Labor leaders testify in joint hearing on COVID-19 worker protections
AFSCME Council 13 Assistant to the Executive Director Tom Lipko joined labor leaders to testify to the Joint Democratic Senate & House Policy Committee Hearing on Worker Protection, where he advocated for increased health protections and hazard pay for public service workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I can say without a doubt: it has been working people who have kept our civilization afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, and AFSCME members have been right there on the front lines,” Lipko said.
“We see commercials and billboards all over the Commonwealth thanking these heroes, these front-line workers, for going out and deeming them essential to go into the line of fire, putting them and their families at risk. I think it is time to put our money where our mouth is and reward them with some hazard pay to show them that we do appreciate everything they did and the risk they took to make sure the services the Commonwealth provide are there.”
Click here to watch the full hearing.
Lipko was joined by UFCW 1776 Keystone State Legislative and Political Director Chris Naylor, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania Nursing Home Campaign Director Sun Straight, Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals President Maureen May, American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania President Arthur Steinberg, and Director of Environmental Sciences for the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Health & Welfare Fund Jerry Roseman.
Testimony was heard by Senator Lisa M. Boscola, Chair; Representative Mike Sturla, Chair; Senator Katie Muth, 44th Senatorial District; Senator Lindsey Williams, 38th Senatorial District; Representative Elizabeth Fiedler, 184th Legislative District; and Representative Patrick Harkins, 1st Legislative District.
Council 13 thanks our union sisters and brothers, as well as the elected officials who heard our testimony. We look forward to continued collaboration on making workplaces safer.
Assistant to the Executive Director of AFSCME Council 13 Tom Lipko testifies to the Joint Democratic Senate & House Policy Committee Hearing on Worker Protection, where he advocated for increased protections and hazard pay for public service workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.