Dear John,
When Covid hit New York a year ago, workers from across the state and industry came together as the NY Essential Workers Coalition to safeguard and fight for the health and dignity of our communities throughout the pandemic. After a relentless, year-long fight for protections, essential workers and our communities celebrate a monumental victory with the signing of the NY HERO Act into law. This legislation will provide real, lasting protections and a stronger voice in the workplace for this pandemic or anything that can come next. New York will be stronger, healthier, and better prepared now that NY HERO is enshrined into law.
Nurses, sanitation workers, dairy workers, domestic workers, delivery drivers, restaurant workers, warehouse workers. These are the voices that make up the NY Essential Workers Coalition and built the NY HERO Act. In the face of a crisis, our coalition found strength and hope by uniting together. In the face of death, our coalition found solace in a common struggle. In the face of calamity, our coalition sought healing and repair in the stories we told.
Today, we made history! NY HERO Act will be the first law in the country to create permanent, enforceable health and safety standards to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne infectious diseases in the workplace. The standards will cover basic protocols around areas including PPE, social distancing, and airflow. The legislation also allows for workers to form groundbreaking Health and Safety committees in order to monitor, review and collaborate with employers on all workplace health and safety policies. Workers now have a seat at the table regarding health and safety issues in the workplace. As New York moves toward a full reopening in the coming weeks, this vital law will help protect essential workers and businesses.
New Yorkers can feel more safe when going back to work or going to a grocery store. New Yorkers no longer have to fear retaliation for raising concerns in the workplace. It is a victory for workers on the ground who are now organizing for a more powerful voice in the workplace. This victory is also just the start. The NY HERO Act is the beginning of a vision of solidarity among workers and how we can reclaim power in the workplace. The NY Essential Workers Coalition is a testament to ALIGN’s vision of building long standing alliances of workers and community united through winning campaigns, power-building initiatives, and participatory policy development.
Groundbreaking legislation like the NY HERO Act is only possible with the support of the movement behind it. You can support our work by making a donation to ALIGN.
In solidarity,
Maritza Silva-Farrell
Executive Director
ALIGN
