Contact: Megan Fountain, megan@ulanewhaven.org, 203-479-2959
Advisory: April 29, 5:30 pm, New Haven City Hall
Speak Out for Paid Sick Days in observance of Workers’ Memorial Day
Workers, families, and lawmakers to share testimony as push continues to extend paid sick days to CT workers who are still unprotected;
“Deadly Risks, Costly Failures” report shows impact of COVID-19 and other workplace hazards
WHO:
- Mayor Justin Elicker
- State Representative Robyn Porter
- State Senator Julie Kushner
- John Lugo, Community Organizing Director, Unidad Latina en Accion
- Families of workers who have died of COVID
- Workers who have suffered preventable accidents and illness on the job
WHEN: April 29 at 5:30 pm
WHERE: New Haven City Hall
New Haven, CT – Families, advocates, and lawmakers will host a Speak Out for Paid Sick Days and memorial for workers who have died of COVID-19 in observance of Workers’ Memorial Day this Thursday, April 29 at 5:30 pm on the steps of New Haven City Hall.
The Labor and Public Employees Committee has advanced HB 6537 which, if approved by the Connecticut General Assembly, would extend paid sick days to the Connecticut workers who still do not have the basic right to take a day off to see the doctor. It would guarantee additional time off for COVID-19 illness.
After honoring the workers who have died, advocates will share recommendations from the National Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health report “Deadly Risks, Costly Failures” (April 27, 2021) which documents the impact of COVID-19 and other workplace hazards on workers and families.
In a failure for public health, U.S. Occupation Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) inspections dropped 50% although worker complaints increased 20% in 2020. No public agency is monitoring workplace infections or fatalities from COVID-19. However, in California, researchers found significant excess mortality among front line workers due to COVID-19:
- A 39% increase in mortality among food and agriculture workers
- A 28% increase among facilities workers
- A 27% increase among transportation/logistics workers.
- A 23% increase among manufacturing workers
- A 19% increase among health and emergency workers
“Tragically, many workers in Connecticut still lack the basic right to take a day off work to visit the doctor or to stay home sick,” said John Lugo of Unidad Latina en Accion. “We must honor the dead and fight for the living by guaranteeing Paid Sick Days as a basic right for all Connecticut workers now.”
