John,
Today is Labor Day, the national holiday honoring workers who do the essential jobs we all depend on.
From grocery store clerks, to transit workers, to nurses and caregivers, to millions of other workers, they’re giving everything to keep our country running during the pandemic.
But Mitch McConnell and his Republicans in the Senate are completely trashing these workers. They’re refusing to pass critical relief that workers need now. Instead, they’re doing the bidding of corporate lobbyists like the Chamber of Commerce by calling for a ban on lawsuits against businesses that put workers’ lives at risk.
According to a recent report in the Washington Post, corporate-funded lobbyists at the Chamber are literally writing the legislation being proposed by Republicans: “...the close relationship the Chamber has with congressional Republicans is unparalleled in many ways.”
We are facing a crisis of truly historic proportions. The latest figures show nearly 60 million working Americans have filed for unemployment because of the pandemic, and millions more have lost hazard pay and are at risk for becoming unemployed. This historic situation calls for historic leadership.
Yet, Mitch McConnell and his Republicans in the Senate are only making matters worse. It’s been over 100 days since the House passed the HEROES Act to provide relief for everyday Americans. That bill would extend critical relief like $600 supplemental unemployment benefits for workers struggling in the pandemic. But the truth is, most Republicans in the Senate don’t even think it’s important to pass a relief bill. They proved that when they skipped town last month for a major vacation.
And that’s no coincidence. Toxic corporate lobbyists are writing big campaign checks for Republican Senators like Mitch McConnell. In return, he’s doing their bidding at the expense of the hardest working Americans.
We’ve seen truly heart-breaking stories of workers sacrificing everything in the pandemic while corporate executives and CEO’s continue to profit. At meat-processing plants like JBS and Mountaire, workers have been told to remain on the job despite being sick, outbreaks have killed loyal employees, and workers have essentially been forced to go back to plants sick because they are offered no leave and must work to pay rent and support their families. At Amazon and Whole Foods, CEO Jeff Bezos ended hazard pay for workers despite the ongoing pandemic, while on his way to becoming the world’s first trillionaire.
These practices are simply moral outrages.
But the Labor Movement in America has fought tooth and nail against these practices for over a century - and today, this fight is more critical than ever.
Thank you for standing with workers,
HAZMAT America
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