Without meaningful action to change the way hospital systems conduct their business in Minnesota, nurses warned, staffing shortfalls will only worsen, threatening the state’s reputation for quality patient care.
COVID-19
As front-line workers wait, Minnesota state legislature negotiations on ‘hero pay’ stall
|
The Minnesota State Legislature committed to $250 million in May for “hero pay” for frontline workers across the state. A working group has yet to develop a plan for distributing that money.
COVID-19
Without paid sick time, employers’ COVID-19 vaccine mandates won’t address workers’ access barriers or hesitancy
|
FDA approval won’t make a difference if workers still have to choose between the vaccine and their wages.
COVID-19
COVID-19 death toll in US nears 600,000
|
This article first appeared in Minneapolis Labor Review. MINNEAPOLIS — As the Labor Review went to press June 17, the Centers for Disease Control reported that 597,965 people had died in the U.S. from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Both the number of COVID cases and COVID deaths are on a downward trend, leading states —including Minnesota — to rescind mask mandates and ease up on COVID restrictions or eliminate restrictions altogether. But that’s only possible because of the rising number of people who have been vaccinated, officials say. “Our COVID-19 numbers are at their lowest since the earliest days of the pandemic and life is getting back to normal because Minnesotans rolled up their sleeves and the vaccines work,” Governor Tim Walz announced June 16.
COVID-19
St. Paul unions’ free food giveaways pass million-pound milestone
|
“With demand for emergency food assistance at an all-time high during the pandemic, it’s been amazing to see local unions step up this winter to connect more Minnesota families with free, fresh food available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box program,” Regional Labor Federation President Kera Peterson said.
Community
Job security for women of color is a different kind of pandemic
|
New data shows job security has been exacerbated by the pandemic, and the problem could continue.
COVID-19
Essential Workers Speak about a Year of COVID-19
|
March 13th is the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. Essential workers share their stories of sacrifice and ask for protection.
Community
Essential, but Unprotected
|
When a farmworker nearly died from COVID-19, Spokane’s Latinx community stepped in where the system failed.
COVID-19
Nebraska activists want undocumented essential workers prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination
|
“They were named essential workers at the expense of their health. They didn’t have a choice from the beginning.”
COVID-19
After Hundreds of Meatpacking Workers Died From COVID-19, Congress Wants Answers
|
A key House subcommittee cited reports by ProPublica and other news outlets in launching an investigation into how the country’s meatpacking companies handled the pandemic, which has killed hundreds of workers to date.
Unions
How the Deep Roots of Farm Labor Solidarity Helped Wisconsin Survive the Pandemic
|
A century of agrarian organizing pays off.