Big Apple Coffee Party has agreed to support the May Day General Strike 2020 Movement.
This national movement, which began on May 1, 2020, is actually a collection of local, grassroots actions by workers, students, activists who understand that our leaders and elected officials have let us down, and it is time that we must take action ourselves.
During the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic, the value of working people, who keep our society functioning, has become clear. These workers are now called “essential workers.” Many of these workers are low-paid, working without the benefit of heath care, sick-leave, vacations or personal leave. And when the pandemic hit, these workers were expected to keep working, even if their employers didn’t supply them with personal protective equipment (PPE)—gloves, masks, hand sanitizers. They work in unsafe and unhealthy environments, with their employers making no efforts to make their workplaces clean and safe.
Many of these workers are forced to protest, walkout and/or strike to force their employers to provide them with basic health and safety protections. They aren’t the first workers to take such action. Prior to the pandemic, many workers were protesting against hostile treatment they were receiving from their employers.
There is a growing, grassroots movement that is convinced that the only way to have impact on this society is to withhold their labor. According to PaydayReport.com, there have been 220 wildcat strikes since March 1. Safety for front-line workers is an important call for many of the participants in the May Day General Strike 2020 Movement.
The May Day General Strike 2020 Movement is not limited to people who are withholding their labor because of grievances on the job. The COVID-19 Coronavrus has led to 30 million Americans filing for unemployment insurance as the pandemic crisis directly led to the loss of their jobs. In the United States, where healthcare is directly linked to job-related medical insurance, millions of Americans have also lost their healthcare. The call for universal health and Medicare for all has gained momentum.
With the loss of income, many Americans are faced with the fact that they now cannot pay their rent or mortgage payments. Add to that the crushing student debt and we can see why there have been calls for Rent Strikes and Debt Strikes.
Big Apple Coffee Party is active on issues that are important to us. Learning what grassroots groups around the country are doing on issues, is a major reason why we have aligned with the May Day General Strike 2020 Movement.