Workers' World Today - Issue 9

INSIDE

June 2020 DHS Suggests Homelessness for Asylum Seekers ... 17

Tips for Families Affected by Alzheimer’s Disease ... 7

How to Recover from a Breakup ... 19

Issue #9

Police Unions are one of the Juneteenth Explained Biggest Obstacles to Transforming Policing

BY LINDA N., SPECIAL TO WWT

BY JILL MCCORKEL THE CONVERSATION

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rotesters and community organizers are increasingly calling for defunding and disbanding the police as a way to end police

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violence.

Advocates argue that moderate reforms like enhanced training and greater community oversight have failed to curb police violence and misconduct.

But there’s a major, and usually insurmountable, obstacle to reform: police unions. Research suggests that these unions play a critical role in thwarting the transformation of police departments.

Union officials like John McNesby in Philadelphia, where I live and work as a scholar of law and the criminal justice system, do not deny this. Over the course of his 12-year career as president of the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, he has derided the city’s civilian review board and predicted in 2010 that beefedup misconduct procedures would wind up “… at the bottom of the litter box.”

He was right. The union has successfully petitioned the Pennsylvania State Labor Relations board to overturn continued on page 8

Hot Topics and News You Should Know About

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ave you ever wondered why people celebrate specific dates? Among the numerous reasons is that dates serve as memorials for events; sometimes, they serve as pointers to notable marks in history and as a guide for future generations, thereby contributing to the formation of identity. All these characteristics hold for the celebration of June 19th or Juneteenth among blacks of African descent in the United States of America. The day is 'Black-American's Independence Day'. continued on page 26

Why Do Victims Stay?... 29

Two Years After AOC, Voters Still Hungry for Change... 30

America’s Teachers Cry for Help, Can’t Go Back...12

Labor-Related News - Nationally & Locally

Assemblywoman Diana Richardson Wins By Over 70% ... 15

Athletes for Justice and Change ... page 6

FDA Hand Sanitizer Warning

F AFT President On Supreme Court Decision ... 3

AFSCME President: States, Cities & Towns Need Help Now ... 3

In Memoriam: Dr Eula Bingham, 1929-2020 ...13

DA advises consumers not to use any hand sanitizer manufactured

by Eskbiochem SA de CV in Mexico, due to the potential presence of methanol (wood alcohol), a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested. FDA has identified the following products mancontinued on page 18

www.workersworldtoday.com I'm not going to quit. There is too much to do. People need jobs, equality, education. We still need to organize to learn how the economics and politics drive everything in life. Can't stop now.

—Nellie Stone Johnson, at the age of 90 in 1995

June 2020

Contents

FYI: July is BIPOC Mental Health Month

In Solidarity: States, Cities and Towns Need Aid NOW.........................3 AFT’s Weingarten on Supreme Court’s Decision in Espinoza...........................................................3 Workers’ Matters Media Workers Demand #JustCauseNoExceptions.................................................9 Love, Health & Relationships ... 23 Can People Spread the Coronavirus If They Don’t Have Symptoms?

Education America’s Teachers Cry for Help..................................12 Jobs & Recession What is an Article 78 Proceeding?

How Can I Use it in Court? .............................................16 Love, Health & Travel How to Recover from a Breakup: 6 Steps to Get Off the Emotional Roller Coaster...........................19

Formally recognized in June 2008, Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed each July and was created to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face regarding mental illness in the United States.

Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate who worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities.

Labor History: June 28, 2020 This date marked the birthday (June 28, 1850), of machinist Matthew Maguire, who many believe first suggested Labor Day. Others believe it was Peter McGuire, a carpenter.

– 1850

Love, Health & Travel Spring Allergies and Differences from COVID-19..................................................................20 From Worker to Business Owner... 14 Can’t Have the Same Old Abrasive Boss

COLUMNS Civil Rights ... 4 Creating a New Era of Public Safety Now is the time for all of us to demand justice for the Black community and accountability for law enforcement. It is time to reimagine what kind of America we want to build — an America where all people can live safely and freely.

President Grover Cleveland signed legislation declaring Labor Day an official US holiday. – 1894

Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com

Love, Health & Relationships ... 24

Bahamas Prepares for Phase 2, Reopening July 1

2

Family: The True Modern Relationship ... 11 Father-Child Activities While the Kids Are at Home Your job is to be engaged. Ask questions. Listen to their answers. Have conversations. Think about the kinds of things you liked doing and talking about when you were their age.

Do you want more?

Visit www.workersworldtoday.com Subscribe to get updates!

June 2020

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In Solidarity

States, Cities and Towns Need Aid NOW

BY LEE SAUNDERS AFSCME PRESIDENT

A Supports Workers’ World Today

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ecently, I was in Albany fighting and seeking support of A1261/S1947, legislation that will create a clear definition of public work and level the playing field for New York’s contractors.

District Council 9 Painters and Allied Trades Union (DC9), the union for painters, prides itself on being a strong advocate for workers’ rights and safety. We are excited about this new publication, Workers’ World Today, which covers the issues of relevance and concern for all workers.

We are encouraged that all workers: blue and white collar will have a voice and platform.

Congratulations on your inaugural issue. We wish much success to the leaders and team of Workers’ World Today and pledge our support.p Davon Lomax Political Director, DC9

s Americans mark our nation’s 244th birthday this coming weekend, far too many families are anxious about the future.

Nearly 50 million people have lost their jobs since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the economy. As states, cities and towns face steep revenue shortfalls, they have laid off more than 1.6 million public service workers.

But instead of taking action, the Senate is taking a two-week vacation beginning July 3.

The Fourth of July is a cel-

ebration of our freedom. But we can’t take our freedoms for granted – the freedom to drive on safe roads, to drink clean water, to send our children to good schools, and more. They are made possible by public service workers in communities across our country.

Think of where we’d be with-

out these everyday heroes – from nurses and first responders to unemployment claims processors and child care providers – who have been on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19.

They have saved our nation.

But they will be thanked for their sacrifice with pink slips unless the Senate acts now.

Tell your senators: no vacation until you finish your job.

We need a $1 trillion aid package now.

We can’t risk another Great Depression by failing to act. We can’t put more lives in danger by slashing essential public services. To beat the virus and put our economy back together, the federal government must act now. p

TEAM Publisher Workers’ World Today, Inc Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip Contributing Writers Marilyn Silverman Charles Tabasso Victoria Falk Erin Telesford Jennine Estes, MFT Travis Morales Mary Campbell Janet Howard Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq. Telephone 1-866-435-3286 Email info@workersworldtoday.com Visit us at www.workersworldtoday.com

AFT’s Weingarten on Supreme Court Decision in Espinoza

BY RANDI WEINGARTEN AFT PRESIDENT

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ASHINGTON: American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue: “This ruling in the Espinoza case is a seismic shock that threatens both public education and religious liberty. It is a radical departure from our Constitution, American history and

our values. As Justice Sonia Sotomayor said in her dissent, this ruling is ‘perverse.’

“Never in more than two centuries of American history has the free exercise clause of the First Amendment been wielded as a weapon to defund and dismantle public education. It will hurt both the 90 percent of students who attend neighborhood public schools, by siphoning off needed funds, and, in the long term, those who attend religious schools by curtailing their freedom with the accountability that comes with tax dollars.

“The court’s narrow conservative majority joined with Donald Trump, Betsy DeVos, and other wealthy donors and special interests to attack public education and turn the First Amendment on its head.

What’s even more disturbing is that some justices wanted to go

even further.

“While the court didn’t invalidate the 38 state constitutional provisions that preclude public money from going to religious schools, it came very close. The financial backers of this case will now use it to open the floodgates to litigation across the country.

“I hope the court and the plaintiffs understand that by enabling this encroachment on religious liberty, they are also opening up religion to state control and state interference.

With public funding comes public accountability. Upending the carefully constructed balance of free exercise and separation of church and state not only undermines public education, it is a grave threat to religious institutions and organizations.

“In this time of national crisis, we have seen the importance of

our public schools. Children across the country rely on public education for far more than just academics: Thirty million kids eat lunch in school, 12 million eat breakfast in school, and schools provide millions more with their healthcare. We should be prioritizing additional resources for public education and other vital social programs, not diverting them to private purposes.

“We are not going to give up.

In fact, we are only going to fight harder. Parents, teachers and their unions stood up and fought back—and we will continue to do so each and every day, whether in court, in Congress, in state legislatures or at the ballot box.

“When it comes to Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos’ attacks on public education, we will see them in November.”p

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June 2020

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Civil Rights

Creating a New Era of Public Safety

BY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE EDUCATION FUND

W

e need change now.

The outpourings of grief and generational pain we’re seeing today are a response not only to unjust policing of Black people — they are a cry for public officials to take action and achieve a new paradigm for policing.

We cannot go through this cycle again. Now is the time for all of us to demand justice for the Black community and accountability for law enforcement. It is time to reimagine what kind of America we want to build — an America where all people can live safely and freely.

Take a look at our New Era of Public Safety report and toolkit to inform your advocacy. The first step is reaching out to your mayor and city council to demand their police departments adopt the guidelines below to promote accountability and protect civil rights.

The Use of Force Police officers are vested with

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

the authority and power to use force, including lethal force, and misusing this power undermines police legitimacy, especially in communities of color that are disproportionately impacted. Departments and local officials must: •Commit to respecting and protecting human life and ensuring safety for all.

•Permit the use of force only when necessary.

•Prohibit and regulate tools and tactics with a high risk of death or injury.

•Set clear policies for all uses of force and clear policies for specific force instruments/weapons.

•Ensure officers consider personal characteristics such as age, size, or disability before using force.

•Require officers to intervene in improper uses of force and to report them immediately.

•Require officers to render aid until medical assistance arrives.

•Establish robust processes for reporting and investigating uses of force.

The First Amendment and Free Speech Police leaders should implement policies and practices that respect and protect the public’s constitutional rights

while ensuring safe public assemblies. Departments and local officials must: •Clearly instruct officers about the public’s right to record law enforcement activities.

•Limit and closely supervise information-gathering techniques that target activities protected by the First Amendment.

•Engage in cooperative and strategic advance planning.

•Demilitarize officers and require them to interact with assemblers in a respectful and positive manner, while setting clear limits on the use of force.

•Promote crowd-control tactics that are less likely to cause injury and set clear limits on the use of force.

•Hold officers accountable for their public assemblies.

Accountability Officers and departments should be held accountable for misconduct — full stop — which requires robust internal and external accountability systems. Departments and local officials must: •Create transparent, effective processes to receive, respond,

and investigate both internal and external misconduct complaints.

•Develop policies for investigating and addressing sexual misconduct and intimate partner violence.

•Create transparent, effective processes for conducting misconduct investigations.

•Ensure supervisors address and discipline officer misconduct.

•Use early intervention systems to track officer behavior and address officer needs and deficiencies at the earliest opportunity.

•Investigate misconduct to the extent permissible after statutory or contractual time limitations for discipline have passed.

•Identify, maintain, and share material evidence relating to officer misconduct or credibility with prosecutors in criminal cases.

•Expand the role of community/civilian review boards and independent monitors in discipline.

•Establish clear protocols for continued on page 6

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June 2020

6

Civil Rights

Athletes for Justice and Change

New Era of Public Safety/ continued from page 5 determining who investigates and prosecutes officer-involved crimes and shootings.

•Oppose provisions that weaken accountability systems when negotiating collective bargaining agreements.

Discriminatory Policing Discriminatory police practices have sowed a deep distrust of law enforcement across our nation. Departments and elected officials must: •Adopt comprehensive biasfree policies, and ensure officers are trained in bias-free policing.

•Supervise, monitor, and hold officers accountable for policy violations.

•Take corrective action when data indicate bias-based policing.

•Address and thoroughly investigate all complaints and calls for service based on racial and ethnic profiling.

•Identify and investigate hate crimes.

•Collect, analyze, and publicly report data relating to biasbased policing.

Stops, Searches, and Arrests Stops, searches, and arrests impose significant costs on liberty, disproportionately affect communities of color, and undermine vital relationships necessary for effective law enforcement. Departments and elected officials must: •Ban formal and informal quotas.

•Ensure officers inform people of their rights to refuse or revoke consent and to document it.

•Limit the use of pretextual stops.

•Seek search warrants whenever possible.

•Eliminate discriminatory and bias-based stops, searches, and arrests.

•Safeguard against unconstitutional surveillance.

•Provide comprehensive training and require detailed reports on stops, searches, and arrests.

•Reduce reliance on arrests

BY MARY CAMPBELL

DIVERSITYINCLUSION.NYC

Brooklyn, New York / USA - June 19, 2020: Marchers raise their fists at a justice rally for George Floyd and celebration of Juneteenth. Editorial credit: Fiora Watts / Shutterstock.com

and incarceration.

Responding to Crises Police officers are not equipped to fill the role of psychologist, social worker, or behavioral health specialist.

Municipalities must use the least “police-involved” responses to crises. Departments and elected officials must: •Develop integrated community-based support services to prevent crises and to respond to crises.

•Establish protocols for interactions with people with mental health or developmental disabilities or who are experiencing substance use disorder crises.

•Train all officers in basic techniques to identify and manage crises.

•Pair crisis response teams with mental health and developmental disability co-responders.

•Partner with local service providers to coordinate responses.

•Adopt harm-reduction models for people with substance use disorders.

•Track officer responses to crises and assess crisis response programs.

Data Collection and Reporting Data are critical for holding officers and departments accountable — you can’t fix what you can’t measure. Departments and local elected officials must: •Collect and publish demographic and enforcement data to make publicly available.

•Release information about critical events in a timely manner.

Community Interests Police officers need to earn and restore trust through policing practices that serve the community’s interests and needs. Departments and elected officials must: •Give communities a direct, ongoing say in police practices.

•Invest in social and community-based services that improve public safety, as well as housing, education, medical care, and employment opportunities.

•Develop performance measures that include community engagement.

•Build understanding of the societal causes and consequences of social problems.

•Implement policies for encounters with people with limited English proficiency.

•End the use of police in schools as a solution to student discipline.

•Prohibit officers from asking people about their sexual orientation or immigration status.

New Era of Public Safety The New Era of Public Safety initiative offers groundbreaking tools to increase trust, fairness, justice, and mutual respect between police departments and the communities they serve. The report and toolkit offer community-centered policy solutions to equip communities and police departments with best practices and recommendations for adopting 21st century policing models, including tools for advocacy.p Download the report and kit at www.diversityinclusion.nyc

Irving

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mployers, business owners, renters, and others that fail to understand the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equality, risk stiff penalties, fines, and/or lawsuits against them and/or their business. For years, people of color have been denied access to quality jobs, business funding, and more, due to discrimination. Studies showed that even when hired for similar positions as their white counterparts, people of color were often paid lower salaries for the same jobs and were not promoted to higher positions with the same frequency as their white counterparts. This recurring problem, and other similar concerns, support the ongoing need for the Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality Movement.

The recent resurgence of Black Lives Matter groups and strong global protests, against racism and injustice, following the murder of an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, by former Minneapolis, Minnesota police officers, has refueled the movement.

Black athletes and celebrities are speaking up and lending their influence to keep the momentum going and push for social reform. Championship basketball player, Kyrie Irving, of the Brooklyn Nets, who reportedly has a net worth of $70 million, is pleading with players to stand against the restart of the 2019-2020 National Basketball Association season. The NBA season is tentatively

scheduled to restart on July 31, 2020. However, Irving is taking a stand to speak out against racial injustices in the greater community, racism within the National Basketball Association, amongst other things. Despite awareness of possible income loss and disagreement amongst some fellow players regarding his decision, Kyrie Irving continued to urge other NBA players not to play, to focus on pushing for social justice reform in the greater community and equality within the National Basketball Association.

On the other hand, Knicks owner and CEO of Madison Square Garden, James Dolan, was criticized for not taking a stand and refusing to speak out against the killing of George Floyd. Dolan released an email to Madison Square Garden employees, following the killing of George Floyd, that his company was “not any more qualified than anyone else to offer our opinion on social matters.” According to reports, Dolan’s email came a day after Adam Silver, Commissioner of the National Basketball Association, released his statement to players, coaches, team owners, and executives at all levels, speaking out against George Floyd’s killing and demanding justice.

After much criticism, Dolan followed-up his initial remarks with an internal memo to staff, insisting that he is not a racist and condemning racism. Longtime Knicks super fan, Director, Producer, and Actor – Spike Lee, was one of those concerned about Dolan’s refusal to take a firm stance against racism. Spike Lee, who had recently complained about being harassed by James Dolan and accused Dolan of denying him entrance to Madison Square Garden, explained how James Dolan choosing to remain neutral regarding racism, helps to preserve racism.

As of this writing, there remains no resolution. The saga continues.p

June 2020

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Elder Care

Navigating the COVID-19 Reopening Process: Tips for Families Affected by Alzheimer’s Disease

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EW YORK: As states around the country open up after months of prolonged isolation due to COVID-19, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is providing tips to families affected by Alzheimer’s disease about how to protect their loved ones during the reopening process.

“Months of prolonged isolation understandably are making all of us eager to get out and about, but it’s important to remember that even though things are starting to reopen, COVID-19 has not disappeared,” said Allison B. Reiss, MD, a member of AFA’s Medical, Scientific and Memory Screening Advisory Board, Head of the Inflammation Laboratory at NYU Winthrop Hospital's Biomedical Research Institute, and Associate Professor of Medicine at NYU Long Island School of Medicine. “Individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease or other

dementia-related illnesses have memory impairments that affect their ability to remember things like hand washing, social distancing or wearing a mask. Because of this, family caregivers will need to continue taking steps to keep their loved one as safe and healthy as possible.”

AFA recommends the following measures: nReinforce preventive steps: Continuing protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help protect against the virus, such as washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing the nose, is vital.

Because Alzheimer’s impacts memory, someone living with it may need to be repeatedly reminded and helped with these procedures. Steps caregivers can take to encourage

handwashing include: -Explain what to do slowly, step by step.

-Use a fragranced soap, such as lavender, to improve the person’s sensory experience.

-Speak in a soothing tone.

Spend time outdoors (safely).

Walking, exercising or even just being out in the yard are all good for the body (as long as you practice appropriate social distancing and wear masks when around others). Sunlight is also a great source of vitamin D, which can help

strengthen the body’s immune system.

Watch what you eat. Maintain a balanced, nutritious diet with fewer processed, highsalt or high-sugar foods. Good hydration is also important, as is adequate vitamin D and C, both of which may help boost immunity.

Limit exposure. Avoid taking the person to grocery stores, restaurants or other large public gatherings.

Because COVID-19 is spread when in-

dividuals are in close proximity with one another, your risk of contracting coronavirus increases as you are around more people. Limit the number of outside visitors who come into your home to lessen the chances of exposure. Many doctors are utilizing telemedicine and video visits to see patients. This is another good option to avoid having to travel to in-person care sites.

These visits can be done with a family member or proxy present. p Families who have questions about caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can speak with a licensed social worker, seven days a week, through AFA’s Helpline.

Connect with the Helpline by: Calling 866-232-8484 Visiting www.alzfdn.org and clicking on the blue and white chat icon in the corner of the page Sending a text message to 646586-5283

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June 2020

8

Issues Police Unions are One of the Biggest Obstacles to Transforming Policing/continued from page 1 tougher disciplinary measures.

Philadelphia’s police union is not alone in its power to maintain the status quo. In cities and states across the U.S., the benefits and protections afforded police have been provided by public officials who have catered – and caved – to union demands over many decades.

Lack of accountability Across the United States, police are shielded from both public and departmental accountability by multiple layers of contractual and legislative protections. Nearly all of these measures reflect the political will and political might of police unions.

Measures that discourage accountability vary by jurisdiction, but typically include some combination of collective bargaining agreements, civil service protections, a Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights and discrete legislative statutes.

Taken together, they afford police greater procedural safeguards than citizens suspected of a crime have and offer more employment assurances than are available to other public servants.

They also make efforts to deter brutality and corruption all but impossible.

Commissioners seeking to tighten disciplinary protocols

in departments plagued by police violence and misconduct have terminated officers only to see them reinstated in arbitration.

So-called “purge clauses” require departments to remove all records of disciplinary actions against officers after periods of time typically ranging from two to five years. This can stymie the ability of external investigators to discover and analyze patterns of misconduct in a department. Following the police shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland, investigators from the Department of Justice had to obtain a consent decree to gain access to disciplinary records that were buried behind purge clauses.

Legislative protections and union contracts erode the ability of civilian review boards to operate as an external check on police power. In Maryland, civilians are not allowed to participate in an investigation of a law enforcement officer.

And in Newark, New Jersey, the police union sued and won when the city attempted to give its civilian review board disciplinary powers.

Closed doors, entrenched protections In general, the terms of employment for police officers are dictated by state-level civil service protections that extend

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK/ UNITED STATES MAY 11 2020: [Protest against police brutality, violence and racism].

Editorial credit: Luigi Morris / Shutterstock.com

to all public employees. State labor laws facilitate the collective bargaining process and provide opportunities for public employees to challenge managerial decisions.

Collective bargaining agreements – union contracts – further refine the terms and conditions of employment for law enforcement officers in thousands of jurisdictions across the country.

These agreements do more than just establish basic parameters governing salaries, raises and overtime pay. They also dictate how investigations into officer misconduct will be carried out, the types of disciplinary measures available to departments and avenues of redress for officers seeking to overturn or evade sanction. In all but eight states, contract negotiations with police unions take place behind closed doors, outside the purview of journalists and the public.

Many agreements declare that officers will not be imme-

diately interrogated following an incident in which the officer’s use of force, including deadly force, is being investigated. They limit the length of interrogations, the time of day they occur and the number of interrogators. They allow officers to have a union representative or attorney present.

And, unlike civilians suspected of a crime, officers are entitled to review all the evidence against them prior to submitting to questioning.

Other contracts require that civilians pursuing a complaint provide sworn statements, videotaped testimony or agree to cross-examination by an officer’s representatives. In Austin, Texas, officers under investigation can be present during a complainant’s testimony before an otherwise private hearing of the city’s civilian review board. Research suggests that these requirements can have a chilling effect on the willingness of civilians to file a complaint, or, once filed, see it through the adjudication process.

Even when investigations bear fruit, their impact is blunted. Stephen Rushin, a law professor at Loyola University, recently conducted one of the largest studies to date of police union contracts. Over 70% of collective bargaining agreements allow officers sanctioned for misconduct to appeal to an arbiter. The arbiter’s decision is binding and overrides the decisions and recommendations of supervisors, police officials and civilian review boards.

In jurisdictions like Philadelphia where the Fraternal Order of Police has a hand in selecting the arbiter, the officer appealing sanction prevails at least two-thirds of the time and receives no, or little, punishment.

Extra protection for police Sixteen states have passed some version of a legislative package known as the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights. This legislation incor-

porates the provisions found in many collective bargaining agreements and extends blanket protections to police officers throughout the state. For example, departments are prevented from publicly identifying officers under investigation and, if an officer is cleared, the department cannot acknowledge that an investigation ever took place.

States that have not passed the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights have nonetheless enacted legislation that extends similar kinds of protections. This includes laws that prevent the public from accessing disciplinary records, personnel files and body camera footage.

These laws make it difficult for researchers and journalists to document and analyze misconduct. And they create substantial barriers for communities seeking to address police violence and racial discrimination.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle have been, for most of the last three decades, enthusiastic proponents of legislation that hides collective bargaining agreements from public view and denies citizens access to relevant employment information about the officers who patrol their neighborhoods.

One reason they respond so well to police demands: campaign donations by police unions.

Former D.C. police chief and former Philadelphia police commissioner Charles Ramsey recently told CNN that police and their unions have “become far too powerful. They form political action committees.

They donate to district attorneys’ race or state attorneys’ race, state senators and representatives and so forth.”

“And then we wonder why you can’t get anything done.”p

Jill McCorkel is a Professor of Sociology and Criminology, Villanova University

June 2020

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Workers’ Matters

Media Workers Demand #JustCauseNoExceptions in Coordinated Day of Action to Protect Essential Worker Protection

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embers of The NewsGuild of New York, representing over 3,000 media professionals in New York City, united on social media against media companies and their anti-union law firms to demand #JustCauseNoExceptions. Just cause — an industry and labor standard that guarantees a worker’s right to due process and fair representation in disciplinary situations — is under threat as media industry employers try to significantly weaken or eliminate these contractual protections altogether with a so-called editorial exception.

At a time when employees across the industry are demanding transparency and accountability, employers are pushing for contract language that would allow them to make

anything, from “tone” to vague performance goals, into a failure to adhere to editorial standards.

Essentially, this exception lets management discipline employees with impunity, denying due process or review under the guise of managerial discretion in exercising subjective editorial judgment.

“Even before the start of this pandemic, media companies and their lawyers were mounting an unprecedented campaign against the very idea of just cause in journalism,” said Susan DeCarava, President of The NewsGuild of New York.

“Without just cause, a culture of silence will become the norm in our workplaces. We’re fighting to ensure fairness and equity — particularly in this time when our Black colleagues and colleagues of color are challenging media power structures — by

maintaining this essential safeguard against unjust discipline.”

“Right now, the media industry is having a very public reckoning, which has caused managers at media institutions, like The New Yorker, to examine their coverage,” said Natalie Meade, editorial staffer at The New Yorker. “They are asking employees — oftentimes Black and other people of color — to identify editorial issues and bring them to light. Yet, our bosses continue to deny us just cause, which protects us from the arbitrary whims of our managers.We need just cause without an editorial exception, so we can continue to do the work they ask of us without fear of reprisal.”

“As a company owned by The New York Times, Wirecutter is

fighting for the same just cause protections that’ve been present in the Times’ collective bargaining agreement for decades,” said Nick Guy, Senior Staff Writer at Wirecutter.

“It’s essential that the members of our unit, and all media unions, are safe to do their work without fear or favor, and speak their minds without

fear of discrimination or retaliation.”

Members across the NewsGuild are expected to participate in the Just Cause Day of Action from media companies like The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Daily Beast, The Nation, BuzzFeed News and New York Magazine. p

June 2020

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Family: The True Modern Relationship

Father-Child Activities While the Kids are at Home

BY NIGEL VANN

T

he way that children begin to understand themselves and the world around them is mediated through play. The value of play is in the way that children learn to navigate their world. The benefits are far reaching. For example, selfregulation learned through play helps with social relationships, academics, and at work.

One of the greatest regrets I’ve heard from parents is that they didn’t spend enough time with their children when they were younger. Or that when they are with their young children now, they’re too tired to do anything creative. Questions that dads have asked include: “I’ve forgotten how to ‘play’— is this bad for my kids?” “Do we have to be ‘on’ and fully engaged at all times while spending time with our children?”

“What exactly should we do with them?”

Questions like these can make the reality of caring for our kids feel daunting and stressful, so I thought it might

be helpful to share some resources and ideas to keep in mind if you find yourself sequestered with your little one(s) and fumbling for things to do or overwhelmed by the thought of it.

Really, what we’re doing when we spend time with our young children is building or reinforcing strong bonds with them and, chances are, creating memories that can last a lifetime. So, if you’re spending time at home with your kids— even if you didn’t choose to do so--my first recommendation is to look at it as an opportunity. Everything doesn’t have to go perfectly; the important thing is that you have the time and opportunity to create memories and grow your relationship. You don’t have to be a magician or a clown. You weren’t hired as entertainment.

Your job is to be engaged.

Ask questions. Listen to their answers. Have conversations.

Think about the kinds of things you liked doing and talking about when you were their age.

Here are a few tips that I’ve come across, followed by some helpful resources for fathers and a list of free online activities for children: •Don’t forget what it feels like to be a child. It’s crucial that children feel safe and secure, particularly when there is a change in routine or circumstances.

•Setting and sticking to a regular schedule is key. Children, particularly younger children, tend to do better when they get up, eat, and go to bed at their

normal times. If schedules get thrown off, they may feel anxious; so, if that happens, it’s important to let them know what’s going to happen and when.

•Share your children’s interests and invite them into yours.

-If you find all your kids want to do is play video games, take some time and play a video game with them.

-Let them do things with you.

Teach them how to cook healthy, nutritious meals.

Share your interests and hobbies with them. If you are a gardener or carpenter, let them watch, help, and learn.

•Create some artwork, play a card game or a board game, do a jigsaw puzzle, watch an old movie or their favorite children’s show.

•Tell them stories about what you did when you were their age.

•Take advantage of the increasing number of online opportunities for children to learn and have fun. Don’t stress too much about their screen time.

•Record a Tik Tok dance with your kids. p

Nigel has nearly 30 years of experience in the responsible fatherhood field. He has worked with the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC) since 2008. He leads the NRFC’s development of resources for practitioners, is the main author of the Responsible Fatherhood Toolkit, and facilitates the NRFC Webinar series.

June 2020

www.workersworldtoday.com

12

Education

America’s Teachers Cry for Help, Say They Can’t Go Back to School Safely without Massive Federal Investment

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ASHINGTON: The American Federation of Teachers has released a new study spelling out the level of investment required to reopen schools in the fall, as a Senate committee meets to discuss the crisis.

The AFT’s “Reopening Schools During a Time of Triple Crisis: Financial Implications,” published Wednesday, sounds the alarm over the scale of expenditure federal lawmakers must approve to ensure school buildings can reopen with health protections and learning layouts in place for students and educators.

If they fail to act, school buildings will stay shuttered and America’s families will endure another academic year of athome learning—with potentially disastrous consequences for student achievement and emotional well-being.

The analysis costs out an ad-

ditional $116.5 billion for instructional staff, distance learning, before- and after-school care, transportation, personal protective equipment, cleaning and health supplies, health staffing, custodial and cleaning staff, meeting children’s social and emotional needs and additional academic support for students. The average school will need to see an extra $1.2 million, or $2,300 per student, to open its doors.

That is in addition to funds needed to offset revenue losses and address the cuts that have already cost local education systems 750,000 jobs, twice the number lost during the Great Recession. The House included $57.9 billion in the HEROES Act, but more is needed, the report shows.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing on “Returning to School Safely,” chaired

by Sen. Lamar Alexander (RTenn.), will meet virtually and is expected to discuss strategies for reopening. However, the Senate has yet to consider either the HEROES Act or the possibility of a new round of fiscal stimulus.

The committee convenes as states, cities and school districts prepare to enact the largest budget cuts since the Great Recession, with state shortfalls approaching a halftrillion dollars. If no new federal money materializes, states will be forced to make hundreds of billions in cuts to edu-

cation—the exact opposite of what is required.

AFT President Randi Weingarten said: “This is a fivealarm fire. Since late April we have been exploring ways to safely reopen school buildings in the fall. Our children need it, and our families deserve it.

Our educators want it, and the economy won’t recover without it. But if schools can’t get the money they need to safely reopen, then they won’t reopen, period.

“These numbers show the sheer scale of the effort required, and the fact that nei-

ther the Senate nor the president has begun any negotiations on the HEROES Act is astounding to us. America’s teachers are sending an SOS because we know that if we don’t return to face-to-face learning, a generation of students will be added to the coronavirus casualty list.

“America is facing a triple crisis: a health pandemic, a racial justice crisis and an economic crisis—and they’re all interrelated. Public schools are centers of their communities and essential to repairing our nation’s fraying social fabric. And the economy won’t recover fully unless school buildings reopen.

“If we fail to act, we’ll forfeit our future—and teachers are going to fight tooth and nail until the disastrous ramifications of doing nothing become etched in lawmakers’ minds.”p

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June 2020

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13

In Memoriam

Dr. Eula Bingham, 1929-2020

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OS ANGELES: The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH), the COSH Network and our allies mourn the passing of Dr. Eula Bingham, a pioneering scientist, pathbreaking government regulator and forceful advocate for workplace health and safety and the rights of working people.

Shortly after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created in 1971, Dr. Bingham, then at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, served on several federal advisory committees working to establish standards to protect workers from lead, hydrocarbons and carcinogens. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter, at the urging of several unions, appointed her to head the agency as assistant secretary of labor. During Dr. Bingham’s tenure, OSHA successfully issued regulations protecting workers from exposure to lead, benzene and cotton dust, and

published a Right-to-Know standard giving workers the right to information about hazardous chemicals in their workplaces.

One of Dr. Bingham’s proudest accomplishments at OSHA was the creation of a program then called New Directions, and now referred to as the Susan Harwood Training Grants, which provides training to workers about how to identify and remediate workplace hazards.

“Eula Bingham helped fuel the grassroots worker health and safety movement that carries on today,” said Peter Dooley, safety and health senior project coordinator at National COSH. “The workers, activists and health and safety professionals she touched directly, or who were trained by programs she started, are better equipped to meet today’s incredibly difficult workplace challenges because of Dr. Bingham’s commitment to educating and empowering workers.”

ernmental organizations working to improve occupational safety and health.

Dr. Bingham was known throughout the worker safety movement as a warm and generous colleague with a ready sense of humor, always available to talk, listen and assist in efforts to make our workplaces safer. Her legacy will endure, for the millions of workers who are protected by the regulations she brought to life, and for the thousands and thousands of workers who learned about their workplace rights through training programs she established. Dr. Bingham set an example worth following for anyone with responsibility for protecting workers, and she will be deeply missed. p

After leaving OSHA in 1981, Dr. Bingham returned to the University of Cincinnati, where she remained active as a professor, mentor, researcher, member of scientific advisory panels and consultant to workers, unions and governmental and non-gov-

The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health is dedicated to promoting safe and healthy working conditions for all working people through organizing and advocacy. For more information, visit www.coshnetwork.org

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June 2020

14

From Worker to Business Owner

Why The New Normal Office Culture Can’t Have The Same Old Abrasive Boss

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he coronavirus pandemic has changed many workplaces temporarily and others permanently. Working remotely is more common, and for those returning to a physical office, the seating arrangements, meeting protocols, and other dynamics of the pre-pandemic work environment will be different.

But despite the new normal, some employees still will be confronted by the same old abrasive boss. With many workers feeling added stress because of the crisis, bosses who create more tension can make the work environment fragile and far less productive – an especially bad combination during an uncertain time in our economy, says Dr. Katrina Burrus, author of Managing Brilliant Jerks: How Organizations and Coaches Can Transform Difficult Leaders into Powerful Visionaries “Abrasive leaders engage in a series of negative behaviors, from harsh criticism to intimidation and manipulation,” Dr. Burrus says. “They may get results but they usually run good employees off, and their effectiveness often has a short shelf-life.

“In these daunting times of major transition, company leaders need to consider the concerns and the value of their employees. Even the most approachable, well-liked leaders will need to make adjustments to best manage their people in a sensitive way while getting maximum performance.

Whether leading in a fully virtual work environment, a reconfigured office or a combination of the two, leaders can’t rely solely on what

used to work as effective leadership in face-to-face interactions.”

Dr. Burrus offers these tips for leaders of various types to keep in mind in the new work environment: Be brilliant, not an abrasive jerk “If a leader’s mindset is that his or her employees are inherently lazy and need to be flogged into action, that’s how he or she will treat them,” Dr. Burrus says. “That attitude will spread down the chain, poisoning the corporate culture. Organizations need to establish their management and leadership principles as a reference for desired behavior. If they are receptive, abrasive leaders should be offered the support of a customized coaching program to help them change their destructive behaviors and leverage their strengths. Organization heads should communicate to their abrasive leaders that they are valued but that misbehavior has consequences, which will be applied.”

Reassure and refocus. “When leaders do not see what their employees are doing, as when they are working remotely, this creates anxiety and may trigger the abrasive leader to be even more authoritarian,” Dr. Burrus says. “However, leaders who have high emotional intelligence will likely adapt their leadership to reassure employees, which serves to refocus and motivate them in these uncertain times.”

Use a tracking system A tracking system is recommended with more communication. “For example,” Dr. Burrus says, “have a good morning virtual check-in where employees communicate what they intend to achieve during the day/week and a good evening check-out, where they communicate what they have accomplished, what they struggled with and what resolutions they need to find.”

Prioritize adding value “Remind employees to add value to clients and have more interactions with clients,” Dr.

Burrus says. “Clients will remember which providers were present during these uncertain times to support them in getting over their struggles.

Make sure employees have systems to stay in contact with their clients.”

Invite more feedback “Employees and leaders are figuring out their virtual environments and altered office environments through trial and error,” Dr. Burrus says, “so learning what is working well for your employees and sharing that with others can help your organization to adapt more effectively. Likewise, finding out what isn't going well can help leaders adapt their expectations, leadership styles, and interactions with employees to promote effective working relationships and employee well-being.”

“New environments beg new leadership styles,” Dr. Burrus says, “and leaders who adapt to support their employees during these challenging times will experience enhanced employee productivity and wellbeing.”p

Dr. Katrina Burrus (www. ExcellentExecutiveCoaching.com ), author of Managing Brilliant Jerks: How Organizations and Coaches Can Transform Difficult Leaders into Powerful Visionaries, has a proven track record coaching numerous international leaders in top organizations like Nestlé, Novartis, United Bank of Switzerland, CERN, the United Nations, and the International Labor Organization. Her coaching career has taken her to Europe, Asia, and the United States. As the founder of MKB Conseil & Coaching in Geneva, Switzerland, and Excellent Executive Coaching, LLC, in Las Vegas, Nevada, she has developed a network of international clients, experts and scholar-practitioners. Dr. Burrus has taught leadership and postgraduate courses at various universities, including a ground-breaking thought leadership workshop titled, Global Nomadic Leadership: Succeeding in a World Without Borders. She teaches executive coaching and has served on the International Coach Federation (ICF) Credentialing Committee.

June 2020

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15

In the News #SaveThePostalService Day CUNY Faculty and Staff “Stand Together for CUNY” at of ActionWorker Protection a Midtown Protest against Layoffs & Funding Cuts

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ith just a week left before thousands of adjunct faculty at the City University of New York may receive layoff notices, well over 100 CUNY faculty and staff formed a human chain from the University’s headquarters to the Governor’s office in Midtown this past Tuesday. The unionized workers were there as links in the chain to protest funding cuts to CUNY and plans to cut thousands of courses and lay off potentially thousands of adjuncts. Six hundred more faculty and staff joined the protest at a virtual rally featuring live video from the street.

Plans for the cuts and layoffs

are continuing despite $132 million in federal CARES Act stimulus money allocated to CUNY for job protection and rising support in Albany for increased taxes on the rich to protect public education and vital services from budget cuts.p

Assemblywoman Diana Richardson Wins Over 70% of the All Voting

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rooklyn, NY: In the June 23rd Democratic primary for her re-election, Assemblywoman Diana Richardson won a resoundingly large percentage of the early and Election Day vote, over 70%. While absentee ballots won’t be counted until July 1st, it is clear that the voters in Assembly District 43 have overwhelmingly thrown their support behind the Assemblywoman, who was first elected in 2015.

“The results of this primary show that when the people elect a true blue Democrat, who is out there every day helping working people, who isn’t afraid to stand up to the

real estate developers, big money interests and machine politics, they want to see that work continue,” said Assemblywoman Richardson. “The voters of the 43rd Assembly District know that I will never stop fighting for them, because they know my heart is in this

community. They have seen the results in Albany: protections for renters, criminal justice reform, police accountability, support for children, families, small business owners, healthcare, and public education. As we work to ensure that every ballot is counted, I am honored and humbled to receive such strong support from across the 43rd Assembly District, and I can’t wait to go back to Albany to keep fighting for my constituents.”p

For Our Courageous Workers: Experimental Composition Brings Musicians Together to Say Thanks

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s the quarantine was entering its second month in NYC, local musicians came up with an idea to create a musical response to the nightly 7 p.m. “cheer” that had been organized for essential workers in New York. The result was an experimental composition that was performed on April 29th from windows and rooftops from across the city, by musicians of all ages and abilities, all while observing social distancing. A cut of the final video is now available at www.tenthintervention.com/worker. p

N

ew Yorkers came out to support emergency funding for the United States Postal Service.

Carrying signs and flyers, postal advocates and union members were in front of 16 post offices in the Bronx and Manhattan in support of the presentation of 2 million

signed petitions to the Senate calling for immediate funding for the Postal Service. Americans have rated the Postal Service as the highest rated government agency with a 91% approval rating in the last Pew Survey, and in Harris Poll asking Americans to rate the most essential companies during the pandemic, the USPS was rated number 1.p

ATU NYC Locals Rally Outside MTA HQ: “No Zeroes for MTA Heroes”

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he MTA board met in Lower Manhattan on within earshot of employees of the Amalgamated Transit Union who were demanding a new contract for ATU bus drivers that would include parity in base pay with the Transit Workers Union, which settled their contract before the pandemic.

The negotiations stalled after union members were called "heroes" by the MTA leadership publicly, but were offered "zeroes" in the actual contract negotiations. Scores of transit workers from ATU and supporting unions including TWU massed outside MTA headquarters and shouted their dismay. They demanded that the MTA offer ATU workers the same new, higher-paying contract received by the TWU earlier this year.

“We should get the same contract, but were told ‘we can’t bargain with you at this time’ and that is unacceptable,” said Mark Henry, ATU Local 1056 President/Business Agent. “We

are here to make sure the safety of our members and the riding public is taking care of and they are shown the dignity and respect they deserve by guaranteeing the wages received by Local 100 and also to the ATU locals including 1179 and 1181, 726 and my local 1056. We should be treated fairly and given equal wages for an equal days work. I want to see the transit authority come to the table and settle these agreements with these locals. We are in the middle of a pandemic and we are doing the same job so we should be paid the same.” p

www.workersworldtoday.com

June 2020

16

Jobs & Recession

What is an Article 78 Proceeding? How Can I Use It In Court?

BY TATYANA BELLAMY-WALKER

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nder New York State court jurisdictions, Article 78 Proceeding allows residents to appeal a decision of a city or local agency. According to New York State Courts, there are three parts to Article 78 Proceedings: the Certiorari, Mandamus and Prohibition.

Certiorari: a determination made as a result of a hearing at which evidence was required to be and was taken, is on the entire record and supplied by substantial evidence, according to court guidelines.

Mandamus: reviews whether the body or officer failed to perform a duty ordered by law as well as whether a determination was made in violation of lawful procedure, according to court guidelines.

Prohibition: is whether the body or officer proceeded, is proceeding, or is about to pro-

ceed without or in excess of jurisdiction.

While there are many ways to use an Article 78 Proceeding, there are also limitations.

Article 78 cannot be used in a determination of a civil action or criminal matter unless it is an order summarily punishing a contempt committed in the presence of the court, accord-

ing to court guidelines.

Besides filing an Article 78 Proceeding, a petitioner can file the case in the federal court or in the New York State Supreme Court. Through this method, clients have up to three years from the date of the hearing decision to file the case.

There are a couple signs that

an Article 78 proceeding is right for you. There are a couple signs that an Article 78 proceeding is right for you. First, you are unhappy with a government agency’s final decision. For example, an agency decides to revoke your license.

In Tacos Ricos Corp. v New York State Liquor Authority – the restaurant used an Article 78 proceeding to petition the courts to return their liquor license, which was revoked because they had women dancing with customers and serving as waitresses. While the New York State Liquor Authority termed the establishment “disorderly” the courts found there was no evidence to support this claim.

More than 10 years ago, in Matter of Colaiacovo v Dormer, Sup Ct, Suffolk County, a Long Island resident used Article 78 when his wife used his pistol to commit suicide. Local officials revoked his

pistol license. However, the courts sided with the petitioner stating that he was not at fault and he has the right to bear arms.

Article 78 Proceedings must be filed within four months of the date you receive the decision you want to appeal. It is mandated that Article 78 Proceedings are filed in New York State Supreme Court.

Experts recommend using a specialized lawyer for Article 78 Proceedings. This is because Article 78 Proceedings are complex and without representation, it can lead to a loss of a case or a forfeiture of rights. Under Article 78, clients may be awarded monetary damages, relief or the court may dismiss the proceeding. In all, if a New York agency grants you a decision you disagree with – you have a right to appeal the unfavorable judgment. p

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June 2020

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17

Old & New Immigrants: Their Rights

DHS Suggests Asylum Seekers Should Get Used to ‘Homelessness’ After Stripping Work Permits

BY AARON REICHLIN-MELNICK

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he Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will finalize a new regulation on June 26 which will strip most asylum seekers of the right to seek work authorization. The rule imposes sweeping new grounds to deny asylum seekers a work permit during the multi-year process of obtaining asylum.

DHS dismissed concerns that this would force many into desperate straits. The department suggested that people seeking asylum “should become familiar with the homelessness resources provided by the state where they intend to reside.”

The new rule, which goes into effect on August 25, 2020, would block work permits for almost all asylum applicants who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border. It bans work permits for anyone who crosses the border between ports of entry to seek asylum. This contradicts Congress, which has made clear

that it is legal to seek asylum after crossing the border between ports of entry.

It does provide an exception for individuals who present themselves to a border official, request asylum within 48 hours, and can show “good cause” for not going to a port of entry. However, DHS makes these exceptions narrow. Being forced to wait for months in Mexico before receiving permission to seek asylum at a port of entry—a process known as “metering”—would not count as good cause.

Asylum seekers will now have to wait 365 days after filing an asylum application to seek a work permit. The current wait time is 180 days. The rule also strip work permits from anyone who lost their case at the Board of Immigration Appeals and wanted to appeal to a federal court. It also strips the right to work from asylum seekers convicted of a wide variety of minor crimes.

DHS has faced pushback over

the increased, one-year wait time. Opponents of the rule say preventing people from legally working for over a year would cause unnecessary suffering.

But again, DHS is dismissive.

The department declared that it “is confident that those [individuals] legitimately fleeing persecution will be willing to adapt to the longer wait period for employment authorization,” without explanation of how these applicants can or will “adapt” to supporting themselves without working.

DHS reasons that the new rule would remove a supposed “in-

centive” for asylum seekers: the ability to apply for a work permit 180 days after filing for asylum. DHS believes this leads some to submit fraudulent applications just to get work permits. These are the same arguments made in the 1990s to justify creation of the six-month waiting period in the first place.

However, in its explanation for the rule, DHS admits for the first time that it doesn’t actually collect data on how many asylum applications are frivolous or fraudulent, only data on denials versus grants.

This rule will drive most asylum seekers into desperate cir-

cumstances and force them to rely on charity and state aid (since they are not eligible for federal benefits) or work without authorization in order to survive.

But under a separate set of rules proposed by the Trump administration just two weeks earlier, any asylum seeker who work without permission would be banned from asylum if they fail to report even a penny of income to the IRS. As a result, the new work permit rules put asylum seekers in a Catch-22. If they can’t rely on charity, they risk falling into homelessness and potential starvation to seek asylum; if they work without authorization, they risk being denied asylum.

No one should be forced into homelessness or become food insecure because they seek protection. These new rules, which are likely to be challenged in court, are yet another attempt by the Trump administration to punish asylum seekers.p

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June 2020

18

Know Your Rights FDA Warning/ continued from page 1 kbiochem: •All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01) •Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01) •CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04) •Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01) •The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10) •CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03) •CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01) •CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01) •Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01) FDA tested samples of Lavar Gel and CleanCare No Germ.

Lavar Gel contains 81 percent (v/v) methanol and no ethyl alcohol, and CleanCare No Germ contains 28 percent (v/v) methanol. Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should

not be used due to its toxic effects.

Consumers who have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol should seek immediate treatment, which is critical for potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning. Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death. Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk, young children who accidently ingest these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol

(ethanol) substitute, are most at risk for methanol poisoning.

On June 17, 2020, FDA contacted Eskbiochem to recommend the company remove its hand sanitizer products from the market due to the risks associated with methanol poisoning. To date, the company has not taken action to remove these potentially dangerous products from the market.

Therefore, FDA recommends consumers stop using these hand sanitizers and dispose of them immediately in appropriate hazardous waste containers. Do not flush or pour these products down the drain.

FDA reminds consumers to wash their hands often with

soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing one’s nose. If soap and water are not readily available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend consumers use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent ethanol.

FDA remains vigilant and will continue to take action when quality issues arise with hand sanitizers. Additionally, the agency is concerned with false and misleading claims for hand sanitizers, for example that they can provide prolonged protection such as 24hours against viruses including COVID-19, since there is no evidence to support these claims.

To date, FDA is not aware of any reports of adverse events associated with these hand sanitizer products. FDA encourages health care professionals, consumers and patients to report adverse events or quality problems experienced with the use of hand sanitizers to FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program. p

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June 2020

19

Love, Health & Travel

How to Recover From a Breakup: 6 Steps to Get Off the Emotional Roller Coaster member for support, get help with being distracted, hear another perspective, and find some time for laughter. Being with the ones you love reminds you that life does go on, and you can still have good times in the future, despite your breakup.

BY JENNINE ESTES, MFT

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reakups suck. Plain and simple. A relationship breakup can be extremely difficult, painful, and emotionally draining. We often find ourselves on a horrible roller coaster of emotions.

From day to day you shift between feelings of anger, depression, hopelessness, fearfulness, anxiousness, and a sense of being overwhelmed.

While in a relationship, people will plan for a future with their partner, along with the feelings of connectedness love, and belonging. However, once the relationship is over, these feelings often swing the other way and you now have to face an aspect of the relationship that you never planned for or expected. No matter how long your relationship was, or the type of relationship, breakups are almost always an emotionally painful experience. Here are a few tips that can help re-

cover from a breakup.

1. Let out some air Imagine for a second you have a balloon in your body. Now, imagine stuffing emotions down into this balloon every time you get sad, angry, or frustrated. Just as helium balloons pop when they get full, so do the emotional balloons within us. The feelings you experience during a breakup can burst this balloon, leading to physical side effects like head aches, depression, and stomach aches. One of the best

methods to release the internal pressure before it pops is talking about your frustrations with a trusted friend or therapist.

2. Journal Emotion can force our mind to go over the same thoughts time and again, forming a continuous thought loop. Cyclical thinking doesn’t get you anywhere and is counter-productive to eliminating an emotional roller coaster. Continuing these mental cycles only increases the pain, foster-

ing more negative thinking.

Besides talking about your emotions, another way to confront these feelings is to journal. By writing down your thoughts, your brain gets time to relax. Journaling solidifies your thoughts and can help you gain clarity.

3. Spend time with Friends and Family Time by yourself can be the biggest hurdle to getting off the emotional roller coaster.

Rather than moping, spend time with a friend or family

4. Keep track of your thoughts We often ask ourselves questions which we cannot immediately answer in the wake of a breakup. These questions include: Why did this happen?

What could I have done? What will happen now? Getting trapped in these questions often leads to a state of no longer being present in the moment; you leave the real world and go to a world of doubting thoughts and unanswered questions. You can get so caught up in the thoughts that all other aspects of your personal life get left behind. The thoughts can ignite an emocontinued on page 20

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June 2020

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Love, Health & Travel

Spring Allergies and Differences from COVID-19

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ew York, NY: More than 160 years ago, British physician Dr. Charles Harrison Blackley – who suffered from so-called “summer colds” that included sneezing, watery eyes and a runny nose – was the first to figure out that plant pollen was the trigger for his symptoms. The many millions of Americans who deal with what’s now known as spring or seasonal allergies (or hayfever) have been searching ever since for the best combination of treatments and tactics to ease these difficult symptoms, says allergist and immunologist David Erstein, MD, of Advanced Dermatology PC. According to the American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology, allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, costing more than $18 billion each year. Clearly, it’s not a small problem. But why do spring allergies occur? Billions of tiny pollen grains – produced by flowers, trees, weeds and grasses as they

grow and bloom – blow in the breeze. Some people’s immune systems identify the pollen as a foreign substance – an “invader” to be fought off by unleashing chemicals into the bloodstream called histamines.

“This cascade of events can also lead to stuffy nose, red, itchy and swollen eyes, and an itchy roof of the mouth,” explains Dr. Erstein. “Spring allergies begin as early as February in many parts of the United States and can last through the summer, depending on where you’re located.

That means it’s already time to kick allergy coping strategies into high gear as the thermometer rises and chilly days give way to spring weather.”

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For free help, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW

With the COVID-19 pandemic sickening many thousands of people, it’s also wise to be aware of key differences in symptoms between seasonal allergies and the coronavirus. The two conditions may share several overlapping symptoms, but only COVID-19 can potentially produce body aches, sore throat and diarrhea, Dr. Erstein says.

“Spring allergies won’t lead to those effects, so if you’re experiencing them, signs point more toward possible COVID19,” he says. “To be safe, call your doctor.”

Getting Relief Perhaps the best way to tackle spring allergy symptoms is to visit a board-certified allergist, a doctor whose training centers on precisely this area, Dr. Erstein advises. This recommendation is even stronger for those who aren’t sure what they’re allergic to, since allergists can identify your particular allergen(s) and optimize treatment choices. Typically, tests that may include a simple blood test or skin prick can screen for dozens of common offenders.

If you suffer from spring allergies, what are the best ways to cope? He suggests trying these tactics: nTake allergy medications: Several types of over-thecounter drugs can prove extremely effective, including antihistamines, which ease congestion as well as itchy, watery eyes; decongestants, which relieve stuffy nose; eye drops, which help itchy, red, watery eyes; and nasal sprays, which make it easier to breathe. For severe allergies, it may take several days for some medications to make a dent in your symptoms. Also, keep in mind that some drugs have side effects such as drowsiness. nLimit outdoor time: It just

makes sense that pollen exposure is reduced when you spend less time outside, especially on windy days and during early morning hours, when pollen levels are highest. When you are outdoors, don glasses, sports goggles or sunglasses to keep pollen from blowing into your eyes.

Some with allergies also wear filter masks around their nose and mouth while gardening or mowing the grass. Check with your allergist which mask might be most effective for you. nProtect yourself indoors: A few easy measures around your house can cut your exposure to pollen indoors. First, take off your shoes at the door and ask others to do the same, which keeps allergens from dispersing onto your carpets and flooring. Take a shower and wash your hair at night to remove pollen. Close all windows and screens, and use an air conditioner rather than a fan. Vacuum cleaners with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters work much better than others to trap pollens inside, and use clothes dryers rather than line-drying clothing outdoors to minimize pollen collection on your garments. nStop smoking: Smoking is never a good idea for your health, but smokers typically also suffer worse allergy symptoms than non-smokers.

Get allergy shots: If over-thecounter allergy remedies don’t do the trick, consider allergy shots. Also known as immunotherapy, these shots contain tiny amounts of the allergen you’re allergic to, exposing your immune system to larger amounts over time.

The goal is to desensitize your system to the allergen, reducing your symptoms.

“Being proactive on many levels often pays off. Some with seasonal allergies find their symptoms don’t become as severe if they start taking medications at least a week before their typical allergy season begins or by March 1, whichever is earlier,” Dr. Erstein says. “This way, an accumulation of medication already in your system can buffer your immune system’s response when pollen levels spike.”p

Recover from Breakup/ continued from page 19

tional roller coaster and will only keep you hurting and seeing the negative about the situation. Tell yourself to stop, and shift your thoughts onto another topic.

5. Take it Off Your Radar Recovering from a breakup can cause you to be hyperaware of your surroundings, especially when it comes to other couples and how they seem to be so happy. Try to refocus your attention on the more helpful parts of the environment. Notice the colors, the fresh air, and of your environment. Avoid the thoughts of what you don’t have and shift your thoughts to what you do have.

6. Have Fun I think the title explains itself.

Do activities that you enjoy, that give you pleasure, and that help you feel good about yourself. In this time of emotional pain, a little smile will go a long way.p Jennine Estes, MFT is a Marriage and Family Therapist in San Diego, CA. Estes is certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples and writes relationship and self-growth advice for her column, Relationships in the Raw. She is also the Creator of #BeingLOVEDIs campaign.

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WHAT IS MULTISYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME IN CHILDREN? Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a new health condition associated with COVID-19.

SEEK CARE IF YOUR CHILD HAS PERSISTENT FEVER PLUS ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS: Irritability or decreased activity Abdominal pain, diarrhea, or vomiting Conjunctivitis, or red or pink eyes Red, cracked lips or bumpy tongue Swollen hands or feet Lack of appetite Rash IF YOUR CHILD IS SEVERELY ILL, GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM OR CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY. For more information, call 311 or visit nyc.gov/coronavirus.

Bill de Blasio Mayor Oxiris Barbot, MD Commissioner

There are practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency regardless of the situations they are dealing with.

VISIT MHANATIONAL.ORG/MAY FOR TOOLS2THRIVE.

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June 2020

23

Love, Health & Travel

Can People Spread the Coronavirus If They Don’t Have Symptoms?

BY MONICA GANDHI THE CONVERSATION

S

creening for symptoms of COVID-19 and selfquarantine are good at preventing sick people from spreading the coronavirus.

But more and more evidence is suggesting that people without symptoms are spreading the virus too. explains what is known about asymptomatic spread and why she thinks it may be a big part of what is driving the pandemic.

What does it mean to be asymptomatic?

SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – can produce a range of clinical manifestations.

Some people who are infected never develop any symptoms at all. These patients are considered true asymptomatic cases.

When people do get sick

from the coronavirus, it takes on average five days and as many as two weeks to develop symptoms that can range from very mild to extremely dangerous. The time between initial infection and the first symptoms is called the presymptomatic phase.

As an infectious disease physician, when I hear about asymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2, I think of a person who doesn’t have symptoms at the moment they give the virus to someone else. It doesn’t matter whether they are a true asymptomatic case or just pre-symptomatic; the public health risk is the same.

How many people are asymptomatic?

Estimates of the proportion of true asymptomatic cases – those who are infected and never develop symptoms – range from 18% to over 80%.

The reasons for the huge range

Though none of these studies is perfect, a lot of evidence supports a true asymptomatic rate of around 40%, plus some addition fraction of patients who are pre-symptomatic.

in estimates are still unclear, but some studies are better than others.

The most accurate way to determine the rate of asymptomatic cases is to test people regardless of whether or not they have symptoms – an approach called universal mass testing – and track them over time to see if they develop symptoms later. A recent mass testing campaign in San Francisco found that 53% of in-

fected patients were asymptomatic when first tested and 42% stayed asymptomatic over the next two weeks.

Another recent paper compared the evidence from 16 studies and estimated the overall rate of asymptomatic infection to be 40%-45%. This is in line with the San Francisco finding, but the studies sampled were of various quality and size and likely include some pre-symptomatic cases.

How can asymptomatic people spread the coronavirus?

Compared to most other viral infections, SARS-CoV-2 produces an unusually high level of viral particles in the upper respiratory tract – specifically the nose and mouth. When those viral particles escape into the environment, that is called viral shedding.

Researchers have found that pre-symptomatic people shed the virus at an extremely high rate, similar to the seasonal flu.

But people with the flu don’t normally shed virus until they have symptoms.

The location of the shedding is also important. SARS-CoV – the virus that caused the SARS continued on page 24

GET A FREE COVID-19 TEST Stop the spread. Get tested. Hit accept.

If you test positive for COVID-19, the Test & Trace Corps will call you to offer additional FREE resources and other support.

NYC.gov/COVIDtest

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June 2020

24

Love, Health & Travel

Bahamas Prepares for Phase 2, Reopening July 1

N

ASSAU, Bahamas: The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation is preparing for Phase 2 of the Tourism Readiness and Recovery Plan, which will begin on Wednesday, July 1 and allow for the resumption of international travel to The Bahamas.

Policies and Procedures for all travellers visiting The Bahamas beginning July 1 are as follows.

Plans continue to evolve in response to COVID-19 trends, and so additional guidance will be communicated as details are available. nDue to the recent increase of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., and in an abundance of caution for the health and safety of both travellers and residents, all incoming visitors must present a COVID-19 RT-PCR Negative (Swab) Test upon arrival.

Those arriving in The Bahamas between July 1 and July 7 must present results no more than ten (10) days old. Those arriving in The Bahamas after July 7 must present results no more than seven (7) days old. Select individuals will not be re-

Editorial credit: SvetlanaSF / Shutterstock.com

quired to provide a test: -Children under the age of two (2) -Children between the ages of 3-10, provided their state or county of residence does not administer tests for children under that age. Parent or guardian must provide proof of testing restriction upon arrival.

-Private pilots who do not deplane -Bahamian citizens, residents and homeowners who are returning to The Bahamas from English speaking CARICOM countries -Bahamian citizens and legal residents who are returning to The Bahamas from countries where they cannot obtain a COVID-19 RTPCR (Swab) Test. Proof of their inability to receive a test must be presented upon arrival and traveller will be required to quarantine for 14 days.

-Quarantine time may be reduced if the traveller opts to take a test at their own expense

and receives a negative result.

-Bahamian citizens and legal residents who have been out of The Bahamas for less than 72 hours; however they will be required to quarantine for 14 days.

-Quarantine time may be reduced if the traveller opts to take a COVID-19 RT-PCR (Swab) Test, at their own expense, and receives a negative result. nAll travellers will be required to complete an electronic Health Visa prior to departure at travel.gov.bs.

Each traveller will need to upload their test results and provide contact information that is crucial for contact tracing purposes. An automated response will be provided upon completion, and it is essential that travellers present proof of confirmation upon arrival in their destination. nNo quarantine will be required upon arrival, however, travellers who show symptoms of COVID-19 may be transferred to an area away from other passengers for further testing and evaluation. nAt airports and seaports, healthcare personnel will conduct temperature screenings for all incoming visitors.

Travellers will be required to wear a face mask in any situation where it is necessary to enforce physical distancing guidelines, such as when entering and transiting air and sea terminals, while navigating security and customs screenings, and at baggage claim. nNew fines and penalties for all persons, including Bahamian residents and visitors have been established for those not wearing face masks in areas where it is required.p

Spread the Coronavirus/continued from page 23

epidemic in 2003 – does not shed very much from the nose and mouth. It replicates deep in the lungs. Since SARS-CoV-2 is present in high numbers in a person’s nose and mouth, it is that much easier for the virus to escape into the environment.

When people cough or talk, they spray droplets of saliva and mucus into the air. Since SARSCoV-2 sheds so heavily in the nose and mouth, these droplets are likely how people without symptoms are spreading the virus.

How much asymptomatic spread is happening?

Public health experts don’t know exactly how much spread is caused by asymptomatic or presymptomatic patients. But there are some telling hints that it is a major driver of this pandemic.

An early modeling estimate suggested that 80% of infections could be attributed to spread from undocumented cases. Presumably the undocumented patients were asymptomatic or had only extremely mild symptoms. Though interesting, the researchers made a lot of assumptions in that model so it is hard to judge the accuracy of that prediction.

A study looking at outbreaks in Ningbo, China, found that people without symptoms spread the virus as easily as those with symptoms. If half of all infected people are without symptoms at any point in time, and those people can transmit SARS-CoV-2 as easily as symptomatic patients, it is safe to assume a huge percentage of spread comes from people without symptoms.

Even without knowing the exact numbers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes that transmission from people without symptoms is a major contributor to the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 around the world.

What can we do to limit asymptomatic spread?

Any time a virus can be spread by people without symptoms, you have to turn to preventative measures.

Social distancing measures and lockdowns work, but have large economic and social repercussions. These were necessary when epidemiologists didn’t know how the virus was spreading, but now we know it sheds at high quantities from the upper respiratory tract.

This means that universal mask wearing is best tool to limit transmission, and there is evidence to back that idea up.

On April 3, the CDC recommended that all members of the public wear facial coverings when outside of the house and around others.

The World Health Organization finally followed suit and recommended universal public masking on June 5.

At this point, no one knows exactly how many cases of COVID-19 are from asymptomatic spread. But I and many other infectious diseases researchers are convinced that it is playing a major role in this pandemic. Wearing a mask and practicing social distancing can prevent asymptomatic spread and help reduce the harm from this dangerous virus until we get a vaccine. p

Monica Gandhi Professor of Medicine, Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

June is Men’s Health Month

01

02

03

Eat Healthy.

Start by taking small steps like saying no to super-sizing and yes to a healthy breakfast. Eat many different types of foods to get all the vitamins and minerals you need.

Add at least one fruit and vegetable to every meal.

Get Moving.

Play with your kids or grandkids.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Do yard work. Play a sport.

Keep comfortable walking shoes handy at work and in the car. Most importantly, choose activities that you enjoy to stay motivated.

Make Prevention a Priority.

Many health conditions can be detected early with regular checkups from your healthcare provider.

Regular screenings may include blood pressure, cholesteral, glucose, prostate health and more.

“Recognizing and preventing men’s health problems is not just a man’s issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men’s health is truly a family issue.” — Congressman Bill Richardson (May 1994)

100%

1994

Women are 100% more likely than men to visit the doctor for annual exams and preventative services.

On May 31, 1994 President Bill Clinton signed the bill establishing National Men’s Health Week.

1 in 2

88.9

1 in 2 men are diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime compared with 1 in 3 women.

In 2010, there were 88.9 men for every 100 women in the age group 65-69.

MensHealthMonth

MensHealthMonth

ONLINE RESOURCES Men’s Health Month MensHealthMonth.org Men’s Health Network MensHealthNetwork.org Get It Checked GetItChecked.com Talking About Men’s Health Blog TalkingAboutMensHealth.com Men’s Health Resource Center MensHealthResourceCenter.com

MHW@menshealthweek.org

AWARENESS. PREVENTION. EDUCATION. FAMILY.

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June 2020

26

Juneteenth Juneteenth Explained/ continued from page 1 Going Back in Time The year was 1619, a date recorded in history when the business of buying and selling 'black-skinned humans' as an item and ownership as property commenced in the United States. These people held against their will and forced to work without pay. A practice that lasted over two hundred years spanning from 1619 1865. During this period, more than seven million Blacks of African ancestry, distributed across the country, denied the political, educational, and economic privilege. By 1800, the practice had become widespread, though with varying intensity across the country.

Particularly in the South, it contributed to the uprising that

Editorial credit: Johnny Silvercloud / Shutterstock.com

led Southern English-speaking Americans, who came to the region, to oust the Mexicans, and make it an independent territory under their control.

Under their new government, the area made slavery constitutional, resulting in an over hundred percent increase (from 5000 black slaves in 1836 – over 30,000 black slaves by 1845) in less than ten years. In another two decades, the 1860 polls recorded over 180,000

slaves in the population, which caused considerable tension between the North( who feared the expansion of slavery into the newly acquired West), and the South (who wanted an expansion of their legacy ). The black slaves', population census figures, with the implied consequences, became a political weapon that led to a chain of events that upturned their status quo.

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The Importance of 'Blacks' Of significance to this date and history is the role the blacks located in Texas played in the history of the region. While slavery infamously started early by the Spanish and Mexicans, the Americans legalized the practice for their benefit.

Driven by the quest for wealth, fortune-driven English-speaking Americans immigrated to the region to acquire some of the vast and cheap expanses of land used to cultivate cotton.

The blacks toiled the vast land, from planting to harvesting, yet denying the fruits of labor in every area. It was a lucrative venture for the 'owners' due to the cheap labor used to accomplish their goal. A grossly parasitic relationship.

The combination of the quest for wealth, ownership of cheap land, desire to build a cotton empire, combined with cheap labor(slavery) and power, resulted in an excellent booming economy. A region borne of greed, oppression, and inequality became established.

While the region was growing, it also became drunk in power and craved for more land. This issue maximized the political tension between the South and the rest of the country. Climaxing in the secession of South Carolina and seven other states, including Texas within one year of Abraham Lincoln's coming into power. They formed a Southern Confederacy, promoting slavery and wanted to keep the practice, which eventually led to a civil war between 'free-slaves states vs. slave states. ' The principal and answer to this disagreement lingers until date, several unresolved centuries later and hinges on the answer to 'do black-lives matter'?

Black-Americans and the Civil War On the surface, it might appear that the civil war principally broke due to the hard-nosed stance between the free and slave states. It was merely the fallout to the unresolved question of 'who has the power' to rule. Unfortunately,' blacklives' was the case study, and the self-acclaimed superior beings could not resolve their ideological differences over the rights of fellow 'equally' created humans. Fellow humans that lived and existed on their land, right and standard before becoming captives. People needed to succeed; whose labor built the empire they' claim'.

Significance of Juneteenth (June 19th) This date's origin will be incomplete without hashtags like the Union, War strategy, and delayed justice. Under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, a declaration made as a strategy of war to get the Southern Confederacy to rejoin the Union. An ultimatum that meant that failure to rejoin would result in the freedom they are over two million slaves in their region. The declaration also helped the Union win the civil war as blacks in the North joined forces with the troops. While black slaves became free in other parts of America in 1863, the news of their freedom did not reach the black slaves in Texas until two years later.

Several theories exist for denying this information: the death of the news-bearer along the way, conspiracy between the North and the South for economic reasons (to enable the South to conclude their planting and harvesting season), a form of revenge by the free-born masters for their loss of power. No matter what the reason, the blacks in Texas remained slaves until the day in 1865, when the Union soldiers from the North, arrived on June 19th in Texas and broke the 'abolishment of slave(ry)' news.

Juneteenth a day celebrated as freedom, jubilation, thanksgiving, and justice for all black-Americans, present and future. The day became officious among African American’s one year after, originally celebrated with spiritual activities like praying and communal fellowship. In 1980, the date became celebrated as an official state holiday in Texas and adopted by other African Americans in other states.

Juneteenth in New York Over the years, June 19th has expanded in meaning, and it now represents a day to celebrate the achievements, culture, and contributions of African Americans in the United States of America. In New York State, it became a paid holiday in 2020, and starting from 2021, it will become a city-holiday, observed in public-schools and workers in New York City. It is a longoverdue proposal in a state and city where African Americans contribute immensely to its success and entity. p Read more at diversityinclusion.nyc

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June 2020

27

Unions in Action

New Partnership to Track COVID-19 Job Losses, Assist Officials in Supporting Workers While much remains unknown, it is clear that New York City workers are going to face headwinds in the months ahead, says Parrott.

“We are clearly in a recession at this point. The usual recessionary forces will hold back the strength of the recovery.

We need targeted and responsive government assistance that helps workers get jobs and overcome those obstacles.”p

BY AMANDA FARIAS

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has killed over 20,000 New Yorkers, sickened many more, and triggered the worst economic recession since the 1930s. The societal shutdown that was necessary to slow the spread of the virus has put many New Yorkers out of work, and the economic impacts of the crisis will continue even after a vaccine or treatment is discovered.

The Consortium for Worker Education (CWE) is partnering with economist James Parrott of the Center for New York City Affairs (CNYCA) at The New School to help New York policy makers and service providers develop programs to meet New Yorkers’ economic needs during this crisis.

Parrott and CWE plan to release periodic briefs updating the assessment of how the pandemic- and recession-related job dislocations are affecting average New Yorkers. These briefs will track the extent of job recovery by industry and keep the spotlight on how economic setbacks are affecting workers by race and ethnicity, immigration status, age, gender, and community of residence. The goal is to assist elected officials and non-profits in directing funds and programs to the workers and communities who need help the most.

On April 15th, Parrott released a new report, “The New Strain of Inequality: The Economic Impact of Covid-19 In New York City,” which found that the extent of job loss during the COVID-19 shutdown was likely far higher than City officials had estimated. Parrott estimated that 1.2 million jobs had been lost in the five boroughs, and that 68% of the newly unemployed were people of color. Two-thirds of those losing work had earnings below $40,000, while only 10% of those earning over $100,000 were displaced from jobs. Low-income workers usually fare worse in a recession, but this time the dislocation is much more concentrated among those least able to weather lost earnings.

“Recessions often have a snowballing effect as unem-

Parrott has written extensively over the years on how short- and long-term economic trends have affected New York’s workers. His recent reports include assessing the impact of the $15 minimum wage on restaurants and their workers, supporting a minimum pay standard for Uber and Lyft drivers, analyzing the shortcomings in the state’s workers’ compensation program, and estimating the magnitude of the state’s low-paid gig and independent contractor workforce.

ployment rises and consumer spending falls off,” says Parrott. than before.”

“Businesses that were reliant on high levels of consumer spendParrott hopes to be able to ing or were debt-burdened before get pushed over the edge. All draw on the deep relationships this could result in a second wave of job losses.” that CWE community partners A key question will be how many New Yorkers will have jobs have developed with local resto return to after their respective industries are cleared for re- idents over decades to get a opening, especially given necessary restrictions to keep the hyperlocal perspective on the COVID-19 infection rate in check. Some businesses will never re- recession’s impacts, directly open. The retail industry reopened on Monday, but was limited from the grassroots. to pick-up sales, and restaurants will only be allowed to reopen in the future with reduced customer capacity.

“What will this mean for workers? We want to stay in touch with the unions and community-based organizations closest to workers and with business groups to monitor economic well-being and better gauge the prospects for small business and job recovery,” says Parrott.

Parrott and CWE will also develop proposals for programs and policies that make sense in this unique Your right to recession. This could include incorporating COVIDhealth care 19 health and safety into training for all jobs, so with dignity workers can keep themselves safe. Training in Unlock affordable COVID-19 safety could also become a prerequisite health services for many jobs that involve interactions with the puband having your lic. own doctor Additionally, the pandemic is creating demands for new kinds of jobs, like deep cleaners for workBecome a sites and temperature checkers for office buildings. member of CWE partners can work with employers to develop NYC Care! job training and placement programs to meet this need, and help workers in hard-hit communities get these jobs.

CWE hopes to hold on to the gains that have been made in recent years.

“Before COVID-19, New York City had a sustained period of job growth and increases in the minimum wage, which produced something rare in the last 30 years--real wage and income growth for low- and middle-income New Yorkers,” says Parrott. “CWE’s Jobs to Build On program connected people to these jobs where wages were rising. It improved the ecoNYC Care, the key to the City’s health care, To learn more and to enroll, call nomic standing of these working families, but that is is a no- or low-cost medical services program 1-646-NYC-CARE (1-646-692-2273). in jeopardy now because of job dislocations.” offered by NYC Health + Hospitals to New Yorkers Black, Latinx and Asian families saw considerable Visit nyccare.nyc who do not qualify for health insurance. income gains over the past decade, yet their incomes remain 40 percent or more below the incomes of Coming to the Bronx on August 1 and available white families. Parrott noted, “Those gains are now citywide by late 2020. at risk. As the city’s economy recovers we need to do everything possible to come back with greater equity

UNLOCK

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June 2020

29

Conversations

Why Do Victims Stay?

BY ABIGAIL KRAMER

I

t started with intrusive questions: where she’d been; who she was talking to on the phone. Soon he was throwing his weight around— blocking her path or, worse, the door. Five months after they started dating, when he tried to push her out of a car, Anya knew the relationship was over.

When it is a viable option, it is best for victims to do what they can to escape their abusers. However, this is not the case in all situations.

Abusers repeatedly go to extremes to prevent the victim from leaving. In fact, leaving an abuser is the most dangerous time for a victim of domestic violence. One study found in interviews with men who have killed their wives that either threats of separation by their partner or actual separations were most often the precipitating events that lead to the murder.

A victim's reasons for staying with their abusers are extremely complex and, in most cases, are based on the reality that their abuser will follow through with the threats they have used to keep them trapped: the abuser will hurt or kill them, they will hurt or kill the kids, they will win custody of the children, they will harm or kill pets or others, they will ruin their victim financially -- the list goes on.

The victim in violent relationships knows their abuser best and fully knows the extent to which they will go to make sure they have and can maintain control over the victim.

The victim literally may not be able to safely escape or protect those they love. A recent study of intimate partner homicides found 20% of homicide victims were not the domestic violence victims themselves, but family members, friends, neighbors, persons who intervened, law enforcement responders, or bystanders.

Additional barriers to escaping a violence relationship include by are not limited to: •The fear that the abuser's actions will become more violent and may become lethal if the victim attempts to leave.

•Unsupportive friends and family •Knowledge of the difficulties of single parenting and reduced financial circumstances

• victim feeling that the relationship is a mix of good times, love and hope along with the manipulation, intimidation and fear.

•The victim's lack of knowledge of or access to safety and support •Fear of losing custody of any children if they leave or divorce their abuser or fear the abuser will hurt, or even kill, their children •Lack of means to support themselves and/or their children financially or lack of access to cash, bank accounts, or assets •Lack of having somewhere to go (e.g. no friends or family to help, no money for hotel, shelter programs are full or limited by length of stay) •Fear that homelessness may be their only option if they leave •Religious or cultural beliefs and practices may not support divorce or may dictate outdated gender roles and keep the victim trapped in the relationship •Belief that two parent households are better for children, despite abuse Societal Barriers to Escaping a Violent Relationship In addition to individual obstacles victims face when escaping violent relationships, society in general presents barriers. These phases, the abuser may fulfill (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 the victim's dream of romantic (TTY) now.p include: •A victim's fear of being charged with desertion, losing custody love. The victim may also rationalize the abuser is basiof children, or joint assets.

•Anxiety about a decline in living standards for themselves and cally good until something Abigail Kramer is an editor at the bad happens and they have to Center for New York City Affairs their children at The New School. This is an ex•Reinforcement of clergy and secular counselors of "saving" a "let off steam." cerpt of the report, Backfire: For anonymous, confidential couple's relationship at all costs, rather than the goal of stopping When Reporting Domestic Viohelp available 24/7, call the the violence. lence Means You Get Investigated National Domestic Violence •Lack of support to victims by police officers and law enforcefor Child Abuse.

Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 ment who may treat violence as a "domestic dispute," instead of a crime where one person is physically attacking another person. Often, victims of abuse are arrested and charged by law enforcement even if they are only defending themselves against the batterer.

•Dissuasion by police of the victim filing charges. Some dismiss or downplay the abuse, side with the abuser, or do not take the victims account of the abuse seriously.

Reluctance by prosecutors to prosecute cases.

Some may convince the abuser to please to a lesser charge, thus further endangering victims. Additionally, judges rarely impose the maximum sentence upon convicted abusers.

Probation or a fine is much more common.

Despite the issuing of a restraining order, there is little to prevent a released abuser from returning and repeating abuse.

Despite greater public awareness and the increased availability of housing for victims fleeing violent partners, there are not enough shelters to keep victims safe.

Some religious and cultural practices that stress that divorce is forbidden.

The socialization of some made to believe they are responsible for making their relationship work. Failure to maintain the relationship equals failure as a person.

Isolation from friends and families, either by the jealous and possessive abuser, or because they feel "ashamed" of the abuse and try to hide signs of it from the outside world. The isolation contributes to a sense that there is nowhere to turn.

The rationalization of the victim that their abuser's behavior is caused by stress, alcohol, problems at work, unemployment, or other Don’t put up with ABUSE anymore! Whether married or not, whether factors. your spouse is a U.S. citizen or Green Card Holder, we can get a Societal factors that teach women to believe Green Card for you and your children PLUS a divorce. their identities and feelings of self-worth are Call 718-222-3155 now for a FREE consultation! contingent upon getting and keeping a man.

Inconsistency of abuse; during non-violent ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

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June 2020

26

New York Politics

Two Years After AOC Shook Up Bronx and Queens Politics, Voters Still Appear Hungry for Change

BY ESE OLUMHENSE AND CHRISTINE CHUNG,THECITY

E

arly returns from Tuesday’s primary elections suggest longtime Demcratic Party politicians in Queens and The Bronx could be ousted by relative newcomers in boroughs where the establishment’s power was not long ago all but assured.

Just one result is certain in a sea of uncertainty: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who launched a new era for Queens and Bronx politics with her surprise win two years ago over an entrenched incumbent, handily won the Democratic nomination for her seat spanning the two boroughs.

The wild cards: more than 200,000 absentee ballots mailed to Queens and Bronx voters under a special push from Gov. Andrew Cuomo to promote social distancing amid the pandemic.

After a primary where many voters complained about problems at the polls, the counting of the absentee votes starts on July 1.

In The Bronx, home to one of the city’s more powerful Democratic party machines, educator Jamaal Bowman — endorsed by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren as well as Ocasio-Cortez — has already declared victory over 16-term incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel, citing a roughly two-toone vote margin so far.

“Many doubted that we could overcome the power and money of a 31-year incumbent,” Bowman said in a Wednesday email announcing what he called the “stunning upset” in the Bronx-Westchester primary.

“But the results show that the people of NY-16 [congressional district] aren’t just ready for change — they’re demanding it,” he added.

Challengers Lead the Way The winds of change also breezed through Queens, where several state Assembly primaries — usually rituals of re-election for incumbents — saw challengers in the lead after Tuesday night.

Jessica González-Rojas, former executive director of the National Latina Institute, heads the five-way race for the

Jessica González-Rojas. @votejgr/Twitter

34th Assembly District in Jackson Heights and Woodside, with 12-year incumbent Michael DenDekker trailing by 16 percentage points.

González-Rojas said that while it was too early to claim victory, she hopes the margins will hold as absentee ballots get tallied up by the city Board of Elections.

Her campaign had strongly encouraged voters to cast their ballots by mail, she said — adding that she was “shocked” by the Primary Day and early voting turnout of nearly 7,000 people, out of nearly 37,000 active Democrats in the 34th Assembly District.

“I’m a woman of color in a five-way race against an incumbent in the middle of a pandemic,” González-Rojas said. “I feel good. I feel really good.”

Jenifer Rajkumar, a lawyer and CUNY professor, has a 25 point lead over incumbent Michael Miller, who has represented the 38th Assembly District — Glendale, Woodhaven, parts of Ridgewood — for six terms.

Political strategist Mia Pearlman said that Rajkumar and González-Rojas’ potential victories may have been precipitated by a changing electorate seeking representatives more emblematic of their communities.

In the 2010 Census, maps from CUNY’s Center for Urban Research show, the 34th Assembly District was 25% Asian and 58% Hispanic, while the 38th district Rajkumar seeks to represent was 15% Asian and 50% Hispanic.

“It was really just a matter of time with those incumbents who just didn’t match their districts anymore in terms of

Councilmember Donovan Richards (D-Queens) at a press conference in Foley Square, June 2, 2020. Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

politics or their ethnic representation,” Pearlman added.

DenDekker and Miller are white.

In Astoria, Zohran Mamdani, a leader in the Queens Democratic Socialists of America branch and a housing counselor, held a seven point lead over Assemblymember Aravella Simotas, who has been in office since 2011.

Mamdani said while the absentee numbers had yet to be factored in, his campaign was “confident that our multiracial movement of the working class is close to victory.”

He attributed his advantage to a get-out-the-vote operation that prioritized “communities long ignored by the political establishment, including our Muslim and South Asian neighbors, with a platform that spoke directly to their needs and concerns in an unprecedented way.”

Reading the Maps Rep. Carolyn Maloney, whose 12th Congressional District includes parts of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, currently holds a tenuous lead of less than two percentage points over Suraj Patel, a lawyer and lecturer at NYU. The in-person ballots cast show distinct trends, preliminary analysis from the CUNY Center for Urban Research suggests: Patel took swaths of Queens and Brooklyn, while Maloney held onto her areas of Manhattan, particularly the Upper East Side.

In the South Bronx, Councilmember Ritchie Torres led a pack of 12 seeking to succeed retiring Rep. Jose Serrano in the 15th Congressional District. Running in perhaps the most competitive races in the

country, Torres gained the support of nearly a third of those who voted in-person Tuesday.

Torres, who raised the most money in the race with $1.3 million, was not backed by progressive powerhouses like Sanders or Ocasio-Cortez. But he fended off multiple challengers that included fellow Councilmember Ruben Diaz Sr., well known in the district as a minister, former state senator and father of the Bronx Borough President who shares his name.

Torres, who is openly gay, outperformed Diaz, who has made homophobic statements, in the 77-year-old politician’s own council district on Tuesday.

Diaz’ struggle to woo his base of voters — many of them socially conservative Christians — broke with predictions of strong turnout for a county Democratic Party fixture.

In-person and early voting data suggest the strength of establishment political power in The Bronx was tested, noted John Mollenkopf, director of the Center for Urban Research at CUNY Graduate Center, in an email.

It is “probably too much to say the Bronx machine is crumbling, but it certainly took some blows yesterday, assuming the results from the polling booths hold up after the absentee ballots are counted,” Mollenkopf said.

More Counting to Come As former Queens District Attorney candidate and nearwinner Tiffany Cabán can attest, anything can happen in the absentee ballot count — all the more so when mail-in absentee ballots were for the first

time available to any New Yorker on demand.

According to procedures set by state law, paper ballots cast on voting machines at Election Day were re-canvassed Wednesday. Starting July 1, absentee ballots will be counted at the various borough offices across the city.

Multiple election attorneys representing candidates in Queens said that last year’s tumultuous Queens District Attorney’s race between public defender Cabán and former Borough President Melinda Katz served as an example of how absentees can dramatically change the odds.

“It shows that anything can happen, though it usually doesn’t,” said Sarah Steiner, an election attorney representing Assemblymember Aravella Simotas. “As far as lessons, we saw how 90,000 ballots can be processed in view of all the world, and people who watched that process closely know what to expect.”

Election lawyer Jerry Goldfeder, who is representing several candidates, including borough president contender Elizabeth Crowley, said that last year’s recount “provided BOE staff an intensive experience which will serve them well this year.”

Crowley is one of five Democrats in the race to succeed Katz. Councilmember Donovan Richards led the pack in the in-person voting.p

This story was originally published on June 24, 2020 by THE CITY. Read more stories at www.workersworldtoday.com

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