American Rescue Plan: How It Benefits Essential Workers

On Thursday, March 11, President Joe Biden signed the COVID relief bill into law. This will provide millions of workers and families with the urgent relief they need as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. 

“In grocery stores and meatpacking plants across the country, millions of essential workers are on the frontlines as they face the daily threat of COVID infection to protect our food supply during this crisis. With the American Rescue Plan, these brave frontline workers will receive the support they have earned as they continue to put their own health at risk so that our families can put food on the table.” -UFCW President Marc Perrone

What’s in the American Rescue Plan for UFCW Members:

• Relief Payments: Provides $1,400 in relief payments per person for individuals making less than $75,000 and married couples making less than $150,000. along with additional tax relief for working families with children. 

• Childcare: Includes $15 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and allows those funds to be used by essential workers. 

• COVID Testing and Vaccine: Provides funding towards testing, contact tracing, PPE, and vaccine distribution.

• Health and safety: Provides $200 million for pandemic-related worker protection activities at the Labor Department, half of which would go to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to support OSHA enforcement and worker training in high-risk sectors such as meat processing, health care, correctional facilities and agriculture.

• Extends unemployment benefits: Extends pandemic-related unemployment assistance that was set to expire on March 14, including the current $300 supplement to unemployment benefits, for another six months through Sept. 6. Provides that the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits received by taxpayers making less than $150,000 will not be subject to federal taxation.

• Retirement Security: Strengthens the entire pension system by helping pension plans that are in danger of failing.

Harrison/St Michael Agrees to Meet with UFCW 21 Leadership

UFCW 21 sent a letter to management detailing our demands during this outbreak, and have received a response from management that they would like to meet with UFCW 21 leadership as soon as this week. We will update everyone with whatever we learn.

We also wanted to report back some of the results of safety surveys many Harrison/St. Michael workers took last week. The surveys showed:

• 78% of survey takers have had an issue with damaged, untested, or inadequate supply of PPE

• 60% believe they had an exposure to a COVID-positive patient or coworker since Aug 4

• 50% of quarantined respondents were put on paid admin leave while quarantined

• 18% were quarantined while waiting for test results

• 43% learned of the outbreak from a coworker

• 30% learned of the outbreak from news media

• 21% learned of it from hospital management

In many departments, large amounts of new PPE showed up almost overnight last week, and while we are frustrated that it took this much hard work from union hospital staff to get protective equipment on the floor, we’re glad it has now been made available. If you continue to have issues with unsafe PPE, you can always send us a safety report at safetyreport@ufcw21.org.

Masks for UFCW 21 Members

Our member-led executive board knows firsthand how hard it is for working people during this COVID-19 pandemic, and we are so proud of UFCW 21 members everywhere for serving our communities, stepping up to help each other and keep each other safe, and caring for our families and loved ones during a public health crisis. 

When the CDC released recommendations that we should all be wearing cloth masks in public to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the board moved to purchase cloth barrier masks for our fellow UFCW 21 members. We contracted with a local union company to produce these masks. 

Masks are now arriving, and Shop Stewards are distributing them to coworkers. We will continue to distribute masks as more of them arrive. As we have throughout this pandemic, we are still fighting for everyone’s employer to provide them adequate protective equipment at work, the hazard pay we deserve for the work we are doing, and support for everyone facing the economic impacts of the pandemic. 

Thank you to every UFCW 21 member. We are union strong! 

Members take action, Governor responds with mandated customer limits and other protections

Grocery employers’ failure to enforce social distancing requirements in their workplaces has led to member actions across the state. UFCW 21 has been advocating for stricter limits on customer counts backed by members’ dramatic stories, testimonials, and petitions. Fred Meyer workers have been especially concerned about the issue of customer counts because they say the company’s self-imposed limit of 50% was inadequate to begin with and rarely enforced. 

“We have one of the busiest stores and no one is seeing the customer numbers drop. I make homemade masks for free for my co-workers because I want us safer. The top treats us like numbers instead of people.  We have names, we are important, treat us like we are your family and respect us."  -S., Fred Meyer 

“There needs to be a limit on the customers allowed in the store at a time, masks and gloves should be required, and social distancing enforced.”  -Bella, Fred Meyer 

Governor Jay Inslee has responded to frontline grocery workers’ safety concerns by requiring retail stores to limit customer counts to 30% of maximum occupancy during Phase 2 of the State’s Covid-19 response plan. 

Thanks to workers speaking up, the state’s new rules include: 

• Limiting store occupancy to 30% of maximum building occupancy or lower.

• Distance markers to help maintain 6-foot social distancing in lines both inside and outside the store.

• Conspicuous signage at entrances and throughout the store alerting staff and customers to the required occupancy limits, six-foot physical distancing guidance, and policy on face coverings.

• Sneeze guards or other barriers wherever there’s potential interaction between employees that could be less than 6 feet.

• Frequently cleaning and sanitizing, especially high-touch areas.

• Maintaining minimum six-foot separation between all employees and customers in all interactions at all times.

• When that’s not feasible, they must use other prevention measures such as barriers or staggered breaks and shifts.

• Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, goggles, face shields and face masks as appropriate or required to employees for the activity being performed. 

• Ensuring frequent and adequate hand washing with adequate maintenance of supplies. 

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Read the state’s full guidance here.

If your employer is not following these guidelines, you can report them directly to the State of Washington for violating the governor’s order. 

UFCW 21 Political Director Samantha Grad said the voice of frontline workers was essential in moving the Governor to action: “It only happened because UFCW 21 members were sharing what it’s like in their stores and why it’s dangerous for workers and customers. We are grateful to Governor Inslee for listening to workers and taking action to protect our communities.” 

WA PPE Supplies & State-Approved Conservation Strategies

The State of Washington is now posting the state supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), including donations, National Strategic Stockpile distributions, and state orders for more equipment. Check the levels of all equipment here.

The State Department of Health has also issued guidelines for conservation of PPE, with a framework for PPE usage during standard recommended usage, when we need to conserve PPE, and when the shortage is extreme. Check those guidelines, and if you are being asked to use, not use, or ration your PPE in a way that is not safe, contact us immediately by calling your Shop Steward, Union Rep, or emailing safetyreport@ufcw21.org.

Washington State Department of Health Personal Protective Equipment conservation strategies for health care workers

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Source: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/PPEConservationStrategies.pdf

All healthcare facilities need to implement the following PPE conservation strategies to the greatest extent possible at this time:

Engineering Controls (put barrier between hazard and the healthcare provider)

• Isolate patients in an airborne infection isolation room or private room with door closed.

• Use physical barriers such as plastic windows at reception, curtains between patients, etc.

• Properly maintain ventilation systems to provide air movement from clean to contaminated flow.

Administrative Controls (work practices that reduce or prevent hazardous exposures)

• Cancel all non-urgent surgeries, procedures and appointments for which PPE is used.

• Exclude all staff not directly involved in patient care from the patient’s room (e.g., dietary, housekeeping employees).

• Reduce face-to-face HCP encounters with patients (e.g., bundling activities, video monitoring).

• Allow one asymptomatic essential caregiver to assist with the care of a patient with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, but exclude all other visitors.

• Cohort patients: Group together patients who are confirmed to have COVID-19.

• Cohort HCP: Assign designated teams of HCP to provide care for all patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

• Screen patients for acute respiratory illness either by phone or telehealth prior to nonurgent care or elective visits to reduce patients visits.

• Use telemedicine to screen and manage patients to reduce patient visits.

• Schedule respiratory clinics to minimize PPE use.

• Continue to use simple face masks for source control in waiting rooms.

Personal Protective Equipment

• Follow PPE Conservation Strategies (yellow) on page 2 of this document if resources allow. Facilities using extreme strategies will be prioritized for PPE allocation.

• Reserve N95 respirators for confirmed/suspected COVID patients in ICUs and those requiring aerosol generating procedures per DOH Infection Control Guidance.

• Use alternatives to N95 respirators where feasible (e.g., other disposable filtering face piece respirators, elastomeric respirators with appropriate filters or cartridges, PAPR).

• Limit respirators during training: Determine which HCPs need to be in a respiratory protection program; limited re-use of respirators by individual HCP for training & fit testing.

• Shift eye protection from disposable to re-usable devices (i.e., goggles, reusable faceshields)

• Shift gown use towards cloth isolation gowns; consider use of coveralls.

Resources: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ppe-strategy/index.htm

https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/PPEConservationStrategies.pdf

An open letter to Governor Inslee, Secretary Wiesman, Vice Admiral Bono from Washington's front line Unions

April 1, 2020
RE: COVID-19 Transparency of Response Efforts and Working Conditions

Governor Inslee, Secretary Wiesman, Vice Admiral Bono,

We are writing to thank you for your leadership during this unprecedented crisis and to ask for your help to address a number of ongoing concerns. As unions representing workers who are on the frontlines fighting this pandemic, we are hearing from our members daily about their genuine commitment to serving our communities combined with their very real fears of getting sick, potentially infecting others, and of the critical need for their protection. As you well know, without our health care workers and emergency responders, we will fail to adequately respond in the days ahead.

We ask for your immediate help in the following areas:

1. Personal Protective Equipment and Supplies

Over the last several weeks, we have communicated our request for more transparency in the supply chain of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and supplies. We have heard that the state has received some significant shipments of PPE from the Strategic National Stockpile and other sources. Yet, those supplies have not made it into the hands of frontline health care workers and emergency responders.

As the unions representing workers who so desperately need PPE for their own safety, we ask that you provide a weekly report of amount of PPE at the EOC, where it is going, and to whom it is being distributed (down to the facility level). We also ask that you request from the hospitals and health providers under the DOH fourpart triage list a weekly report of PPE on hand.

Those of us representing health care workers are hearing stories from our members of supplies of N-95 masks and other PPE being locked in cabinets rather than provided to those on the frontlines. In the law enforcement community, department leadership is taking PPE supplies from jail facilities to offer some limited resources to officers; other departments are directing supply officers to use “traditional purchasing chains” for needed PPE. Neither of these directives are sustainable or solution oriented. It is critical that we understand the supply chain and where PPE can be utilized by health care workers and first responders now, rather than being saved for later.

2. COVID-19 Testing

Many counties are prioritizing testing of health care workers and first responders; this is both appreciated and appropriate. However, we are not receiving updates from counties or the state on the number of tests provided to health care workers and first responders nor the results of those tests. We ask that you provide more transparency in testing, including a weekly report of a) how long it is taking to receive results, b) how many health care workers/first responders are being tested, and c) the results of those tests (i.e., number of positives and negatives). We also ask that the Governor’s Office inform EMS that first responders must be prioritized for testing, especially those with symptoms or workplace exposure. Test processing for first responders and health care workers should be expedited.

3. Use of Appropriate Leave

As our members are exposed to COVID-19 on the job, there is no system-level response. A standard statewide protocol for exposure response, testing, and quarantine is urgently needed. This should include the use of appropriate leave – frontline responders should not be required to use accrued paid time off, vacation, or sick leave benefits while on quarantine. We ask that a statewide standard for leave be adopted that includes use of paid administrative leave or workers’ compensation with paid administrative leave making up the difference – in each case, when quarantined, isolated, or treated, employees should be kept whole in terms of salary and benefits.

We also ask that the Governor clarify his earlier order regarding L&I claims filed by health care workers and first responders – our members need clarification that the decision to self-quarantine due to workplace exposure without the specific direction of a health care provider or employer administration is allowable. We strongly believe that presumption of workplace illness should be made for health care workers and first responders.

4. Protection of Vulnerable Workers

National COVID-19 guidelines tell us that those in vulnerable categories – those over 60 years of age, pregnant women, and people with underlying health conditions – need to be protected. In a recent press conference, Governor Inslee stated in the strongest terms that workers in these vulnerable categories or those who live with vulnerable people should be allowed to either work from home or take extended leave, continue to be paid, and have their job available to them when this crisis ends. While acknowledging that this policy did not yet carry the force of law, Governor Inslee clearly and unequivocally gave this direction to businesses.

Despite this, many of our members have been told they must remain on the job – including in emergency rooms and Intensive Care Units where the highest volume of COVID-19 patients are treated. Likewise, first responders within fire and law enforcement who fall into the category of vulnerable workers must also be given accommodation during this emergency. We ask that you make clear to our employers that vulnerable workers must be protected through reasonable and safe accommodation or by staying home.

We greatly appreciate our partnership with you during this crisis, and we look forward to working with you to ensure the above concerns are addressed post haste.

Sincerely,

JOINT STATEMENT FROM SEIU HEALTHCARE 1199NW, WASHINGTON STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION AND UFCW 21 ON PROHIBITION OF LARGE EVENTS DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wed., March 11, 2020

CONTACT:

Amy Clark,
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
amyc@seiu1199nw.org
425.306.2061

Ruth Schubert,
Washington State Nurses Association
rschubert@wsna.org 
206.713.7884

Sarah Cherin,
UFCW 21
scherin@ufcw21.org
206-436-6580

JOINT STATEMENT FROM SEIU HEALTHCARE 1199NW, WASHINGTON STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION AND UFCW 21 ON PROHIBITION OF LARGE EVENTS DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK

As nurses and healthcare workers providing essential care to patients in hospitals, clinics, and housing and shelters across Washington state, we applaud Gov. Jay Inslee and the leaders of King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties for taking the necessary step of limiting large gatherings during this stage of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Prohibiting events is a common-sense measure that will help protect our community members from the novel coronavirus.

This measure will also help frontline health care workers and our health care system as a whole effectively respond to this crisis by “flattening the curve” of coronavirus patients seeking care. As health care workers on the front lines of responding to this public health emergency, we support all efforts to reduce the impact on our ability to provide care by lowering the daily number of patients coming into a system that is already stressed by the growing number of COVID-19 patients.

We understand that state and local governments and public health agencies are responding proactively to the existing risks created by this new disease in an effort to minimize those risks and keep our healthcare delivery system accessible to all who may need it.

In our role as caregivers, we are often called on to tell patients the truth about their health. The truth we want our community to hear is this: Social distancing, like that enforced by the measure announced today, is one of the very best ways to prevent the spread of epidemic illness. This temporary change in behavior will help protect all of us from the spread of COVID-19, as well as from cold and flu illnesses common during this time of year.

The most vulnerable COVID-19 patients—those age 60 or older or with underlying health conditions—may need intensive hospital care, and it is essential that we preserve hospital intensive and critical care beds for those most vulnerable patients. Social distancing is a public health measure that will help prevent our health system from being overwhelmed, and will make it easier for anyone with the novel coronavirus to access necessary hospital care.

As nurses and health care workers, we care deeply for our patients and take pride in the roles we play on the front lines of patient care, particularly during a time of heightened concern for community health. Our continued safety during this outbreak is critical to our ability to continue to provide quality patient care. We continue to call on the CDC to proactively and effectively target the supply of respirators and use other controls to reduce the risk of infection in health care workers, knowing that our professionals are at the highest risk of infection. We will continue to work closely with health care employers and with federal and local public health agencies to ensure all caregivers have access to the highest level of personal protective equipment available so we can continue to provide the high-quality health care our communities require.

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About SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is a union of nurses and healthcare workers with over 30,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington state and Montana. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW’s mission is to advocate for quality care and good jobs for all.

About WSNA 
WSNA is the leading voice and advocate for nurses in Washington state, providing representation, education and resources that allow nurses to reach their full professional potential and focus on caring for patients. WSNA represents more than 17,000 registered nurses for collective bargaining who provide care in hospitals, clinics, schools and community and public health settings across the state. 

About UFCW 21 
UFCW 21 is working to build a powerful union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and our communities. We represent over 45,000 workers in retail, grocery stores, health care, and other industries in Washington state. 

State’s largest hospital and clinic unions call for highest possible level of personal protection for caregivers during COVID-19 outbreak

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tues., March 10, 2020

CONTACT:

Amy Clark,
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
amyc@seiu1199nw.org
425.306.2061

Ruth Schubert,
Washington State Nurses Association
rschubert@wsna.org 
206.713.7884

Sarah Cherin,
UFCW 21
scherin@ufcw21.org
206-436-6580

JOINT STATEMENT FROM WASHINGTON STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION, SEIU HEALTHCARE 1199NW AND UFCW21 ON PERSONAL PROTECTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS

State’s largest hospital and clinic unions call for highest possible level of personal protection for caregivers during COVID-19 outbreak

The CDC has announced new interim recommendations on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for situations where adequate supplies are unavailable. The CDC recommendations state that face masks are an acceptable alternative when the supply chain of respirators cannot meet the demand. We maintain our position that N-95 respirators are the gold standard and are necessary protec­tion for our nurses and healthcare workers caring for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients, and the CDC agrees that when the supply chain is restored, providers should return to the use of N95s. The CDC states that “This interim guidance has been updated based on currently available information about COVID-19 and the current situation in the United States, which includes reports of cases of community transmission, infections identified in healthcare personnel (HCP), and shortages of facemasks, N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) (commonly known as N95 respirators), and gowns.”

The supply shortage must continue to be addressed in the most aggressive way possible. We continue to call on the CDC to proactively and effectively target the supply of respirators and use other controls to reduce the risk of infection in health care workers, knowing that our professionals are at the highest risk of infection. The federal government should do all in its power to increase the supply of N-95 respirators and other PPE, which includes releasing the national stockpile and targeting supplies to areas where the outbreak has already occurred; incentivizing U.S.-based companies to produce more N-95s; and promoting the use of powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) in health care settings.

We additionally call on hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities to provide personal protective equipment in an equitable manner. All health care workers—providers, nurses, technical staff and service workers including environmental services janitorial staff—who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to COVID-19 must be afforded the same standard of PPE. Furthermore, many health care workers speak English as a second language. Instruction in the use of PPE and in safe work practices in environments where COVID-19 may be present must be provided in multiple languages and in clear, uncomplicated phrasing in order to increase access to essential information.

As nurses and health care workers, we care deeply for our patients and take pride in the roles we play on the front lines of patient care, particularly during a community health crisis like the one presented by COVID-19. We are committed to the health of our patients and our communities. We will continue to work closely with health care employers and with federal and local public health agencies to ensure all caregivers have access to the highest level of PPE available so we can continue to provide the high-quality health care our communities require.

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About SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is a union of nurses and healthcare workers with over 30,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington state and Montana. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW’s mission is to advocate for quality care and good jobs for all.

About WSNA 
WSNA is the leading voice and advocate for nurses in Washington state, providing representation, education and resources that allow nurses to reach their full professional potential and focus on caring for patients. WSNA represents more than 17,000 registered nurses for collective bargaining who provide care in hospitals, clinics, schools and community and public health settings across the state. 

About UFCW 21 
UFCW 21 is working to build a powerful union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and our communities. We represent over 45,000 workers in retail, grocery stores, health care, and other industries in Washington state.