Maritza, an enterprising, immigrant self-starter worried not only for her health during the pandemic but that of the children she cared for at the small daycare she founded and runs in East Boston. Like you,she had so many questions and had so few answers. How will this impact how we work? How will children be able to handle what’s happening psychologically and how will their education be impacted?
Through community word of mouth, Maritza learned that the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH) was offering a virtual, informational town hall for childcare workers who needed important questions answered. MassCOSH organized the event after learning about the alarming number of COVID-19 clusters in her industry. Joined by 138 of her colleagues, Maritzawas provided trusted, scientific information on proper masking for children and adults, vaccination information, her rights to emergency paid sick time, and preventing aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
When she learned MassCOSH would be offering a follow-up, intensive leadership training for immigrant workers, Maritza signed up right away, dedicating herself to four trainings that took place every Saturday in August. She was all smiles when she and 10 of her fellow community members graduated from the training and with her new skills, Maritza is pushing for policy and laws that favor all working people and all families, regardless of immigration status.
Helping Maritza and her childcare business survive this historic pandemic represents just a fraction of our efforts assisting workers during the pandemic. We also have been capitalizing on this opportunity to win changes in the workplace that we have fought for since 1976. The nation now sees how fundamental it is to have a safe workplace where dignity is a must and having a voice on conditions is standard. We are not letting this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass us by.
When you make a gift to MassCOSH, not only are you making possible new labor leaders like Maritza, but you are fighting for reforms to our broken workers’ compensation system. You are pushing for policy that puts selfish, dangerous employers out of business. You are saving lives from hazards that kill.
