COVID-19 News Update

May 28, 2020 Update: ALL JUNE UNION MEETINGS have been CANCELLED

Following the Governor’s progression of Safe Start phases, all union meetings for the month of June have been canceled. look for a postcard in the mail as well. We anticipate being able to have union meetings in July, we are exploring alternative ways to communicate with the membership and look forward to resuming in person union meetings shortly.

April 21, 2020 Update: NO TAX ON JOBS!

We need to mobilize against this quickly as the Sawant/Morales proposal will be heard at the City Council Budget Committee meeting (which will be conducted virtually) tomorrow, April 22, at 10:00 am.

Here are the two things you and your friends can do to help kill the Tax on Jobs TODAY:

1.) Circulate and sign the attached LETTER to Mayor Durkan and the City Council by 2 pm TODAY:

2.) Circulate and sign this PETITION against the Tax on Jobs

Online Doctors Visit | Teledoc.com

Brothers and sisters during this time it would be advisable to use resources like this instead of going to the doctors please watch the video below.

March 31st Update

Some of the concerns that we have heard from the members so far have revolved around two subjects.

Work-site safety for those workers that are considered “essential workforce”
Where can we find information about, Federal one time direct payments, Federal emergency UI benefit of $600 extra per week through July 31, and State Unemployment emergency provisions.

Follow the links below to learn more about these subjects.

Proclamation by the Governor Amending Proclamation 20-05

Essential businesses are prohibited from operating under this Proclamation unless they establish and implement social distancing and sanitation measures established by the United States Department of Labor’s Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 at https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf and the Washington State Department of Health Workplace and Employer Resources & Recommendations at https://www.doh.wa.gov/Coronavirus/workplace.

Unemployment Insurance Benefits

For information on Federal Government unemployment insurance benefits under COVID-19 relief & One-time direct payments follow this link.
- https://smart-union.org/news/faq-on-unemployment-insurance-benefits-under-covid-19-relief
To get updates from Washington State unemployment insurance benefits click below:
- https://esd.wa.gov/newsroom/covid-19

Additional Information | FAQs

While there is a lot of information out there please look to reliable sources, we will be updating this information after we vet the reliability of the source. We will be sharing this information through all of our media sites.

Unemployment, Sick leave, or Family paid leave?

Efforts are being made to wave the 600-hour minimum for Unemployment. Applying

is going to be confusing and it will test your patience. Please allow plenty of time while filing for Unemployment. We are hearing that the system is overwhelmed, and the server is intermittently offline. Your accrued Safe and Sick Leave should apply for a lot of the lock down circumstances you will encounter. Family Medical Leave Act should cover you if you become infected, or you are caring for someone that is infected but be advised that you need a doctor’s note to process the claim. Again, patience is the key to this because the State is currently several weeks behind in processing claims.

Should I do SNAP drug tests right now?

Due to the fact that some testing sites are also being used to test for the COVID –19 Virus, random SNAP testing has been temporarily suspended. We are committed to a drug-free working environment for all Members to work in so Reasonable suspicion, and post-accident testing will still be in place. A reminder that Reasonable suspicion requires 2 people to observe the conduct resulting in the suspicion and one of them must be a Local 66 Member. Any tests that occur under those circumstances will be done at testing facilities that DO NOT test for the virus. If a safe testing facility cannot be located, a mobile testing unit will come to the shop or job site. If you feel at any time that you are being put in an unsafe condition during this process, CALL YOUR REP IMMEDIATELY.

Are there counseling resources available to me?

The EAP can assist you, call 425-454-3003 and ask to speak with the on-call counselor

Providing short term telephonic or tele-mental health video sessions to members and dependent family members to problem-solve and provide emotional support.
Referrals to mental health providers and resources in the community
Referrals for legal and financial concerns
Local and national COVID-19 resources

Center for Construction Training and Research (CPWR) Guidelines

In response to the construction industry’s questions regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, the following are steps everyone should be taking now:

Don’t go to work if you are feeling sick.
Don’t shake hands when greeting others.
Avoid large gatherings or meetings.
Try to stay six feet away from others on job sites and in gatherings, meetings, and training sessions.
Cover your mouth and nose with tissues if you cough or sneeze or do so into your elbow.
Avoid contact with sick people.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%–95% alcohol. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty.
It is especially important to clean hands after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.

Construction industry employers should also:

Create at least 6 feet of space between workers by staging/staggering crews to prevent droplet spread.
Plan for office staff to have the ability to work from home.
Provide soap and running water on all job sites for frequent handwashing. If that is impossible, provide hand sanitizer.
Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces on job sites and in offices—such as handrails, doorknobs, and portable toilets—frequently, per CDC guidelines:
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/cleaning-disinfection.html
If you work in healthcare facilities, train your workers in Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA). For information on CPWR’s ICRA training program, visit:
- https://www.cpwr.com/training/infection-control-risk-assessment-icra