Union Family,

We hope everyone’s safe out there and taking every precaution. This is an unsettling moment for all of us, and we want to assure you that AFSCME is doing everything possible to support members and safeguard public health.

First off, thank you. Every time there’s a national crisis, public service workers answer the call, even when it means throwing themselves into the line of fire. Thank you for continuing to do your jobs, protect your neighbors and strengthen your communities. Nurses and health care workers, education and child care workers, corrections officers and custodians, first responders and waste management workers in particular are on the very front lines.

We have put together a new online resource webpage that can answer many of your questions about COVID-19 (the coronavirus). It includes links to state and local health departments, essential tips about symptoms and prevention, industry-by-industry guidance, and much more.

We are also aggressively lobbying lawmakers to ensure that resources are available to respond to this public health emergency. We have already helped secure more than $8 billion in funding, the bulk of which will help states and localities with everything from equipment purchases to increased testing to worker-based training for those at risk of exposure.

In the meantime, we’re also pushing hard for longer-term policies to help workers, families and communities weather the disruptions to all aspects of their lives. If you want to do more, please take a moment to contact your senators and urge them to pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Click here to call now. Tell your senators the bill should:

Ensure that OSHA regulations apply to all health care workers.
Ensure that your medical plan will cover COVID-19 treatment — not just testing — at no cost, no matter how you get your health coverage.
Ensure that children who get free or reduced-price meals at school won’t go hungry because their schools are closed.
Strengthen unemployment insurance and provide paid leave, including at workplaces with more than 500 employees like many hospitals. If you have to self-quarantine, or if you have to take care of a child who is home because of school closures, you should not be forced to miss paychecks and jeopardize your family’s economic security.

The next several weeks, and perhaps months, won’t be easy. But we will get through it, and AFSCME members will show the way. Thank you for always rising to the moment when your communities need you the most.

In solidarity,

Lee Saunders
AFSCME President

Elissa McBride
AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer