It’s been less than 2 weeks since the CDC announced that healthcare workers could return to work after seven days and shortened the recommended time for isolation to just five days. In many places across the country, there are more new cases of coronavirus than ever – and hospitalizations are rising as well. The CDC has plainly put profits over people by changing public health guidance to suit the needs of the capitalist class.

Instead of making it possible for working people to stay safe and at home, the government has made it clear that they want to keep the economy open at the expense of lives. Without stimulus checks or an eviction moratorium, and with student loan payments restarting in just 90 days, many of us cannot stay home to keep our loved ones and coworkers safe. Without readily available testing, many of us have no way of knowing if we should be isolating. Teachers, healthcare workers, grocery and retail workers, and many others are forced to continue with “business as usual” uncertain if they are being exposed.

Do you or someone you know need to organize to protect yourself at work? Download EWOC’s organizing guide, or fill out our form to get support from an organizer. The CDC’s actions are just another reminder that we have to build working class power together to keep each other safe. Sign up to join one of our teams here to help EWOC build worker power in 2022.

World of Work 🌍

CA – Over 250 workers at Republic Services are on strike to protest working conditions at the waste management company’s branch in San Diego. The striking workers (members of Teamsters Union Local 542) are demanding a fair contract that addresses safety issues, long work hours, and harassment on the job.

USA – After ten weeks of striking, Kellogg’s workers have won a new contract with no concessions! Other wins include no permanent two-tier compensation system, a clear path to regular full-time employment, maintenance of cost of living raises, and more. This comes after the cereal giant threatened to permanently replace striking workers, a despicable move that President Biden publicly condemned. Congrats to the 1,400 Kellogg’s workers on this victory.

USA – 50 Apple store workers walked out on Christmas Eve to protest working conditions at the tech giant’s stores. The organizing group, Apple Together, points to issues with paid sick leave, a lack of pandemic hazard pay, and other problems. You can support them by donating to their emergency fund for Netflix and Apple employees who are fighting for better working conditions.

NY – America’s largest ongoing strike continues as 3,000 Columbia graduate student workers demand a fair contract. On December 23, the university said that it would respond to the latest proposal in writing, which may signal progress after years of the administration deliberately stalling negotiations.

VA – “Now, our members can take pride in the fact that they have won twenty-first century working conditions at Colonial Williamsburg.” A union representing 200 hospitality workers in the tourist hub of Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia has won a new contract after organizing picket lines and calling for a boycott of the area’s attractions. The contract includes a wage increase to $15.50 per hour, bringing their wages closer to the city’s estimated living wage of $16.33.

New From Our Blog ✉️

Read about the new settlement that forces Amazon to tell over 750,000 current and former employees about their rights to organize, and prevents the company from punishing workers staying for longer than 15 minutes at or around the workplace. If enforced, this could be good news for Amazon workers’ ability to organize their workplaces.

Solidarity,

Team EWOC

EWOC is a collaboration between the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE). We depend on small-dollar donations to provide frontline workers with the support they need to fight for protections during COVID-19. Click here to make a contribution that will help fund our work.