Dear John,

Please mark your calendar for the new date for the 2020 Labor Rights Defenders Awards Ceremony: October 1, 2020: [link removed]

We believe it is even more important now to honor these amazing advocates. While we hope to see many of you in person at SEIU in Washington, D.C.; at the very least we will organize an online conference so you can hear about their inspiring work directly. Tickets are available here: [link removed]

In addition to purchasing a ticket, another wonderful way you can support ILRF's work at this time is to help us secure sponsorships for the event. For information on sponsorship opportunities, click here: [link removed]

Even as the U.S. considers ending the quarantine, our partners in the Global South are just beginning to feel the brunt of the crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic makes it clear just how essential ILRF’s advocacy is. Millions of laid-off apparel and hospitality industry workers – underpaid in the best of times – now have no savings to fall back on. We created a resource hub to call for worker protections and wage security. Check the page for actions you can take to support our global partners.

The 2020 Labor Rights Defenders Awardees are also mobilizing responses to the Covid-19 crisis in several ways:

- Lorretta Johnson, Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers, is calling on President Trump to use the Defense Production Act to make ventilators for patients.

- Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, is calling for a Global Fund for Universal Social Protection, highlighting how vulnerable low-wage workers are.

- The General Agricultural Workers Union of Ghana is advocating for income security for cocoa farmers. Chocolate consumption is unlikely to slow, so the industry should be able to help.

- The Chicago Teachers Union is working with school and city officials to demand wage security and more paid sick leave and other measures needed in response to the crisis.

Every year the Awards event is an opportunity to lift up and support the campaigns of leading worker organizers and advocates. The event is also an essential source of funding for ILRF’s core work to support labor rights defenders under threat. Please purchase your ticket here ([link removed]) or find out about sponsorship opportunities here: [link removed]. This year, more than ever, we will be extremely grateful for your support.

Best wishes,

Judy Gearhart
Executive Director

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Please consider joining ILRF as a monthly donor to help sustain our ability to stand with labor rights defenders around the world: [link removed]

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