For Immediate Release: May 27, 2020
Contact:
Kate Suisman
Northwest Workers’ Justice Project
646-942-6659 (cell)
Oregon’s Unions, Workers’ Rights Groups Demand Safe Return to Work Policies as Oregon Reopens
A coalition of groups sent a detailed letter yesterday to all members of the Oregon House, Senate and the Governor’s Office urging immediate action to protect workers as the state reopens.
The letter, which was written by Safe Jobs Oregon, a coalition of organized labor, community groups, legal organizations and others, demands four immediate policy changes to keep workers safe:
- Statewide, enforceable COVID-19 workplace standards
- A workers’ compensation workplace presumption for all workers with COVID-19.
- Additional whistleblower protections to protect workers’ ability to report hazardous conditions.
- A remedy of the deficiencies in Oregon’s unemployment insurance, sick and family leave laws.
The attached letter was sent by Oregon AFL-CIO, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN), Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers, Portland Jobs with Justice, Voz Workers’ Rights Education Project, Lomakatsi Restoration Project, Northwest Workers’ Justice Project, Oregon Center for Public Policy, Safe Jobs Oregon, Causa and Service Employees International Union Locals 49 and 503.
NWJP is a non-profit law firm that represents low-wage workers in employment matters and advocates for stronger, worker-centered policy changes on a local and national level.
Safe Return to Work letter May 2020