Dear Commissioner Berry, Governor Cooper, and Secretary Cohen...
The North Carolina State AFL-CIO, alongside our partners who also champion worker justice, have delivered a letter urging the NC Department of Labor, the Governor, and the NC Department of Health and Human Services to do more to keep workers safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The letter is signed by 18 organizations including the NC Justice Center, NC Council of Churches, and the Farmworker Advocacy Network.
"Our state officials have an obligation to ensure that the lives and livelihood of essential workers are prioritized. Protect our workers, our families and our communities. The time to act is now."
NC Workers Week of Action letter, October 23, 2020
Click here to read the letter in English and En español (PDFs)
We urge the Department of Labor to enact an emergency infectious disease standard immediately; we urge the Governor to issue an Executive Order that protects all our workers; and we urge the Department of Health and Human Services to mandate employer compliance with public health guidelines.
Our workers are not expendable and deserve safety and respect while they help keep North Carolina open and running.