IN THIS EDITION:
- Apply Now for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
- Join Us for an Online Health Care Town Hall This Sunday
- Tell Our Congressional Delegation to Save the Postal Service
- Tell Governor Mills to Strengthen Democracy & Protect Voters & Poll Workers
- Western Maine Labor Council Remembers Fallen Workers
Self-Employed Workers & Others Can Now Apply for Unemployment
The Maine Department of Labor has begun accepting applications for the new federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides unemployment benefits to self-employed individuals, gig workers and others who don’t qualify for regular unemployment. People with claims that do not require further review should begin receiving benefits within seven days of filing, according to Maine DOL. The new federal program expands eligibility for unemployment benefits to certain categories of workers who haven't been typically eligible to receive unemployment in the past, such as:
- Self-employed workers
- Farmers/Fishermen
- Independent contractors
- Nonprofit employees not already covered by regular state unemployment benefits
- Gig economy workers
- Workers who do not have enough work history and earnings to be eligible for traditional unemployment benefits
- Others who have been determined ineligible for regular unemployment benefits
For more information about PUA and instructions on how to apply check out MDOL's website: https://www.maine.gov/unemployment/pua/ For assistance applying click here.
It’s clear now more than ever that our health care system is deeply inadequate. Millions of Americans who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 have also lost their health insurance, just when many need it most. Please join us for an online Town Hall Meeting on Sunday, May 3rd to talk about health care challenges workers face in this crisis and why Medicare for All is the solution. We are pleased to welcome as our guest speakers:
- Sara Nelson, President of the Association of Flight Attendants- CWA, AFL-CIO
- Cokie Giles, President of the Maine State Nurses Association/NNU and RN at Eastern Maine Medical Center
- Mark Dudzic, Director, Labor Campaign for Single Payer
We will discuss what workers are facing in this crisis, the failures of our private, for profit health insurance system during this pandemic, and hear about the Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act — a bill in Congress to cover health care costs for uninsured Americans for the duration of the pandemic. The Town Hall will be hosted on Zoom. Please click here to RSVP and get the log-in information. We also plan to stream it to Facebook Live if possible. It's interactive- you'll be able to ask questions, vote in polls, and more. Or you can just listen in. Hope to see you then!
Tell Governor Mills to Protect Voters & Poll Workers
In the midst of this crisis, it is more important than ever that every Mainer has a safe and secure way to vote in our upcoming elections. We are calling on Governor Janet Mills to act immediately to protect Maine voters and ensure every eligible voter is able to participate in the July primary.
Please sign this petition to strengthen our democracy to ensure Mainers are able to safely and securely vote.
Tell Our Congressional Delegation to:
The US Postal Service is a vital public service and a crucial working class institution. Seven days a week, postal employees are risking their health to sort and deliver medicines, lab tests, online purchases, Treasury checks, public health information, absentee ballots and more. The postal service maintains a single standard of service for all, is crucial to our economic recovery and is a source of good quality jobs across the country. We need to defend our public postal service as it faces massive losses as a result of the economic shutdown and the idiotic Congressional requirement to pre-fund retiree healthcare 75 years out.
Instead of more tax cuts for billionaires we should support the Postal Service in the next COVID response bill in Congress. Please click here to tell our Congressional delegation to approve an immediate injection of money to ensure that the Postal Service continues serving Mainers through this crisis and beyond.
Western Maine Labor Council Remembers Fallen Workers
Every day in this country 14 workers go to work and never come home to their families due to fatal on-the-job injuries. This year ever more workers are dying on the job due to the COVID-19 crisis. Every year, we honor those fallen workers on Workers Memorial Day, which fell on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the Western Maine Labor Council had to cancel its annual Workers Memorial Day Dinner due to COVID-19, but the group held a ceremony over Zoom with members of USW 900, AFSCME, IAFF 785 and Senate President Troy Jackson to remember the 18 Mainers who died on the job last year and to pay respects to those who have lost their lives in this crisis.
“During this crisis and every day, we believe that the best on-the-job protection is a strong union backed up by strong government action," said WMLC President Linda Deane (USW 900). "We must continue fighting for the right of every worker to a safe job until the promise is fulfilled. Let this Workers Memorial Day tribute be a reminder to organize, take action and speak out for safe jobs at livable wages for all workers.”