Coronavirus isn’t just a danger to public health. It’s also taking a wrecking ball to the economy, with unemployment claims soaring and many workers fearful that they’ll join that list soon. Democrats, including Rep. Maxine Waters and Sens. Chuck Schumer, Patty Murray, Sherrod Brown, and Elizabeth Warren, and many more, are working to keep the focus on working people’s issues, but there is so much to be done.
We need to know where and how workers are hurting and have every possible idea on the table to help them. And we need to be creative about getting it done, since Republicans can be relied on to stand in the way.
● Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, is pushing an airline relief bill that's a template for rescuing workers instead of bailing out execs. If there’s a $50 billion airline relief package, she told Hamilton Nolan, “It has to be centered on workers.” Here’s how: “We have a plan that provides payroll subsidies to keep everyone on the payroll. That’s really important, because you have to keep everyone in their job, if not on the job. Payroll subsidy for not just the airlines, but also all the airport workers, is approximately $10 billion a month. For a three month package, that’s $30 billion. So $30 billion of the $50 billion is for maintaining payroll.”
● New York City Council member Brad Lander has a measure to extend paid sick leave to gig workers, who aren’t protected under any of the federal legislation so far.
● Avoiding coronavirus may be a luxury some workers can't afford.
● Amazon taught us to rely on one-day delivery. In the coronavirus era, it can't keep up—and delivery workers are slammed.
● Call center workers fear for their health as they work in "one big germ pool."
● Mindy Isser rounds up the bright spots: What workers have already won in the face of coronavirus.
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