Dear Friend,

The COVID-19 crisis has upended our lives and laid bare many of the problems workers are facing.

We’ve been fighting on so many fronts: for personal protective equipment for healthcare workers; for Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards for frontline workers; and for state, local and school aid. We’re working with the AFL-CIO and other unions to ensure that the next relief package includes what workers need, not just what corporations demand. We’ve identified five economic essentials for working families; any relief package must keep Americans safe, healthy and employed, and must invest in the public schools, public services and infrastructure that will anchor our recovery efforts.

Congress must keep hearing from us. Working people need the next coronavirus financial relief bill. Will you write to your members of Congress right now and tell them to include these economic essentials?

These are America’s five economic essentials:

• Keep America healthy—protect and expand health insurance for all.
• Keep frontline workers safe and secure.
• Keep workers employed and protect pensions.
• Keep state and local governments, our public schools and the U.S. Postal Service solvent and working.
• Keep America competitive—hire people to build infrastructure.

Fighting for state and local aid and investments for public schools is crucial. Because we had to pause the economy to limit the spread of the virus, tax revenues have cratered and our states, cities and towns are facing major budget shortfalls. Unless Congress acts, countless frontline workers, educators and other essential workers will be fired when our students and communities need more, not less, support. We simply can’t afford to forfeit our future.

Millions of people have already lost their jobs. The economic impact of this pandemic will last for years. The path forward is a robust investment in workers—the people who are keeping us safe and healthy, educating and caring for our students, and driving our economy. This “economic essentials” agenda is about directly supporting and helping workers weather the pandemic and the economic free fall we’re experiencing.

We know that Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump are standing in the way of getting everyday Americans the relief they need. If they can pass a $1 trillion tax cut for the rich and big corporations, then they can pass a bill focused on the essentials working people need.

I’ve sent my letter to Congress, and so have thousands of union members and activists from across the country. Will you send your letter right now?

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT President