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Hi everyone! We usually don't do lists this close together but we wanted to consolidate all the resources we have seen and created into one list. So this is a follow up! Please refer to our list from a few days ago for more starter actions. That list includes tons of links, resources, and more. Our content elsewhere this week:
Where to get protest info: For NYC: @JusticeForGeorgeNYC on IG is posting daily schedules and compiling all the protests going on. Please be sure to find a near location to you-- don't go on the subway!!! Direct help to protesters from home: If you can't protest, here are some ways to help from home:
Things in this list that are urgent: - The repeal of 50A in NYS is being voted on imminently - NYC Budget gets finalized July 1st! So defunding police is urgent. Also: make sure you're taking some time to take care of yourself. If we all get burnt out, this will never work. This Instagram post by Jenna Wortham includes lots of healing resources that are free for Black people right now-- if you are Black, please utilize! A few key points before you dive in:
say their names:
First things first: DIY PHONEBANKWe made this Masterlist with Coalition Z and it's full of resources. Take a half hour to guide yourself through this phonebank on your own or FaceTime a friend or host a Zoom and do it together. legislation: Safer Ny ActThe SAFER NY ACT is a package of bills aimed at increasing increase NYPD transparency and accountability. First component of the Safer NY Act: Repeal 50-A
Click here for a one-pager on the full volume of bills in the Safer NY Act. The other bills in it are:
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| Organizations and antiracist resources are found extensively in the relevant sections of our last list (though they're by no means exhaustive), as well as in some of the resource docs linked in the buttons below. **Before donating, make sure that an org is still accepting money!** One addition: if you don’t have the means to donate, Zoe Amira, a Black woman, posted a video to raise funds for BLM causes — just clicking on the link and letting it play will generate ad revenue. - For nonblack allies, another important "place" to donate is to the Black educators helping you learn right now. Black educators on social media like Rachel Cargle will often include their Venmo, CashApp, etc. in their bio and posts. If you're learning from them, financially compensate them! |  |
Some more petitions:
- https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#petitions — a ton of petitions
- Advocate for the City Council’s passing of the chokehold bill
- Advocate for the Hands Up Act, which would punish police for shooting unarmed citizens
- Demand that Amazon stop selling facial recognition software to the government, which disproportionately impacts people of color
- Earlier this year, Amazon came under fire for supplying ICE with surveillance information in order to aid agents in terrorizing immigrant communities and deporting individuals
some other phenomenal resources worth checking out
George Floyd action doc (via @botanicaldyke):
Legal aid and places to donate to, indexed by location.
Resistance Resource Hub (via @avyisabel):
Extensive research on how police departments nationwide are funded; live and constantly being made more comprehensive by a coalition of organizers.
26 Ways to Be in the Struggle Beyond the Streets
Who’s Taking Cop Money?: A living document aimed at exposing which NY state legislators have taken money from police institutions. Has already caused five NYS incumbent politicians to swear off taking contributions from the PD and pledge to donate the funds to BLM causes.
Neighbor Handout (adapted from @kristadelany): A note calling neighbors to action, basic statistics about police brutality in the US, petitions, places to donate to, script to defund NYPD.
Student Anti-Racism Resources (from @hchsgo): Concrete actions, orgs to donate to, and books, shows/movies, articles, and podcasts to educate yourself.
Legal aid and places to donate to, indexed by location.
Resistance Resource Hub (via @avyisabel):
Extensive research on how police departments nationwide are funded; live and constantly being made more comprehensive by a coalition of organizers.
26 Ways to Be in the Struggle Beyond the Streets
Who’s Taking Cop Money?: A living document aimed at exposing which NY state legislators have taken money from police institutions. Has already caused five NYS incumbent politicians to swear off taking contributions from the PD and pledge to donate the funds to BLM causes.
Neighbor Handout (adapted from @kristadelany): A note calling neighbors to action, basic statistics about police brutality in the US, petitions, places to donate to, script to defund NYPD.
Student Anti-Racism Resources (from @hchsgo): Concrete actions, orgs to donate to, and books, shows/movies, articles, and podcasts to educate yourself.
Some Background (further reading) on why 50-A is relevant: examples of how different police misconduct laws function in 2 other states
| Records of police misconduct are confidential in 23 states; the relative level of protection of these documents varies across those states. For example, some states make the personnel records of any public employee exempt from disclosure, while New York, California, and Delaware have specific laws that prevent the public from knowing if a law enforcement officer has a history of misconduct. In California, there is a specific procedure that a defendant in a criminal case must follow in order to gain access to an officer’s record. This is called a Pitchess motion, and all of the following criteria must be met:
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However, in September 2018, a California Senate bill was passed which makes a Pitchess motion unnecessary in some cases; these include records relating to an incident, or investigation:
- involving a police officer shooting his gun at a person;
- involving a police officer using force against a person and resulting in death or great bodily injury;
- in which there was a finding that a police officer engaged in sexual assault; and,
- where there was a finding that an officer acted dishonestly.
In Washington, the “use of force” bill (House Bill 3003, signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee in March, 2018) helps hold officers accountable and prevents the use of deadly force in police altercations except under certain specified circumstances.
- While such bills help prevent deadly interactions, especially in the midst of current protests going on in Seattle, there have still been violent and abusive altercations between protesters and police officers.
- In Seattle, over the weekend, a police officer maced a child, and used black tape to cover up his badge number so bystanders could not file a complaint against him, despite officers being required to show their badges all the time. However, through photo analysis, individuals have identified the officer as Officer Jared Campbell and are working to get a complaint through to the police department.
- Email the Seattle Police Department at [email protected] or call 206-684-2489 in order to demand that Campbell face repercussions for his actions, including macing a child and refusing to show/supply his badge number when requested.
With that, we'll sign off.
Peace & Power,
TR
Peace & Power,
TR
0 Comments
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Both art pieces by @shirien.creates
Hi everyone! We still have a regular list coming out next week with some updates on a few other topics (abortion access, vaccines, some Trump stuff, election, etc.), but social media has been overwhelmed these past few days with images and actions regarding the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. In light of George's story, there has also been a lot of sharing of the stories of other victims of police violence, including Breonna Taylor, whose story we cover in this list.
This list is going to have some emergency actions, split into a few sections. You can take note of the links to documents that are updating more frequently than we are.
Remember, if this is your first experience calling or emailing about something like this, you can always look to our Basics page for help and/or email or DM us if you need help. You can also look to our Index by the Issues page for some of our previous coverage on police brutality and institutional racism.
This list is going to have some emergency actions, split into a few sections. You can take note of the links to documents that are updating more frequently than we are.
Remember, if this is your first experience calling or emailing about something like this, you can always look to our Basics page for help and/or email or DM us if you need help. You can also look to our Index by the Issues page for some of our previous coverage on police brutality and institutional racism.
What HAppened
 | George Floyd: On May 25th, 2020, a 46 year old Black man and Minnesota resident George Floyd was murdered by a white police officer by the name of Derek Chauvin. A video recorded by a bystander and streamed on Facebook Live circulated the internet following the incident; it depicted Floyd pinned to the ground by Chauvin’s knee on his neck, and you can hear Floyd pleading with the then-officer and repeating, “Please, I can’t breathe,” until he stops moving altogether. Bystanders can also be heard begging the policemen to let Floyd stand up, telling them to, “get him off the ground” and “let him breathe.” The pleas of the individuals were ignored by the officers involved, including Chauvin, who kept his knees to Floyd’s throat for four minutes after his body went limp. A new video recently surfaced of the scene and it seems to portray three officers on the ground with him. Following the incident, the policemen involved claimed that the detainment was conducted after Floyd had “physically resisted arrest,” but surveillance video of the interactions that led up to the moment of his death demonstrate that that had not been the case. The four responding officers— Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng— were fired by Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo the next day. Many are calling for charges to be pressed against these officers and for Chauvin specifically to be jailed for murder. As of 2:30pm on Friday, May 29th, Derek Chauvin is in police custody but only to protect him from "serious threats against his life"-- he has not yet been arrested or charged with any crimes. |
The killing of George Floyd incited major public unrest: the Twin Cities riots began the next day at the site of his death in protest of the Minneapolis police. Although initially peaceful, the riots quickly became violent—the MPD 3rd Precinct was vandalized, an Autozone and a Wendy’s was set on fire, and a nearby Target was looted. The Third Precinct was set ablaze as well. Police responded by firing rubber bullets into the crowds and deploying tear gas. Mayor Jacob Frey officially declared a state of emergency in Minneapolis on May 28th. Individuals in other cities throughout the country mobilized quickly as well, with marches against police brutality occurring in places like Denver, Phoenix, New York City, Louisville, and Columbus. President Trump tweeted in response to these riots by threatening Frey with sending in the National Guard if he doesn’t “get his act together and bring the city under control,” adding, “any difficulty and we will assume control, but when the looting starts, the shooting starts.
 | Breonna Taylor: Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old EMT in Louisville, Kentucky. In the middle of the night on March 13, two police officers and one sergeant forcibly entered her apartment with a search warrant related to a narcotics investigation. Taylor herself was not a suspect in the investigation; the officers were there because they believed her home had been used to aid the sale of drugs. Thinking that people were breaking into the home, Breonna’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a shot, which hit the sergeant in the leg. In response to this, the police fired 20 shots, 8 of which hit Breonna, killing her. None of the officers have been charged. Walker was originally arrested and charged with first-degree assault and attempted murder, but the FBI has since opened an investigation into the murder and dropped all of Walker’s charges. At the time of her death, Breonna worked as an EMT at hospitals saving lives. She dreamed of becoming a nurse and starting a family. More info on Breonna and her story: https://www.standwithbre.com/ |
Petitions
The easiest action to take is signing and sharing petitions, which takes around 30 seconds.
Petition for County Attorney to arrest and charge the officers who murdered George Floyd
Petition to the mayor of Minneapolis for the officers who murdered George Floyd to be arrested and charged
Justice for Breonna Taylor (extensive list of demands can be seen at link)
Breonna Taylor petition (2)
White House Petition
This link will take you to an extensive list of petitions for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other victims of police brutality
Sign this petition to support the publicly proposed Hands Up Act which would punish police for shooting unarmed citizens
Petition for County Attorney to arrest and charge the officers who murdered George Floyd
Petition to the mayor of Minneapolis for the officers who murdered George Floyd to be arrested and charged
Justice for Breonna Taylor (extensive list of demands can be seen at link)
Breonna Taylor petition (2)
White House Petition
This link will take you to an extensive list of petitions for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other victims of police brutality
Sign this petition to support the publicly proposed Hands Up Act which would punish police for shooting unarmed citizens
Scripts
Calling various people in power works because the sheer number of calls puts pressure on them. Learn more about calling here.
SCRIPTS (via The Gathering for Justice)
1. Contact Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman
Call: (612) 348-5550 *Leave a voicemail if unanswered*
Email: [email protected]
Script: Hello, my name is [your name], and I’m contacting your office with regards to the murder of George Floyd. I am demanding that you immediately arrest and charge the responsible officers - Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng. We cannot continue to allow police to act with impunity, as they violently brutalize our Black siblings/us. Accountability is essential, and I want to remind you that the entire nation is calling on Michael Freeman to act and get justice for George’s family. Thank you.
2. Contact Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
Call: (612) 673-2100 *Leave a voicemail if unanswered*
Script: Hello, my name is [your name], I’m contacting your office with regards to the murder of George Floyd. I implore Mayor Jacob Frey to make the necessary requests to arrest and charge the officers who are responsible: Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng. I’m also asking that your office redirect funding from the Minneapolis Police Department to community programs that will help reduce the amount of violence in Minneapolis. Floyd should be alive today, and Minneapolis needs Mayor Frey to stand with the community in demanding accountability. Thank you.
3. Contact the Minneapolis Police Union
info: the Minneapolis Police Union has consistently resisted reform and kept offering "warrior-style police training" even after it was banned in the city.
Call: 612-788-8444
Script: Hi, my name is _____ and I'm calling because I demand action for the racist murder of George Floyd by your police officers. I demand that you hold Minneapolis Police Officers accountable now and in the future to assure that this never happens again. This includes stopping your offering of warrior-style police training. Furthermore, the union should assure that all officers involved face criminal consequences for his murder. George and his family and all people affected by irresponsible police violence deserve justice. Thank you.
4. For Breonna Taylor: The Action Pac has a calling hotline that will walk you through instructions and help you call this list of people:
- Public Integrity Unity of the Louisville Metro PD
- Commonwealth AG Tom Wine
- Kentucky AG
- State, local, and federal officials
You can click here to call for her.
5. Email script: click here.
1. Contact Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman
Call: (612) 348-5550 *Leave a voicemail if unanswered*
Email: [email protected]
Script: Hello, my name is [your name], and I’m contacting your office with regards to the murder of George Floyd. I am demanding that you immediately arrest and charge the responsible officers - Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng. We cannot continue to allow police to act with impunity, as they violently brutalize our Black siblings/us. Accountability is essential, and I want to remind you that the entire nation is calling on Michael Freeman to act and get justice for George’s family. Thank you.
2. Contact Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
Call: (612) 673-2100 *Leave a voicemail if unanswered*
Script: Hello, my name is [your name], I’m contacting your office with regards to the murder of George Floyd. I implore Mayor Jacob Frey to make the necessary requests to arrest and charge the officers who are responsible: Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng. I’m also asking that your office redirect funding from the Minneapolis Police Department to community programs that will help reduce the amount of violence in Minneapolis. Floyd should be alive today, and Minneapolis needs Mayor Frey to stand with the community in demanding accountability. Thank you.
3. Contact the Minneapolis Police Union
info: the Minneapolis Police Union has consistently resisted reform and kept offering "warrior-style police training" even after it was banned in the city.
Call: 612-788-8444
Script: Hi, my name is _____ and I'm calling because I demand action for the racist murder of George Floyd by your police officers. I demand that you hold Minneapolis Police Officers accountable now and in the future to assure that this never happens again. This includes stopping your offering of warrior-style police training. Furthermore, the union should assure that all officers involved face criminal consequences for his murder. George and his family and all people affected by irresponsible police violence deserve justice. Thank you.
4. For Breonna Taylor: The Action Pac has a calling hotline that will walk you through instructions and help you call this list of people:
- Public Integrity Unity of the Louisville Metro PD
- Commonwealth AG Tom Wine
- Kentucky AG
- State, local, and federal officials
You can click here to call for her.
5. Email script: click here.
Organizations
PLACES NOT TO DONATE TO: Don't donate via change.org and don't donate via Shaun King or his organizations-- he has a history of mishandling funds and stealing the work of Black women activists. (Link to article explaining this)
PLACES TO DONATE TO:
PLACES TO DONATE TO:
- Official GoFundMe for George Floyd's family
- Minnesota Freedom Fund (bail for protesters in Minnesota)
- Black Visions Project (protest organizers)
- Reclaim the Block (organizers in Minneapolis)
- North Star Health Collective (medics for protesters)
- Louisville Community Bail Fund (bail for protesters in Louisville)
- Support Sybrina Fulton's campaign for congress. Sybrina Fulton's son, Trayvon Martin, was murdered by police in Florida.
- GoFundMe for Ahmaud Arbery's mother (look at our most recent list for info on Ahmaud)
- More places to donate can be found at the link above (in the big white button)
If you go to an in-person protest:
PLEASE make sure to continue to social distance as much as possible and wear a mask at all times (to protect against COVID-19 and to protect your identity). If you have loved ones at home who are vulnerable, consider not going. Make sure to stay healthy and safe and remember, there are always things to do from home.
Further Antiracist resources
Another video went viral this week: it was recorded by Christian Cooper, a Black man who is a birder in Central Park. Cooper was in the Ramble, a birding area in the park, when he encountered Amy Cooper (no relation) whose dog was off-leash. Christian asked her to put her dog on the leash because it is dangerous for the birds (and required by the park rules) and Amy Cooper did not comply; he began to film the situation and she demanded he stop filming as she stepped towards him. She then threatened to call the police, saying "I"m going to call the cops and tell them an African-American man is threatening me." You can watch the video yourself, but it is a chilling reminder of how racism is weaponized. This is why changes to the institutional systems are not enough. Amy Cooper was weaponizing the police because she knew that it was a threat to Christian and would put him in a potentially deadly situation like the one we saw with George Floyd. That desire to weaponize racism would have come through no matter what the medium was-- in this case, the police.
This is precisely why tackling this requires deep introspection and anti-racism on the part of white people in this country who can change the deep-seeded attitudes and sinister undercurrents of the culture of this country. Here are some resources for anti-racism.
This is precisely why tackling this requires deep introspection and anti-racism on the part of white people in this country who can change the deep-seeded attitudes and sinister undercurrents of the culture of this country. Here are some resources for anti-racism.
- FREE Online Yale University Open Course: African American History: From Emancipation to the Present
- Thread of documentaries to watch
- Mental health resources for Black youth
- Anti-racism resources for white people
- Rachel Cargle posts excellent anti-racist resources on Instagram. If you use or learn from her work, Venmo or CashApp her if you can!
- ShiShi Rose is an activist who posts roundups of GoFundMes to donate to regularly
One concrete action you can take right now is asking your mayor to defund the police and invest in other areas. As we wrote in last week's list, NYC mayor Bill De Blasio proposed a budget that cut the NYPD budget only minimally but cuts hundreds of millions of dollars from public schools. You can click here to take action on this.
With that, we're signing off.
We love you and hope you're doing well.
Peace, power, and solidarity,
Teens Resist
We love you and hope you're doing well.
Peace, power, and solidarity,
Teens Resist
5/12/2020 0 Comments
Weathering the Curve: May 2020
Hey Teen Resisters!
Hope that everyone is staying safe, sane, and healthy — sending love & support to anyone whose family or friends have been affected. Our advice remains the same: forgive yourself, find any and all silver linings, stay connected! Take care of yourself: exercise, sleep, eat, do something, or do nothing. We've included some quick COVID-19 actions via a link to an earlier list (volunteer, donate, stay updated, stay busy) and some urgent info on NYC Mayor De Blasio's atrocious new budget plan, which guts funding for public schools. We also linked a few good articles/websites, in case you want to read something but opening the news is too overwhelming. Happy activisting :)
Peace & power,
Teens Resist
Hope that everyone is staying safe, sane, and healthy — sending love & support to anyone whose family or friends have been affected. Our advice remains the same: forgive yourself, find any and all silver linings, stay connected! Take care of yourself: exercise, sleep, eat, do something, or do nothing. We've included some quick COVID-19 actions via a link to an earlier list (volunteer, donate, stay updated, stay busy) and some urgent info on NYC Mayor De Blasio's atrocious new budget plan, which guts funding for public schools. We also linked a few good articles/websites, in case you want to read something but opening the news is too overwhelming. Happy activisting :)
Peace & power,
Teens Resist
before you dive in:
Some Quick Resources: What can you do re: COVID-19, in general? We outlined a ton of feasible and impactful actions in our first quarantine list — including how to find places or sites to volunteer, places to donate to, how to stay updated, and how to stay busy. Check it out here: Quaranteens Resist. And here’s the link for places to get aid from, if you need a quick reference.**
| NYC: Mayor De Blasio's Proposed Education Budget Cuts NYC is doing some budget adjustment, and the mayor's proposal cuts 827 million dollars from the NYC education system. This cut would get rid of tons of much-needed resources and important programs for a school system that people rely on for education, food, and many other resources. Obviously, now is a particularly bad time for the cut to happen; more than ever, public schools need adequate funding to continue to support people through this pandemic. Other city departments are receiving far smaller budget cuts. Education must be prioritized. The idea that when kids return to school they will have even fewer resources than they had pre-COVID, at a time when so many need more, is simply wrong. |  |
After months of compromised learning and, for many students, tremendous loss in their families and communities, children will need additional academic and socio-emotional support - but the proposed budget cuts will guarantee they get less.
There are many competing needs in our city right now. If school funding is not prioritized in the upcoming budget, it will be an unmitigated disaster - not only for the next school year, but for the long term. Please read & sign this petition, directed to Corey Johnson, Speaker of City Council, to stop Mayor DeBlasio's proposed cut, and circulate it far and wide.
There are many competing needs in our city right now. If school funding is not prioritized in the upcoming budget, it will be an unmitigated disaster - not only for the next school year, but for the long term. Please read & sign this petition, directed to Corey Johnson, Speaker of City Council, to stop Mayor DeBlasio's proposed cut, and circulate it far and wide.
Some Notable Links
- This website is tracking instances where people have invoked antisemitism during the COVID-19 outbreak. You can look through the instances as well as actions to take. An essential read is Eric Ward’s “Skin in the Game: How Antisemitism Animates White Nationalism.”
- “These Are the Things That New Yorkers Most Achingly Miss"
- "College Campuses Must Reopen in the Fall. Here's How We Do It," by Christina Paxson, president of Brown University
what went down
| Ahmaud Arbery’s Murder Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old black man, was out jogging near his home in Brunswick, Georgia on February 23, 2020, when two white men — Gregory McMichael and his son Travis McMichael — rode up behind him in their truck, wrestled him, and shot him twice, killing him. Gregory McMichael used to be an officer for the Glynn County Police Department, the county that Brunswick is in. William Bryan, a third accomplice in the case, recorded a video of the murder. In the video, he can be heard cocking his gun as he drives up behind Gregory and Travis McMichael’s truck, boxing Ahmaud in. After a massive public outcry and pressure from millions in the nation, Gregory and Travis McMichael were arrested on Thursday, May 7th, over a month after Ahmaud was killed. They are both being charged with murder and aggravated assault. Bryan has not yet been arrested. Although this horrifying act was clearly one of white supremacy, Georgia is one of only four states that do not have a hate crime prevention law, meaning it can only be investigated and charged as a hate crime on a federal level. |  |
That the McMichaels were arrested is a testament to the power of the people. But there is so much more work to be done:
People all over the country ran this past weekend, May 8th-10th, 2.23 miles (to remember the date he was killed). Ahmaud’s 26th birthday would have been May 8th. The hashtag #IRunWithMaud was used to support his mother and to remember him.
- Sign the petition here to pressure officials to arrest Bryant and ask the FBI to consider this modern-day lynching as a hate crime.
- Sign the petition here to demand that Jackie Johnson, the Brunswick District Attorney who refused to initially issue an arrest warrant, resign. This is not the first time Johnson’s legal decisions regarding police brutality have been biased (see more on that here).
- If you call the number 770-800-0689, The Action PAC (an organization cofounded by Shaun King...you might remember they did a lot of work on the Rodney Reed case and have been steadfastly organizing since) walks you through numbers to call and instructions on how to do so.
- Pressure lawmakers in Georgia to pass a hate crimes prevention law (Governor Kemp has indicated he would be open to supporting it)
People all over the country ran this past weekend, May 8th-10th, 2.23 miles (to remember the date he was killed). Ahmaud’s 26th birthday would have been May 8th. The hashtag #IRunWithMaud was used to support his mother and to remember him.
| Big Company Strikes Amidst some of the most unprecedented times we have ever experienced, everyone has been subject to some measure of self-isolation. The extent of that measure, though, varies greatly, based on the role we fulfill in our day-to-day lives. Functions that satisfy our basic needs are still necessary to keep our society running, and the force behind those needs are essential workers. Never before has there been such a necessity for them, whether they are grocery store cashiers, pharmacists, or delivery service employees. As essential workers are subject to intense pressures and skyrocketing demand, it is more vital than ever to consider the state of their working conditions. |  |
Those conditions are largely terrible. In fact, on May 1st, workers at companies such as Walmart, FedEx, Target, Amazon, and Whole Foods went on strike, raising complaints of unsafe working conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic. The issues they cited included a lack of protective equipment, as well as just time to wash their hands. It gets worse: Whole Foods, for example, requires their employees to test for COVID-19 if they show symptoms, but does not 1) cover the cost for the test, 2) provide any way for them to get tested, or 3) enforce that policy. Even when workers do test positive, the company doesn’t close that location. Instead, they clean the store and notify workers, but not the customers. Already, grocery store workers have begun to die from COVID-19.
The May 1st strike shook the entire essential industry, emerging as one of the most impactful strikes in recent history. There’s a couple reasons why that could actually turn out to be a really good thing. Workers’ rights have been ignored for years, with employees frequently fired for merely speaking up. However, right now, firing isn’t exactly an option for companies. As grocery stores and delivery services like Amazon are top priorities, the workers that are the backbone of those companies are everything. Because essential workers aren’t easily replaceable right now, companies are more likely to have to comply with the demands of strikes; their alternative is risking major profit loss and an inability to supply millions of waiting customers. Safe conditions for workers isn’t just important to companies — it should be important to us as well, both on basic principles of human rights and to ensure that we, especially those among us who are the most vulnerable, have access to necessary materials.
What can you do?
The May 1st strike shook the entire essential industry, emerging as one of the most impactful strikes in recent history. There’s a couple reasons why that could actually turn out to be a really good thing. Workers’ rights have been ignored for years, with employees frequently fired for merely speaking up. However, right now, firing isn’t exactly an option for companies. As grocery stores and delivery services like Amazon are top priorities, the workers that are the backbone of those companies are everything. Because essential workers aren’t easily replaceable right now, companies are more likely to have to comply with the demands of strikes; their alternative is risking major profit loss and an inability to supply millions of waiting customers. Safe conditions for workers isn’t just important to companies — it should be important to us as well, both on basic principles of human rights and to ensure that we, especially those among us who are the most vulnerable, have access to necessary materials.
What can you do?
- Recently, there’s been a Senate proposal for an almost $2000 monthly pay raise for essential workers, nicknamed the Patriot Pay Plan. Call your state senators to voice your support for the passage of this legislation here: https://www.senate.gov/senators/How_to_correspond_senators.htm
- Support front-line and essential workers! Tip them, give them a thank you card, or even spread the word for awareness on social media. Let them know how much you appreciate all their hard work.
And, finally....
UPdates
These lists include featured organizations, scripts, numbers, news updates and inspirational activists.
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