Essential Workers
Amber Moore, Desk Clerk at the Havre De Grace Boys and Girls club, takes the temperature of children as the re-enter the building.
All images are imported from wix.
Black and Brown people consist of a high percentage of essential workers. According to a graph by the Office of New York City Comptroller, Latinos account for 60 percent of building cleaning services, as well as 39 percent of grocery and convenience workers and 35 percent of childcare and family services. Blacks account for 42 percent of public transit workers, 32 percent of healthcare workers, and 33 percent of trucking, warehouse, and postal services.
(the graph is taken from the Contompoller's office, linked here,
Lenore Friedlaender, assistant to the president of 32BJ SEIU which is a union that protects over 85,000 property service workers (i.e. janitors, doormen, porters, etc.), says that “many of our members and other working people are in neighborhoods, whether it’s a high influence of asthma because of climate change, because of pollution, because of toxins in the environment. And working-class people, most often haven’t had access to health care which puts their health more at risk or immigrant members who may not have had access to health care in their home countries before they came to the United States. “
Many essential workers are still working on the front lines during the spread of the COVID-19, 32BJ SEIU has started a campaign urging Congress to consider three priorities of importance regarding the safety and well-being of essential workers.
(In a tweet, 32BJ SEIU advocates for essential workers to receive layoff notices and urges for essential pay)
The first issue that the union is proposing to congress to address is to make sure every worker and every person abiding the stay-at-home order has “sufficient proper protective equipment” (i.e. masks, gloves, etc.).
When asked how many members apart of the union have been given protective equipment, Friedlaender responded that it “ranges.”
“There are some employers that have been successful in getting proper protective equipment. But we hear every day that their orders are backlogged and they’re having difficulty getting stuff, maybe this week they can get masks, but they can’t get gloves,” says Friedlaender. “Our members and the public and the people they serve are at risk in a situation where they are reusing masks.”
Friedlaender describes some of the conditions that members of the union are facing during a time where supplies are stretched and harder to acquire.
“There’s one building where they’re giving people masks made out of cut-up t-shirts,” says Friedlaender. “The situation is very, very scary when people don’t have proper protective equipment.”
For many members, their biggest fear is contracting the disease while at work and bringing it home to their families.
32BJ SEIU member and Bronx resident Santos Paduani Jr works as a building service worker, although his job has provided him with protective equipment, he works every day in fear. Not only of contracting the virus but of spreading it to his loved ones.
“I’m scared every day, I’m scared that I’m bringing that home, and then, I have two loved ones at home and I’m afraid they might catch it,” says Paduani.
Although Paduani is fearful, his financial responsibilities outweigh that fear.
“I’m weighing my options,” says Paduani. “I’m an essential worker and I need to pay my bills.”
The second issue that 32BJ SEIU is proposing to congress is “essential pay for essential workers.”
“Our members, again, are on the frontlines and putting themselves and their families at risk,” says Friedlaender. “They deserve to get extra pay for doing something with the public’s interest and this is within the service of public health.”
Recently Gov. Cuomo has called for the federal government to provide hazard pay for essential workers.
“ Gov. Cuomo came out in favor of that and we think that there’s support for that, employers also believe that workers should get essential pay,” says Friedlaender.
The third issue that 32Bj SEIU is urging Congress to address is protection from layoffs.
New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio said in an interview last week with CNN, that without immediate federal intervention, NYC will have to furlough many of their essential workers.
“Right now what I’m staring down the barrel of, and cities and states all over the country, people are either acting on furloughs and layoffs or preparing for furloughs or layoffs of the exact people who have been the heroes in this crisis who we should be celebrating and supporting — first responders, the health care workers, the educators”
But many other forms of essential workers, such as janitors or window cleaners, have already been laid off and are currently dealing with the economic strife of unemployment.
32BJ SEIU member Maria Trejo was laid off just days before her husband slipped and fell in their home.
Trejo immigrated to the United States 25 years ago, she started by cleaning houses and then began cleaning offices. She recently held a full-time position at Boces for 2 years prior to being laid off.
Trejo is fluent in Spanish and speaks very little English. Franklin Soults, senior communications associate of 32BJ SEIU translated our interview.
“On the 25th of April, my husband took three falls at home,” Soults translates as Trejo explains in Spanish. “His body just doubled under him like gelatin.”
After taking him to the emergency room, Trejo found out that her husband had an arrhythmia. Although her husband is also an essential worker, his job did not offer health insurance. Trejo's previous position provided each of them with health care.
Due to her husband's recent health complications, Trejo’s biggest concern is their health insurance.
“I haven’t been working since the 17th of April, that causes stress because I know with on that date began a two-month timeline until I lose health insurance.” Soults translates for Trejo. “So, after the 17th of June I will not have health insurance and that causes me a great deal of worry.”
When asked if she sought help or aid to help find funds for her husband's care, Trejo says “In truth no, because so many people right now are suffering, so many don’t have jobs. I didn’t feel like I could find anything.”
Congress is said to be rolling out the next bailout packages Friday, May 13th, 32BJ SEIU and its members are hopeful that their voice and the voice of essential workers have been taken into consideration.
