Dear friends,
I recently took on a minor leadership role in the Fair Pay for Home Care Campaign. This entails leading lobby visits and pestering legislators and their staffers about their budget letters and, hopefully, winning hearts and minds to a campaign for fair pay and human dignity.
At this moment, 39 NYS Senators have co-sponsored the bill to raise wages for home care workers to 150% of the minimum wage. Because we have the worst shortage of home care workers in the nation, this is pressing business.
Urge your state Senator to co-sponsor Fair Pay for Home Care. If they already have, ask them to include it in their budget letter. Ready-made!
In case you missed it, here again is the Caring Capacity project archive. The project is a story of the human condition. Governor Hochul did not include Fair Pay for Home Care in her budget this year, even though she promised to stand up for workers and for families.
Call the Governor to let her know that you’re upset that she has abandoned these essential workers and those who depend on them.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved a project to build giant compressors to run more gas between Canada, Connecticut, and New York in the “Iroquois Pipeline.” The project must also pass regulatory muster in each state.
The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s public comment period is underway and we have until February 22 to persuade the Governor and DEC that we don’t need more gas passing through New York.
Tell Governor Hochul and the DEC to deny permits to the ‘Iroquois’ Pipeline compressors.
The 13th Forward Campaign, which is a New York State effort to eradicate this exploitative practice, is working
to create the equitable prison labor system that incarcerated workers deserve. This includes enshrining in our state constitution the abolition of slavery including for those convicted of crimes, and creating a system of labor for incarcerated individuals that prohibits forced labor, raises wages without unfair garnishments, protects worker safety and health, and creates job training programs that provide real pathways to employment post release.
Legislators have drafted two bills: The No Slavery in NY Act and The Fairness and Opportunity for Incarcerated Workers Act.
Take action to end slavery in New York with 13th Forward!
One last thing before the weekend: When I looked up this week, I just kept seeing the numbers of people killed in Turkey and Syria by this week’s massive earthquake and its aftershocks. One wants to do something.
Support World Central Kitchen! Their Relief Team has begun to set up operations in Türkiye, delivering fresh meals to displaced people.
Looking up has many benefits. It provides perspective. You might see an owl, a clear blue sky, or even an unidentified object.
with love,
L