The United States must provide decent wages, health benefits and protective gear for the millions of workers designated as essential during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a measure proposed on Monday in the U.S. Congress. Employees such as grocery clerks, janitors and delivery drivers are at risk without equipment and job protection, said Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ro Khanna, Democratic lawmakers who unveiled the Essential Workers Bill of Rights.
The proposal, which calls for adequate protective gear, better pay, universal paid sick leave, family leave and other measures, must be part of Congress’ next coronavirus relief package, they said. A $2.3 trillion coronavirus rescue package passed by Congress was signed into law by President Donald Trump last month and lawmakers have been hammering out a fresh relief effort this week.
The government has said the economy shed 701,000 jobs in March – the most job losses since the Great Recession and ended the longest employment boom in U.S. history from late 2010. The United States has recorded more fatalities from COVID-19 than any other country, with more than 23,000 deaths as of Monday morning, according to a Reuters tally. While most of the nation has been advised to stay home and practice social distancing, essential workers on the job include health care staff, government employees, janitorial staff, farm workers and transportation workers, the lawmakers said.
Others in Congress have proposed a Heroes Fund with significant pay raises or suggested added hazard pay wages in the next stimulus package for frontline essential workers. Congress has “a moral responsibility” to pass the Workers Bill of Rights, said Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party, a liberal political organization.
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation
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