COVID-19 Resources for SEIU Locals

For access to all resources for Locals, visit this Google Folder.

What's New?

Check here for the latest materials for locals!

Downloadable Fact Sheets (English | Spanish)



Protect All Workers Toolkit

TOOLKIT: #ProtectAllWorkers in Package 4

As Congress continues to draft and begin negotiations on a 4th legislative package to respond to the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis, SEIU members and leaders are making their voices heard to #ProtectAllWorkers.

We have developed a toolkit to assist with your outreach to elected officials. The toolkit includes:

Congress has passed multiple bills in response to the COVID-19 crisis, but so far they have fallen short of providing the support SEIU members need. Frontline workers still lack protective equipment, sufficient sick leave, and essential worker pay. Many workers are being laid off and are unsure of how bills will be covered. There's no real plan to protect our right to vote without risking our health. And on top of that, immigrant families have been left out entirely. Meanwhile, companies are making out like bandits while our public services―like processing unemployment checks for laid-off workers, connecting people to food assistance―could run out of funding.

Members of Congress need to hear our loud demand to #ProtectAllWorkers NOW. They must put working people first, with no blank checks for corporations!

Essential Materials - This google folder contains our national demands, industry-specific demands (which will be added as they emerge), and other materials

Open Letter to America's CEOs from Pres. Henry

Digital Toolkit - Contains social media graphics, Facebook posts, Twitter posts and Instagram posts

Questions? Contact Dan O'Sullivan, Meghan Finegan (Healthcare), Cynthia Kane (Public), and Kevin O’Donnell (Property Services)

Bargaining over COVID-19 and Vaccines

COVID-19 and Immigrant Workers

The COVID-19 crisis impacts all of us, no matter where we are from, our immigration status or the color of our skin. This deadly virus does not discriminate. Unless we act together to protect ALL people, we are ALL at risk. If we leave millions of immigrants out of our efforts to protect against COVID-19, the virus could spread ever wider and put all of our loved ones in danger.

We are calling on corporations and elected leaders to Protect All Workers, regardless of immigration status, as we work on the front lines of this coronavirus crisis. It’s time for all employers and politicians to take responsibility for the safety, health, and economic well-being of all working people.

Immigrant Workers & Federal Relief: Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency relief to workers and businesses. This fact sheet addresses what restrictions may apply to immigrants and their families.

Protect All Immigrants State Toolkit: This toolkit is designed to be a resource to assist locals in driving policy solutions to further meet the needs of the community and provide much needed humanitarian and economic assistance to low-income families and those who are not eligible for other benefits.

Digital Resources:

Resources for Immigrants

Questions? Contact Amihan David at amihan.david@seiu.org.

Paid Sick Leave Resources

COVID-19 Vaccines Resources

Downloadable Fact Sheets (English | Spanish)


Latest Guidance on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

CDC Guidance

OSHA

  • Other feasible measures, such as using partitions, restricting access, cohorting patients, or using other engineering controls, work practices, or administrative controls that reduce the need for respiratory protection, were implemented to protect employees;
  • The employer has made a good faith effort to obtain other alternative FFRs, reusable elastomeric respirators, or PAPRs, including NIOSH-certified equipment or equipment that was previously NIOSH-certified but that has surpassed its manufacturer's recommended shelf life (in accordance with OSHA's April 3, 2020 memo), that is appropriate to protect workers;
  • The employer has monitored its supply of FFRs, prioritized their use according to CDC guidance (www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/release-stockpiled-N95.html; www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirators-strategy/index.html), and controlled the number of times a respirator is decontaminated before issuing a new one given supply level and burn rate considerations; and
  • Surgical masks and eye protection (e.g., face shields, goggles) were provided as an interim measure to protect against splashes and large droplets (note: surgical masks are not respirators and do not provide protection during aerosol-generating procedures).

Other Useful Materials






OSHA Whistleblower Protections

OSHA Whistleblower Resources: This webpage provides valuable resources on worker rights, including fact sheets on whistleblower protections for employees in various industries and frequently asked questions. It is illegal for an employers to retaliate against workers because they report unsafe and unhealthful working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic. Acts of retaliation can include terminations, demotions, denials of overtime or promotion, or reductions in pay or hours.

OSHA's Online Whistleblower Complaint Form



Unemployment & Support Service Info

National

Federal Paid Leave FAQ for Locals & Members - This fact sheet shares how the new federal Coronavirus law impacts workers' right to take paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave to deal with the Coronavirus.

The Fight for $15 and a Union and the Midwest State Power team has been collecting and sharing support services for workers in the markets in which they operate (CA, FL, IL, MI, MN, NC, NY, WI).

By State

California (updated 3/23/20)

  • CA Benefits for COVID-19 Presentation - These slides from Weinberg, Roger & Rosenfeld provide an overview of California and new federal benefits available to workers (sick leave, family leave, unemployment, disability, workers' comp).

Colorado (updated 3/19/20)

Oregon (updated 3/19/20)

Texas (updated 3/19/20)

Washington (updated 3/12/20)


Messaging & Communications Resources

Government Relations Resources (Federal, State & Local)

Federal

COVID-19 Federal Legislative Package #4 Resources- This resource folder includes advocacy resources, SEIU and coalition letters to Congress, and analysis of legislative proposals and individual provisions and programs of importance to SEIU members.

Congresswoman Shalala ‘Dear Colleague’ Letter- Congresswoman Donna Shalala (D-FL-27) led 92 Members of Congress in sending a letter to House leadership asking that policies to protect essential property service workers are given a high priority in the negotiations in the next relief bill.

Joint Union Letter to Senators on Oversight of CARES Act- SEIU along with AFSCME, AFT, CWA, TWU, UAW, and USW sent a letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Sherrod Brown raising concerns about the implementation of the CARES Act.

COVID-19 Federal Legislative Package 3.5 Resources- This resource folder includes a section by section summary and detailed summary of the provisions related to hospitals and testing.

SEIU Letter to Hill on Package 4 Legislative Priorities- President Mary Kay Henry sent a letter to all Members of Congress on April 9th outlining SEIU’s federal legislative priorities for the next legislative package, demanding that Congress center workers and communities in their response to ongoing challenges as a result of the coronavirus.

4 Public Union Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership- SEIU, NEA, AFT, and AFSCME sent a joint letter to the House of Representative and Senate re: Package 4 emphasizing the critical importance of providing additional state and local investment in addition to policies to support frontline and essential workers.

COVID-19 Federal Legislative Package #3 Resources- This resource folder includes letters of advocacy prior to bill passage, legislative language, and analysis of the CARES Act and individual provisions and programs of importance to SEIU members.

COVID-19 Federal Legislative Package #2 Resources- This resource folder includes SEIU’s letter of advocacy prior to bill passage, summary of key provisions, and FAQ on the leave provisions provided in Families First Coronavirus Act (FFCRA).

Federal Paid Leave FAQ for Locals & Members- This fact sheet shares how the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) impacts workers' right to take paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave to deal with the Coronavirus.

COVID-19 Talking Points for Congress

Questions? Contact John Foti.

State & Local

Demands for State and Local Electeds- This is a set of demands for state & local elected officials that centers workers and working families in policy solutions at the state and local level.

Protect All Immigrants State Toolkit- This toolkit is designed to be a resource to assist locals in driving policy solutions to further meet the needs of the community and provide much needed humanitarian and economic assistance to low-income families and those who are not eligible for other benefits.

State and Local Policy Sharing Hub- This resource folder contains executive action, legislation, and policy resources shared by SEIU state councils, locals, and partners.

State and Local Landscape Memo- This memo, updated frequently, details responses (policies, advisories, and/or guidelines) as well as activities that state and local governments and partners are taking regarding COVID-19.

State/Local Response Efforts- This resource folder contains SEIU state council, local and joint COVID-19 response efforts including elected demand letters, press releases, presentations, and a directory of SEIU or SEIU coalition COVID-19 micro sites.

Local Progress Clearinghouse (external site)

This external site details local policy responses.

Questions? Contact Ashley Dwire.

COVID-19 Health & Safety Training for Local Staff

On March 27, 2020, SEIU offered a 90-minute online workshop overviewing what we know about COVID-19, workforce issues around safety and infection control, CDC and other federal guidance, and a federal overview of legislation.

Slides and supplementary materials from the SEIU local staff COVID-19 call

Meeting Recording Via Zoom

The workshop was geared towards local staff who are working with members impacted by the pandemic, but who might not have in-depth knowledge of health and safety or details about the epidemiology of the disease. This workshop provided a more macro level context for what staff are seeing in the field and give them basic knowledge of the virus to protect themselves and their families. Speakers included Leslie Phillips, MD and Dr. Jay Fathi to talk about the virus and industrial hygienist Jonathan Rosen.

Agenda

  • What we know about the virus, how it is spread, incubation, treatment, statistics on who is most vulnerable, and general guidelines to avoid contracting the virus as an individual.

  • Personal Protective Equipment: what is it and what does it do?

  • CDC/CMS/EPA/OSHA Guidance on COVID-19 for workers

  • National Landscape

    • Shortages in PPE supplies

    • Testing and supply shortages

    • Federal legislation

  • Question and Answer

Check back soon! This site is updated daily

Employer Demands for Re-opening: Ensuring Safe Workplaces

  • Local Union Demands on Re-Opening Worksites: This document lays out industry-specific demands for local unions to make on employers pending the re-opening of worksites. The demands are meant to be a menu from which locals can draw when negotiating with employers over the conditions at these worksites prior to workers returning, setting in place systems that continue through this pandemic cycle and into future outbreaks. The lists of demands cover health and safety and labor/management cooperation over protocol, procedures, and policy governing workers returning to and remaining in the workplace. The demands also create footholds for union sustainability and growth.

  • New York State PEFs Toolkit for Re-Opening

  • National Council on Occupational Health and Safety Paper "A Just and Safe Return to Work" : Released 5/14/20. This document, with comprehensive guidelines for workplace safety, worker participation and fair compensation for sick, injured and at-risk workers, was prepared by experts convened by National COSH. Writers and contributors include certified industrial hygienists, academicians, attorneys, physicians and leaders of non-governmental and nonprofit organizations.