As you and other government leaders take extraordinary measures to protect public health during the COVID-19 outbreak, we call on you to take immediate action to provide relief to Houston’s working families. The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency without precedent. It requires an unprecedented response from all levels of government to ensure the economic fallout of this crisis does not fall on the backs of working people.

In a survey of our 95 affiliated unions representing 60,000 workers across the Gulf Coast, we found that in sector after sector workers are already experiencing layoffs, furloughs, and cutbacks of hours as a direct consequence of the COVID-19 outbreak, those who have not yet experienced job losses have been impacted as a result of school closures and increasingly limited access to health care services, and many are already struggling to afford basic necessities, such as food and rent.

All levels of government must take swift action to protect front-line workers, keep workers in their jobs while staying home, create a real safety net for the unemployed, and prohibit companies from using government assistance to lay off workers, cut benefits, or enrich themselves.

Harris County has already acted to suspend evictions, the state of Texas has ended the waiting period to apply for unemployment benefits and removed restrictions on WIC food assistance, and the federal government has passed legislation that will expand unemployment benefits and paid sick leave to some. These are all important first steps, but they leave many workers behind, and what will be enforced during this crisis remains unclear.

The City of Houston must step in immediately to fill the gaps in existing legislation and ensure that all workers in our city have the protections and support they need during this emergency.

We ask you to immediately take the following steps:

Mandate that employers with employees who regularly interact with the public during the course of their job duties provide them with the training, personal protective equipment, and social distancing required for workers to minimize potential infection; workers who are not provided with this should be able to refuse to work without retaliation until it is possible for work to resume safely
Implement an immediate two-week emergency paid pandemic leave policy for workers not included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act signed by President Trump on March 18

State affirmatively that any agreement entered into between the City and a private company for financial relief will include as terms and conditions of the agreement that the business will maintain payroll and benefits during the crisis and affirmatively provide paid leave, living wages, and other community benefits

Give residents and businesses struggling to pay rent an additional two months to do so before landlords can begin eviction proceedings and issue notice to the Houston Police Department that they are to comply with the ban on eviction proceedings issued by the Texas Supreme Court

Ensure utilities do not shut off services to Houston customers with delinquent
accounts and call on Governor Abbott to direct the Texas Public Utility Commission to prohibit utility companies from shutting off services throughout the pandemic

Call on the federal government to use their authority under the Defense Production Act to increase production of gloves, masks, sanitizer and other critical safety supplies to ensure all workers in Houston are protected at work

We urge you to act now to use municipalities’ broad police powers under Texas and federal law to protect the physical and economic health of Houston’s working families.

Addendum:
Mayor Turner called on President Trump to use authority under the Defense Production Act
Municipal Policy Options to Keep Working Families in their Homes and Jobs During the Coronavirus Contagion

Sincerely,

Co-signed,

Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
AFA-CWA (Association of Flight Attendants) Council 42
AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) District 10
AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) Local 1633
AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) Local 2139
AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) Local 2284
AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) Local 3332
AFM (American Federation of Musicians) Houston Professional Musicians Association 65-699
AFSCME (American Federation of State, Municipal, and County Employees) HOPE Local 123
AFT (American Federation of Teachers) Aldine Local 6345
AFT (American Federation of Teachers) Houston Education Support Personnel Local 6315
AFT (American Federation of Teachers) Houston Local 2415
AFT (American Federation of Teachers) Lone Star College Local 4518
AFT (American Federation of Teachers) Fort Bend 6198
AFT (American Federation of Teachers) Northeast Houston 6568
APALA (Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance) Houston chapter
APWU (American Postal Workers Union) Local 185
CWA (Communication Workers of America) Local 6222
GCC-iBT (Graphic Communications Conference - International Brotherhood of Teamsters) Local 4535M
HFIAW (International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers) Local 22
Houston Gulf Coast Building and Construction Trades Council
Houston Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 783
Internation Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 2198
IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 716
IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 66
IBT (International Brotherhood of Teamsters) Local 988
IAMAW (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) Lodge 811
IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) Local 51
IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) Theatrical Wardrobe Union Local 896
ILA (International Longshoremen's Association) Local 24
ILA (International Longshoremen's Association) S. Atlantic & Gulf Coast District
Iron Workers Local 84
Iron Workers Local 847
IUBAC (International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers) Local 5
IUOE (International Union of Operating Engineers) Local 564
IUPAT (International Union of Painters and Allied Trades) DC 88
IUPA C.O.P.S. (International Union of Police Associations) Local 911
LIUNA (Laborers International Union of North America) Local 350
OPEIU (Office and Professional Employees International Union) Local 129
OPEIU (Office and Professional Employees International Union) Local 277
SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) Houston - Austin
SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Texas
SEIU LA21 (Doctor’s Council)
SIU (Seafarers International Union) AGLIWD
SMART (Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, & Transportation Workers) Local 54
SMART (Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, & Transportation Workers) TD Local 1892
Texas Building and Construction Trades Council
Texas AFL-CIO
TWU (Transport Workers Union) Local 261
TWU (Transport Workers Union) Local 556
UA (United Association) Plumbers Local 68
UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) Local 455
UNITE HERE! Local 23
USW (United Steel Workers) Local 13-1
USW (United Steel Workers) Local 13-227
Workers Defense Project