It is to protect both the employees and the customers from potentially catching anything and it keeps everyone safe. The workers should not have to be put at more risk just because a customer does not want to wear a mask.

Across most industries, “essential employees” are on the front lines of the Coronavirus crisis, supporting our communities and ensuring people continue to have access to services and resources. This includes the employees of the Portland Public School system, including the Campus Security Agents keeping campuses safe and Nutrition Services employees who are still making meals for food insecure kids to pick up while they are learning from home. Like many workers across the state, our Nutrition Services employees and Campus Security Agents are stepping up to support our communities during this crisis. While most of their coworkers are thankfully able to stay safely at home with full pay due to Governor Brown’s Executive Order, many are risking exposure to make sure that students won’t go hungry. In addition to the risk of exposure to COVID-19, these dedicated employees are constantly exposed to the elements, working outdoors in weather that is often rainy and cold. These employees should be recognized for this effort by receiving an Incentive Pay differential for their work during this state of emergency. These workers are putting themselves at extreme risk to help us, many with low-wages and few benefits. It is time that we as a community come together to support them and provide them with an Incentive Pay differential to compensate them for the risks they are taking. They continue to do the work that all of us depend on, and while many of us have the luxury to work from home, they are going out everyday to keep our kids safe and fed.

This is a hard and confusing time for all of us; but when we ask questions seeking clarity, 1 of 3 things happens: 1."We'll get back to you" or "I don't know", 2. Different supervisors provide different information, 3. We get policed for our "tone" and told not to ask questions (this is the most infuriating). Even if we don't like the answers, we deserve the truth: be it about COVID cases and available PPE, about the safety of re-sterilization, or, about how much the system received in CARES act and other funding from the federal government to offset the recent losses.

We are being told that we are essential to the economy and thus cannot benefit from the CARES act which is only for workers furloughed or laid off. Still, CHECKNGO explicitly denied us any kind of fair compensation that would reflect this essential worker position and, even full time, our wage is way below what CARES unemployment benefits are today. WE WANT TO BE PAID A WAGE HIGHER THAN CARES ACT UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

As long-term care workers, we're facing unprecedented challenges right now, and we come to work every day to provide quality care for our residents. We're glad our employer sees that, but we should be treated fairly in how our hard work and dedication are recognized.

On April 6th and 7th, Grinnell College announced grants to help student workers who have lost essential income because they can no longer work. However, many workers have reported receiving grants that were much too small for their needs. What were their processes to determine these grants? In the economic downturn and widespread chaos of this pandemic, we have the right to transparency in the decisions that are affecting our financial status. Furthermore, there is no appeal process for student workers whose grants do not accurately reflect their needs. To the Grinnell College administration, a few hundred dollars here and there may not seem significant. To a displaced student worker with mounting debt and a shattered income, any dollar amount makes a difference. Many Grinnell students rely on their work not just to pay tuition, but for rent and food, and now that they don’t have the opportunity to work, their need is urgent.

Employees deserve to feel safe. As a "sales driven" company district and store managers have many reasons to not follow optional procedures as it can effect their bonus payments. Employees have become frustrated, angry, scared, or just plan overwhelmed by the changing policies and lack of enforcement. No guarentee of pay has been made which leaves employees feeling like they just endanger themselves to earn a living. We ask that all store employees have a say in optional policies. If one employee is not comfortable then no one should be able to side step the policy. We ask that curbside is clarified that no one has to load paint into a customer's vehicle if they are not comfortable. We ask that a barrier is set up to prevent customers from opening or crowding doors. We ask that the company offer employees leave with a guarentee that they will have a job when they come back. We ask that a portal for concerns be opened with a guaranteed response from someone hire than district management to discourage district management from intimidating employees.

Workers in the call centers must use shared headsets, shared work spaces and work within 6 ft of each other with no cleaning supplies. Headsets and work stations are not cleaned in-between use. All workers who can work from home need to be sent home immediately to work. In the meantime more cleaning supplies must be supplied to the workers who must report to the call centers and social distancing must be observed.

Yesterday, April 13, 2020, I came in on my first day as a new hire in MARTA's Customer Care Center. Before my first day, I asked the Senior Recruiting Officer in human resources what practices MARTA had in place for COVID-19. She told me that I could wear a mask, but she wasn't sure what the Customer Care Center's practices were. However, that is not what I saw when I showed up for duty. I got mean and nasty stares from several MARTA employees - even the front desk security guard. Worst, the Customer Care Center management - on top of stating they were not ready on how to go about training me during COVID-19, I had to endure rude and snide remarks where I was told I need to speak up and that this is a call center and I need to speak up. Mind you, I had to endure such insults and snide remarks despite the fact that I bring over seven years of experience in call center and customer service. Therefore, no frank and practical discussion was made to me about how my training would be conducted and whether or not I could wear the mask. The day culminated with the Customer Care Center director, Ms. De Jesus, accusing me of being "insubordinate" after I tried to speak louder to her and the other managers - because they repeatedly told me they could not hear me. I saw at the Customer Care Center that no one was wearing masks - including management. Their solution to comply with CDC guidelines was to rotate sending home some employees to work, and bringing them back into the office. However, my previous employer did not take such risks with our call center - they sent all employees to work virtually and did not place a requirement on us to return to the office. In sum, MARTA's management shamelessly had no issue with making false allegations of me being "insubordinate", so that they could wipe their hands free of being inconvenienced in having to allow me to wear a mask to work and/or make reasonable accommodations to protect its employees. Unfortunately, this is becoming a trend in many workplaces - where employers are not protecting their employees, and resorting to manufacturing incidents where they can remove someone under a subjective allegation of being "insubordinate"; and, with this pandemic - such illegal and immoral practices should be condemned.

1. Your employees, once labeled "expendable" and "non-essential", have been on the front lines providing the best customer service to your customers since before this pandemic begun. The difference now is that you just realized how essential these employees actually are to your multimillion dollar company, they are literally the ones keeping your company alive. 2. These employees are now working under extremely hazardous conditions where they run the risk of contracting COVID-19, it would be the humane thing to compensate them for putting themselves at risk to keep your company afloat. 3. Many of these employees are susceptible to the harsh effects that covid-19 can cause. Some employees run a higher risk than others, but with no other choice but to work because finances have become an even bigger necessity during this time, many are forced to run that risk. 4. It is inhumane to exploit your employees during this pandemic (and even when not experiencing a pandemic) for the work that they are able to provide, and sometimes forced to provide on the grounds that they can be fired for not wanting to risk their lives for $14 an hour, and not AT LEAST consider the hazardous conditions they are put through and warrant the use of Hazard pay & paid sick leave for those that are not able to come to work because they don't want to risk getting others sick. 5. It is extremely important that you understand how much you rely on these employees as much as they rely on you for their biweekly checks to be able to make ends meet. These employees are essential, they are the backbone of Pizza Hut, and they do their best to please customers and hit sales. 6. It is important that you act with empathy during a pandemic and truly show your employees that you care about them and their families. Not by insulting them with free food, but by giving them a bonus for all their hard work even during a crisis in which they run the risk of being infected all to keep your company running.

Adam Witt, President of HPAE Local 5058 at HMH Jersey Shore University Medical Center: "I began to pursue a career in nursing after watching the response to Hurricane Katrina on TV. I felt helpless and heart broken as I watched so many struggle. Years later, I’m an emergency department nurse in the midst of a health crisis. This is exactly why I became an RN. My job, as a nurse, is to advocate for my patients. My job, as a union president, is to advocate for our union members and all staff. Management is trying to squash my efforts in ensuring protection for all of us, firing me when our community needs all of us. Administration is punishing nurses for speaking out, rather than listening to the front line staff’s demands for the protections we need so we can stay healthy while saving lives. It's a terrifying thought, but if we get sick, who will be there to take care of you or your loved ones?" We, the undersigned community members, demand that Hackensack Meridian Health ensures healthcare workers have the resources and protections they need to continue to provide safe care and treatment during these unprecedented times. We demand that Hackensack Meridian bring back their front line workers who have been suspended, wrongfully terminated, and retaliated against for speaking out on behalf of all those who need care and protection during this crisis. Hackensack Meridian, put an end to retaliatory actions and focus on protecting workers and patients by providing all staff with: Appropriate and Accessible PPE and Safety Equipment Accessible and Timely Covid Testing Paid Time Off for ALL Quarantined Healthcare Workers Accessible Childcare Hazard Pay on All Hours Worked Fix the PTO that was Audited During a Pandemic Prove that corporate healthcare can have a heart. For more on this, please read: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/business/coronavirus-health-workers-speak-out.html

Several coworkers have voiced their inability to pay their rent, myself included, due to their roommates or significant others finding themselves with no source of income.