Pennsylvania Congressional District 8 issued the following announcement on April 3.
U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) held a listening session with leaders of labor unions in northeastern Pennsylvania to take their questions, suggestions and concerns related to the federal COVID-19 response.
“What I heard has reinforced for me that we urgently need to get more protective medical equipment to all our frontline workers, and make sure people don’t lose their health insurance if they lose their jobs,” said Rep. Cartwright. “It also reminded me that we are so fortunate to have such hardworking people throughout this area who are ready and willing to put their skills and talents toward keeping the essential parts of our economy running and beating this virus.”
Local representatives from the following labor unions participated in the session:
- Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
- American Federation of Government Employees
- Scranton Central Labor Council
- Greater Wilkes-Barre Labor Council
- Carpenters Eastern Atlantic States
- Teamsters
- Plumbers and Pipefitters
- Scranton Federation of Teachers
- Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
- Pennsylvania State Education Association
- Service Employees International Union
- Service Employees International Union – Health Care Pennsylvania
- Sheet Metal Workers
- United Food & Commercial Workers
“Thank you to Congressman Cartwright for taking the time to speak with us, I hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy. One of our top concerns is that our members’ health care coverage is based on hours worked, so while they are not working, they are receiving no healthcare contributions — meaning they may lose their insurance at a crucial time in our country,” said Drew Simpson, Regional Manager of Eastern Atlantic States, Regional Council of Carpenters. “I also wanted to highlight that the carpenters’ union has a training program and certification for Infection Control Risk Assessment, so we are trained in building containments. We are at the ready to put our skills to work to help in these trying times.”
“Supermarket workers, food processing workers, and food production workers — they absolutely need to be classified as essential first responders, and we should be thankful that so many of them are still going to work even in the face of risk,” said Michele Kessler, Secretary Treasurer, UFCW Local 1776. “We need to find a way to get personal protective equipment for them so these facilities can remain open and America can eat. I’m grateful to Congressman Cartwright for hearing us and working to keep our members safe.”
The chief concern among many of the labor leaders was the dwindling supply of personal protective equipment for health care workers, as well as others who work in essential workplaces like food production facilities, grocery stores, mail delivery and federal prisons. Cartwright noted that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act enacted last week includes several funding streams to purchase PPE for frontline workers, including $100 billion for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund; $16 billion for the Strategic National Stockpile; and $1 billion for the Defense Production Act to invest in manufacturing to help increase production of PPE. Cartwright has also pushed to make it easier to import this critical equipment from abroad.
Other issues raised include:
- Stronger labor protections for essential workers;
- Ensuring people who lose employer-sponsored health insurance due to layoffs can get covered;
- Improving paid sick leave policy, particularly for businesses with more than 500 employees;
- Supporting teachers in providing distance learning, and in ensuring equitable access to learning for those students with special educational needs; and
- Protecting workers’ eligibility for unemployment insurance when out of work to reduce risk for vulnerable family members or for other reasons of personal safety.
Original source can be found here.
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