHxkSRa6H1K-QKx4Ztl_r1vHjA0Xhq1dvLuSk54sSgpxRXuaRWls

May Day Action #5 (32BJ SEIU)

Governor Lamont: protect essential workers at Connecticut's highway service plazas

https://seiulocal32bj.salsalabs.org/ctserviceplazacovid19petition/index.html

May Day Action #6 (New Haven Rising)

Monday, May 11 at 6 pm on zoom. Testify at the New Haven Board of Alders Finance Committee budget hearing. Meet the needs of Black and Brown neighborhoods being hurt the most.

May Day Action #7

Tell the Governor and Legislature Connecticut Needs Vote by Mail

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/add-your-name-we-need-ct-vote-by-mail?source=facebook&&fbclid=IwAR18IcEQugIECoImnfY39EtvDoUqpkbFojXPZn0f6yyr7Cfzwbb8D07JBh0

POSTED at ctpeoplebeforeprofit YouTube Channel:

SLIDE SHOW: International Worker Solidarity: COVID 19 and Beyond

https://youtu.be/oPZk9UjRBrQ

PROGRAM: All segments of the program will be posted here: (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKW6NKhvoUphYJfUvRk92DQ/)

PERFORMANCES:

Paradise by John Prine sung by TJ Campsey Dedicated to those lost to the pandemic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRfXVCRRxDQ&fbclid=IwAR2L-nld7DTLu1_YjMh9k96RiQFC3TeCo0VPaM5g5LU4vSPAjjomYQGrVdk

Internationale  Cameron Orr  (1.45 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp0FgR9cEmw&fbclid=IwAR1BGbVi5K8nGcKx-j7T8z3K-1TSlD3-KfY6XLdXNRkvYTOhBTLJaLUcRsQ
Internationale  latinoamericana y caribena /Spanish and Prtuguese  CLATE (5 min) Himno La Internacional - versión latinoamericana y caribeña de CLATE

Governor Ned Lamont: 860-566-4840

Senate President Martin Looney: 203-468-8829

House Majority Leader Matt Ritter: 869-519-5685

US Seantor Richart Blumenthal 860-258-6940

US Senator Chris Murphy 860-549-8463

CD1 Rep John Larson 860-278-8888

CD 2 Rep Joe Courtney 860-886-0139

CD 3 Rep Rosa Delauro 203-562-3718

CD 4 Rep James Himes 866-453-0028

CD 5 Rep Jahana Hayes 860-223-8412