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Taking Action on COVID-19

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#WeNeedPPE
District 1 political team, the national LP team and the PHEW office are collaborating on a national campaign to demand that President Trump use the Defense Production Act to produce life saving personal protective equipment (PPE). Below are resources to help mobilize in this effort.

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Nurses and other CWA-represented healthcare workers are on the front lines of the Covid-19 crisis. Our members in Buffalo, New York have launched a campaign demanding Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act to produce much needed hospital equipment like personal protective equipment, tests and ventilators.

Member activationIn addition to social media, we're activating members by petition and video testimonial. The petition link is: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/weneedppe Please share the petition broadly.

If you are interested in submitting a video testimonial, please contact Thomas Walker at 865-776-3094 or twalker@cwa-union.org.

Basic FAQ

  • What is PPE? Especially N95 protective masks, but also latex gloves, face shields and gowns.
  • What is the Defense Production Act? The Act allows for the President to make manufacturers prioritize production of goods essential for the national defense. Used in WWII to convert the auto manufacturing sector to produce weapons to fight fascism, the DPA could be used now to make manufacturers produce life-saving PPE and ventilators.
  • What has Donald Trump done? Trump has already signed the act and begun using it to make manufacturers produce ventilators. We need him to invoke the DPA to produce PPE for our healthcare workers and everyone who through their work is exposed to public.
  • Who would this benefit? All of us. First and foremost our frontline healthcare workers - who we all rely on to make sure we and our families stay healthy. Secondly all workers who are classified as essential and thus risk exposure to covid-19, incl. telecom workers going into people's homes to maintenance lines, public sector workers running social service agencies, and beyond...

PAID Leave ActMany workers were excluded from access to paid leave protections passed in the stimulus bill, including most essential personnel - even healthcare workers. Please join us in sharing a petition to demand that any subesquent legislation close the loophole created by the Trump Department of Labor that leaves these people out. The petition link is: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/paidleaveact