PA government must protect us all during the coronavirus pandemic

Gov. Wolf It's time to take care of all of us. Act Now!

Just Harvest joined more than 50 other Pennsylvanian organizations in signing onto the following letter, which was sent this week. Please sign the petition to urge our state officials to swiftly adopt these measures to protect working families and other vulnerable people.


Governor Tom Wolf and Leaders of the State Legislature: It’s Time to Take Care of All of Us

We call on Governor Wolf and the State Legislature to take every possible action to contain the spread of COVID-19 and alleviate the health and financial burden on working families and our most vulnerable citizens. We, the undersigned, call on Governor Wolf and the State Legislature to act immediately:

Expand Healthcare Access

  • Fully paid leave for any COVID-19 related issue, including sick time, furlough, self-quarantine, and providing care to family members who have contracted the illness;
  • Free COVID-19 testing and treatment, regardless of insurance status or background; and
  • Protections from disciplinary action or reduced hours from employers against workers who utilize sick time or leave due to COVID-19 related issues;
  • No profits from this crisis: private corporations providing public health services must do so at no cost, and any eventual vaccine must be made available cost-free to the public.

Economic Relief for Working Families and All Impacted People

  • Immediate cash assistance to all people in Pennsylvania to stabilize finances for families, small businesses, and our economy;
  • Expansion of our unemployment compensation system to allow the rapid processing of new unemployment applications as a result of COVID-19 related layoffs and closures;
  • Suspension of foreclosures, utility shutoffs (water, electric, internet), evictions, credit defaults, school loan payments, and other liens for workers who may be laid off or have reduced hours for the duration of the national public health emergency;
  • Procurement of hotels and motels to provide shelter for homeless families; and
  • Enhancement of food security programs for Pennsylvania’s working families, the elderly, and children by increasing funding for nutrition assistance programs.

Protect our Values, Safety, and Voices

  • Implementation of aggressive legal and regulatory measures to prhaevent price gouging for common household goods, especially those necessary to prevent and treat COVID-19;
  • Immediate release of incarcerated individuals who have been charged with non-violent offenses, including undocumented immigrants, but are imprisoned due to an inability to post bail;
  • Expansion of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to properly investigate attacks on Pennsylvania’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, as well as to educate, and inform the public to prevent discrimination that may result as a result of this pandemic;
  • Additional funding to protect our democracy, including ensuring an accurate 2020 Census count and ensuring fair elections in Pennsylvania during the pandemic.

The choices our government makes now to help us weather the outbreak of this virus can also set a better course for the future of our communities. Now is the time for us to unite across our differences and make policy choices that help every-day people in pursuit of a safe and thriving nation.

SIGN THE PETITION

Co-Signing Organizations and Movement Leaders:
1HOOD Media
Alliance for Police Accountability (APA)
America Votes Pennsylvania
Beaver County United
Bend the Arc Pittsburgh
Berks Stands Up
Black Women, Wise Women (BW3) LLC
BOOM Concepts
Capital Region Stands Up
CASA
Casa San Jose
Center for Coalfield Justice
Centre County COVID-19 Community Response
Centre County Wage Justice Coalition
Circles Greater Pittsburgh
Clean Water Action
Conservation Voters of PA
Delco Stands Up
Democratic Socialists of America – Pittsburgh
Erie Councilmember Kathleen Schaaf
Erie County United
Grounded Strategies
Hill District Consensus Group
JustLaws
Just Community Energy Transition Project
Just Harvest
Keystone Research Center
Landless People’s Alliance
Lancaster Stands Up
LGBTQIA Advisory Council of Pittsburgh
Make the Road PA
Mayor Dwan Walker of Aliquippa
Movement Alliance Project
New Voices for Reproductive Justice
Nine Mile Run Watershed Association
One Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Councilmember Helen Gym
Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center
Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition
Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network
Pennsylvania Stands Up
Pennsylvania United
Pittsburgh Councilmember Deborah Gross
Pittsburgh Union of Residential Renters
Pittsburgh United
Planned Parenthood PA Advocates
POWER Interfaith
Reclaim Philadelphia
Reliable Technologies
Riverside Center for Innovation
SEIU 32BJ
SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania
Sequal Consulting
SisTers PGH
State Representative Austin Davis
State Representative Dan Miller
State Representative Ed Gainey
State Representative Elizabeth Fiedler
State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta
State Representative Sara Innamorato
State Representative Summer Lee
State Senator Lindsey M. Williams
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 KS
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ligonier Valley
Urbankind Institute
VietLead
Voice of Westmoreland
Washington County United
We the People
Women for a Healthy Environment

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