10 • September 2, 2021 - September 8, 2021
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Union Matters Labor Day travel is up; people have mixed feelings on unemployment benefits By STEPHON JOHNSON Amsterdam News Staff
American economy. The AmNews recently reported on a restaurant owner in Brooklyn who said that the increase in cost of running his establishment (money for PPEs, etc.) makes it difficult for him to profit and only leaves major outlets like Costco and Whole Foods with the ability to succeed despite an increase in costs. According to a poll by Alignable, a small business network, 45% of all restaurants in the country couldn’t pay August rent. When broken down locally and demographically, 52% of minorityowned small businesses couldn’t make August rent. In New York alone, 41% of small businesses couldn’t pay August rent. The highest of all 50 states and the second month in a row that it has topped Alignable’s poll. Unemployment remains a huge topic nationally. During the week of Aug. 16, 10 states reported unemployment claims last week that were lower than pre-
pandemic levels (North Dakota, Arizona, Arkansas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Vermont, New York, Kentucky and Louisiana), and four states (Virginia, New Mexico, Maryland and Oregon) and D.C. had unemployment claims that were worse than the same week in 2020. No matter the recovery, a minority of people surveyed by WalletHub don’t think the government should continue providing extra unemployment benefits. Stated Gonzalez, “The extra unemployment benefits were very necessary during the height of the pandemic, but the job market has experienced enough of a recovery that they are no longer needed.” For those who are still employed, Labor Day couldn’t come fast enough. Fifty-seven percent of Americans left vacation days unused in 2020 while 42% of organizations have made or plan on making changes to time-off policies because of the pandemic.
But the Delta variant of COVID19 could put things on hold and leave people with more unused vacation days. WalletHub’s report states that 81% of Americans believe that COVID variants will have a negative impact on the economy. This tracks with Partnership for New York City’s report showing that 44% of employers have delayed their return-to-office plans because of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant, 54% have not delayed their return-to-office plans, and 2% have not yet determined whether to delay. Among employers that have delayed their return-to-office plans, 42% postponed for one month or less, 18% for between two and three months, 10% for three months or more, and 28% are evaluating on an ongoing basis. “The best way to prevent variants from hurting the economy is to get as many people vaccinated as possible,” said Gonzalez.
are rightfully owed,” said Comp- Health Act (OSHA) more than of giants who risked their lives troller Stringer. “I am proud that 600,000 worker lives have been in their fight to improve conContinued from page 1 my office, in partnership with saved. The annual cost of work- ditions for workers,” said SEIU labor and community-based ers injury and illness nationally 32BJ President Kyle Bragg to the were essential before the pan- organizations, has connected is more than $250 billion. AmNews. “Their efforts secured demic, and they will always be more than 400 workers with $7.5 According to City Hall, in 2020 the right to collective bargainessential. This Labor Day, I hope million in stolen wages. I always alone, 298 frontline municipal ing, a 40-hour work week, and Americans will reflect on the say that every week should be employees died from the coro- workplace safety standards, real sacrifices working people Labor Rights Week, because navirus. The deceased were among other hard-fought vicmake, and have always made, tories for working on behalf of our country and people. Organized (Photo courtesy of SEIU Local 32BJ/New Jersey) economy.” labor is the stronThe term “essential worker” gest force we have took on a new meaning these for building the past 15 months. The public-atmiddle class and large realized how important ending poverty. workers like nurses, housekeepThe improved coners, security guards, cleaners, ditions that unions corrections officers, teachers secure for unionand handypeople were. New ized workers lift up Yorkers engaged in a daily apall workers. plause, at 7 p.m., to show their “We have much appreciation for essential workmore to do to secure ers who are on the frontlines full dignity and reincreasing their chances of acspect for workers, quiring COVID than the averincluding improvage New Yorkers. ing conditions for Concierge workers at The Shipyard in Hoboken rally for better Elected officials have noticed. essential workers health insurance and benefits This week, New York City Compwho put themselves troller Scott Stringer announced and their families’ that around $7.5 million stolen workers are most empowered disproportionately Black and health on the line during this prevailing wages were returned when they know their rights and Latino. According to the Metro- nation’s darkest days. Supportto 400 essential workers during can advocate for what they de- politan Transit Authority, as of ing the workers who risked it all the COVID pandemic. This serve.” early April, 156 transit workers for this country is a smart investcomes off Stringer launching While COVID is the current had died from COVID. ment—and a moral imperative.” a phone banking campaign to culprit, there have been other Despite the many deaths surEssential workers across the identify and return unclaimed/ dangers at the workplace. Luck- rounding organized labor, there Hudson River used Labor Day stolen wages back to labor. ily, some of those issues were were still things to be thankful to practice the rights that their “During the economic hard- taken care of in a law that passed for. Things that could’ve made predecessors fought for. ship of the COVID-19 pandem- in 1970. this situation worse. Early Wednesday, dozens of ic, it’s more important than ever Since the government enact“This Labor Day, we recognize concierge workers at the luxury that workers get the wages they ed the Occupational Safety and that we stand on the shoulders development The Shipyard, lo-
cated in Hoboken, New Jersey gathered and protested the lack of insurance and benefits provided to them by their contractor Planned Companies (which was once investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor who found they the contractor engaged in wage theft failing to pay the full overtime wages owed for training periods to more than 500 employees). They’ve called for Ironstate Development, a major property owner in the area, to help them improve worker conditions, benefits, paid time off or hire a contractor who will. “This is the city I love, and this city is my home; but many like myself need good jobs to afford a living in Hoboken,” stated Jaron Bermudez, a Shipyard concierge who relies on Medicaid to address their health problems. “We need benefits, health care, dignity and respect.” “Personnel at Ironstate buildings lack the basic benefits, and the dignity that all essential workers deserve,” added Kevin Brown, vice president of 32BJ and New Jersey State director. “If Ironstate wants to build, they must hire contractors that treat these workers as essential, not expendable. The city of Hoboken deserves responsible developers and contractors to lift up everyone––not just the wealthy few.”
In Americans’ desire to get back to normal, Labor Day travel is back on the rise. Concern for the people the day celebrates is another story. A recent survey by WalletHub found that Labor Day travel will rise by 48% when compared to 2020 and 24% more people plan on going shopping. But for actual labor? Thirty-eight percent of those polled didn’t think that Congress should continue to give extra unemployment benefits. “While that’s not the majority opinion, it is one that should be taken seriously. In some cases, people are making more money collecting unemployment benefits than they were while working, which is leaving some businesses unable to find workers despite having open positions,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. The AmNews recently spoke
Labor Day
to Kathryn Tilly Wright who said that working a job that doesn’t pay much is part of the reason why workers haven’t joined the ranks of the employed. “Burnout is the major cause of not being able to retain staff, and financial concerns play a huge part of this,” said Wright. “Many of the people I talked to across the whole country said their paycheck cannot sustain them; however they are told they cannot be paid more as their pay is dependent on reimbursement from the states. Many direct service professionals became sick as a result of doing their job. People with disabilities were disproportionately impacted by COVID, due to preexisting conditions and living in congregate settings. We lost a lot of people we support and staff last year.” Complaints from business owners about their inability to find workers has been one of the many conversations people have had since the slow re-opening of the
