Essential Workers in Every Sector Need PPE to Save Lives
(April 21, 2020, MILWAUKEE, WI) – The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO has been consistently calling for every essential worker, whether on the front lines, working with the public, or simply working closely with coworkers, to have personal protective equipment, thoroughly cleaned and sanitized workplaces, and social distance from one another to save their own lives and the lives of all Americans. Unions and workers on the front lines across the country have been demanding PPE and better OSHA workplace standards for infectious disease.
In a guest column published today in the Wisconsin Examiner, Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale, explains the devastating long-term economic and personal consequences of turning the dial on Safer at Home before we have sufficient PPE and testing for workers.
“Those we elect to public office have a duty to look beyond what might be immediately popular to what is genuinely in the public interest. Republican leaders in the Wisconsin legislature are failing this critical leadership test badly,” said Stephanie Bloomingdale, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO. “We are at war together against this virus, and instead of playing politics by filing lawsuit after lawsuit, we should be working together to save the lives of Wisconsinites. If ever there was a time for state GOP leaders to abandon their hyper-partisan, take-no-prisoners playbook in favor of genuine bi-partisan problem solving, it is now. There are lives at stake.”
Bloomingdale continued: “Despite the current limited level of economic activity in our state, far too many essential workers still on the job are working without adequate personal protective equipment; their workplaces are not sufficiently cleaned and sanitized; recommended social distancing is not universally practiced. We’ve seen the result—many have contracted the virus and sadly, a growing number have died.
“Every essential worker, whether on the front lines, working with the public, or simply working closely with coworkers, must have personal protective equipment, thoroughly cleaned and sanitized workplaces, and social distance from one another to save their own lives and the lives of all Americans.
“We need to keep policies like Safer at Home in place until we can safeguard everyone on the job with appropriate personal protective equipment and other workplace policies like regular sanitation and cleaning. We need to ramp up our testing capacity, and bring down the number of cases to a level our healthcare system can safely handle.
“Despite the many challenges we’re facing, working people are prepared to stay the course for the good of all. We support Governor Evers’ efforts in this crisis and call on each and every elected official to set politics aside and work to become part of the solution.”