CLUW is deeply saddened and outraged by the senseless police violence and racism that resulted in the recent death of George Floyd, a 46 year old Black man, at the hands of Minneapolis Police Department officers.

For seven minutes, George Floyd and bystanders cried out and pleaded for his life as these officers choked him to death on May 25th. This is an act of police violence committed on an innocent, unarmed Black man. A story that never gets less devastating though we hear it over and over again.

CLUW is dedicated to a world without racism and that starts with holding those individuals and systems that uphold racist violence accountable. We call on all CLUW members and supporters to honor the life of George Floyd and take action.

Please sign this petition by Color Of Change to demand #JusticeForFloyd. The petition calls on the Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to 1) block the pensions of the police officers involved and 2) ban them from becoming police officers ever again. And calls for County Attorney Freeman to immediately charge all four officers involved with murder.

We are heartbroken. Thank you for taking action.

CLUW Clip from the All Of Us Town Hall Event held on May 28, 2020

Across every sphere, from health to the economy, there are racial and gender disparities with regards to the COVID-19 crisis. To talk about these disparities, the Coalition of Labor Union Women will be a part of a virtual Facebook Live town hall meeting along with other constituency groups of the Labor Coalition for Community Action (LCCA). The Town Hall will be co-sponsored by the AFL-CIO and will include the voices from leadership and rank-and-file members representing different communities. CLUW member Melissa Bennet (UAW) will share her perspective on the effects of COVID-19 on auto industry workers during the meeting. She will also share her perspective as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. Please register to attend the virtual town hall and SAVE May 28, 2020  at 2:00 PM ET on your CALENDARS. 

The AFL-CIO Executive Council Committee on Civil & Human Rights has provided graphs illustrating some of the inequalities that will be highlighted on the Town Hall. Additionally, they have provided ballot measures and strategies to make sure our union voices are heard. Please click here to view the presentation the committee has provided and be informed before the AFL-CIO virtual Facebook Live town hall meeting this Thursday on May 28, 2020 at 2:00 PM ET. Remember to register to attend the town hall here. 

Thank you for participating and supporting workers rights during the pandemic. 

As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 crisis, cases of domestic violence have surged. In frontline industries, 64.4 percent of frontline workers--store clerks, public transit and healthcare employees, and social workers identify as female. In addition, women are two-thirds of the minimum wage earners and twice as likely to be unemployed at this time. Economic vulnerability, coupled with containment measures, has made many women more susceptible to intimate partner violence. At Coalition Labor Union of Women, we are committed to providing accessible resources to assist survivors during the pandemic.

Please view the various survivor resources below:

National Domestic Violence Hotline is available to help survivors, trained advocates are still available to provide support, 24 hours and 7 days a week. Please consider calling 1.800.799.7233 if you are experiencing domestic violence. They also offer online chat services and texting services (Text LOVEIS to 22522). Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is offering assistance to women who are experiencing sexual assault. You can contact their support hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE (4673). They also are providing 24/7 services including online chat.

Futures Without Violence provides a comprehensive list of resources: support hotlines, safety plans, non-profit organizations, and shelter care information. The Women’s Center is offering helpful links answering frequently asked questions for individuals experiencing domestic and sexual violence. Additionally, they have an extensive list of mental health and meditation webinars.

If you are a union representative, Workplaces Respond has references available for employers. Futures Without Violence also created a video with regards to approaching open communication with survivors. Additionally, union leaders can offer a workforce safety plan, expanded paid leave, and employer assistance programs.

Thank you for reading and please feel free to forward this information along to anyone whom may find it helpful.

Please join CLUW TODAY, May 1st, in observing May Day which recognizes workers worldwide for their invaluable contributions. This year we pay special respect to all the essential workers, the hospital staff, the farm workers, the grocery store workers, etc., fighting on the front lines to keep our society safe. So many working women are making such sacrifices during this time, whether on the job or not, so we thank you all for continuing to fight every day.

CLUW President Elise Bryant has created a May Day video that we encourage all CLUW members and supporters to watch and share. Click here to watch the CLUW May Day video!

On this day CLUW is also proud to lift up important and timely work being done by partner organizations for May Day. Below are a few actions that you can take part in TODAY:

The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) are hosting a digital rally from 4-5 p.m. ET on LCLAA’s Facebook page and/or on APALA's Facebook to kick off May Day. The rally will include: a briefing on the latest report by LCLAA and Mijente, “The Impact of COVID-19 on Latinos in the U.S.”, launching the “AAPIs are #EssentialNotExpendable” campaign by APALA, and an "Essential Workers Panel" which will highlight the stories of working women and men across our country who have been affected. We hope you will take part.

Jobs With Justice (JWJ) is calling on some of the biggest banks, equity funds, and corporate landlords to forgive rents and mortgages for three months, cease evictions, and use their power to call on public officials to support housing relief. They are calling on everyone to pledge NOT to pay your rent today as part of a national housing strike. View the video testimonials detailing why we need rent forgiveness here and sign the pledge here.

Congress is currently at work on a fourth COVID-19 bill, and it is vital this one addresses the needs of our nation’s immigrants. Help make this happen by signing this petition from the AFL-CIO to tell Congress that the next COVID-19 package must protect ALL workers, regardless of immigration status. It should lift immigrant restrictions on emergency Medicaid testing and treatment, extend work permits for essential workers under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and temporary protected status programs, provide cash payments and other vital benefits to all taxpayers, and halt immigration policies that elevate risk in our communities.

The Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC) United is holding a digital rally to discuss restaurant work in the COVID era at 1:45 PM ET. The rally will include speakers Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, New York State Nurses Association President Judy Gonzalez, and executive director of Paid Leave for All Dawn Hucklebridge. Join by clicking here to RSVP.

Thank you for reading and for your work this May Day. We encourage all members and supporters to post to the CLUW Facebook Group to share what you have done to take action today. Thank you.