Thousands of workers are walking off the job to “Strike for Black Lives”
Thousands of workers are walking off the job to “Strike for Black Lives”
Thousands of essential workers are expected to walk off the job Monday in what is being dubbed as a “Strike for Black Lives.” Organizers say the pandemic has worsened socioeconomic inequalities, and they want corporations and politicians to do more to address the problem.
In Minneapolis, Los Angeles, New York and some two dozen other cities essential workers are planning to make a range of demands of local governments and corporations, such as Walmart and McDonald’s.
Airport, nursing home, food and delivery workers and others plan to walk off the job or pause work at noon, for eight minutes and 46 seconds. That’s the length of time a Minneapolis police officer who’s now fired and facing murder charges held his knee on George Floyd’s neck.
Organizers — which include social justice groups and the Service Employees International Union — say among the demands are better treatment of employees of color, a $15 minimum wage and more personal protective equipment.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the pandemic has sent the incomes of 14 million more Americans below the poverty line, a majority of them Black and Latino.
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