Watch: President Trumka on Bloomberg TV
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA) joined Bloomberg TV last week to discuss the COVID-19 crisis that front-line workers are dealing with, the failures of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s response, and what the labor movement is doing.
AFL-CIO Launches Updated Online Resources Tool
The AFL-CIO is launching its updated resources page for workers affected by COVID-19. The updates include new information on food-related security and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, and resources provided by state federations and central labor councils, in addition to information about unemployment insurance in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It will be updated regularly with more resources and useful information. Please share this page with workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
St. Louis Machinists Union Members Produce Face Shields
Members of Machinists (IAM) District 837 employed at Boeing in St. Louis are volunteering to work overtime to help build face shields needed by health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The more than 2,000 workers—who build F-15 and F-18 fighter jets and other defense equipment—will use eight hours of volunteer overtime each week to assemble medical-grade face shields, which will be packaged and shipped directly to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “The sound of solidarity is ringing out from IAM District 837 members in St. Louis,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “These men and women see our nation and our world in crisis, and they are answering the call.”
Working Families Demand a Better Deal from Our Federal Government
As Congress and the federal government respond to COVID-19 and the economic crisis, the AFL-CIO is taking the lead with our affiliate unions by advocating for the needs of working families. The labor movement is insisting that the next stimulus package include stronger workplace safety guidelines and more resources to protect front-line workers. The AFL-CIO is asking Congress for investments that will keep all workers employed and protect hard-earned pension benefits, while also providing funding for state and local governments, public schools and our U.S. Postal Service. The federal government also must keep working people covered by protecting and expanding health insurance benefits. And we need policymakers to focus on America’s long-term competitiveness as we rebuild our economy and restore our nation’s infrastructure.
LA Federation of Labor Helps Meet Unprecedented Scale of Food Insecurity
The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has run more than seven mobile food banks, feeding an estimated 68,000 people. The food needs in Los Angeles are massive, as the area’s hospitality, transportation and entertainment industries have been devastated by COVID-19. The LA federation, under the leadership of President Ron Herrera, has committed to running three to four mobile food banks per week, with some targeting the areas of greatest need, such as helping workers employed at Los Angeles International Airport. Federation staff members are making extensive use of social media and reaching out to local union leadership to recruit the 35 to 60 volunteers needed to run each food distribution site.
Roll Mixer Keeps Churning Out Bread to Feed Americans
Kennita Jones is a roll mixer at Baltimore’s Schmidt Baking Co., where she has worked for 19 years. She is a proud member of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 68. Like thousands of America’s workers, Kennita still leaves her family nearly every day and goes to work—despite the COVID-19 pandemic. She understands how essential her job is to continue providing America with bread. Kennita said, “I’m doing my part. And as long as I can—and hopefully I don’t get sick—I’ll continue to do my part.”
Pittsburgh-Area Union Members Come Together to Hold Food Drive
On Saturday, union members from the Allegany-Fayette Central Labor Council in western Pennsylvania partnered with the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team to hold a food drive for families in need. The labor council’s president, Darrin Kelly, joined dozens of members from the CLC who volunteered to help at the event. Volunteers provided emergency food relief to about 2,000 families, despite anticipating they would only be able to feed 1,300. The mayor of Pittsburgh spoke to volunteers, and the local press covered the story.
COVID-19 in Numbers
From Johns Hopkins University (as of publication time):
- More than 1.8 million global cases and more than 110,000 deaths have been confirmed.
- The coronavirus has spread to at least 185 countries/regions.
- There have been at least 22,000 deaths in the United States.
More than 560,000 cases in all 50 states, U.S. territories and Washington, D.C., have been reported.
Headlines
- Common Dreams: ‘Putting Profits over People’: Unions Warn New COVID-19 Guidance from Trump CDC Endangers Front-Line Workers
- HuffPost: This Union’s Members Are Risking Their Lives So Americans Can Still Eat
- The New York Times: Transit Workers Risking Lives with Little Protective Gear
- The Wall Street Journal: Lawmakers Seek New Ways to Cover Workers’ Paychecks During Coronavirus
- CNBC: ‘This Will Lead to Airline Bankruptcies’—Flight Attendant Union Furious with Treasury Bailout Offers