Intro
The historic HEROES Act passed the House and is now onto the Senate. It includes $200 billion to protect all workers whose health and safety are at risk because of COVID-19 and provides the necessary funding and policies for safe, secure, and accessible elections this November.
But, even as the COVID-19 death toll rises and 36 million people face unemployment, Republicans in Congress have inexplicably said they still don’t feel the need to act. They are actively ignoring the urgent needs of their constituents and essential workers.
We need to demand that Senators do the right thing and introduce the HEROES Act immediately in the Senate and pass the historic bill without any amendments that water it down. We know that during this trying and unusual time, pressuring representatives from multiple directions is the most effective way to catch their attention. So, below, we have three ways to pressure your representative through direct contact, art, and storytelling.
Make the call
First, text “CONGRESS” to 877-877. You will soon receive a text message, follow the instructions so Greenpeace can connect you with your Senator — our government should support the families, workers, and communities that desperately need their support, not corporate CEOs lining up for handouts. Below is a sample call script for you to use when calling your Senator.
Call Script
Hi! My name is [YOUR NAME] in [YOUR ZIP CODE], and I’m calling to urge you [Senator XXX] to pass the HEROES Act and include the full Essential Worker Bill of Rights to provide more relief to working people and families, not wealthy CEOs and shareholders. You have a responsibility to ensure ALL essential workers have the protections they need, the rights they are entitled to, and the compensation they deserve.
We must ensure essential workers are protected as much as possible through safety standards around personal protective equipment and cleaning procedures that corporations are legally required to abide by for all workers, no matter their immigration or contractor status. The Senate also must give hazard pay, sick leave, child care, and healthcare to essential workers and provide them with the same level of protection they are providing us in this crisis. These are our community and family members, and they all should be treated with respect.
Thank you
Share a photo online
Share a photo of your protest sign and post it to social media
- Design a sign
- Take a photo of yourself holding your sign
- Post it to social media and tag your Senator with your message and these hashtags:
- #ProtectEssentialWorkers
- #EWBOR
- Put your sign in a street-facing window
- Ask your friends and family to join you in sharing!
Resources for social media:
Record a video supporting Essential Workers
The power of one’s personal story is the most effective tool someone can use when trying to affect change. Political issues must always be rooted in the human experience of the problems we are trying to tackle. The best way to help others understand your motive is through the story about how you or someone you know is personally affected by the problem.
Our friends at Indivisible have created a tool that makes it easy for you to record a video of why Congress must pass an Essential Workers Bill of Rights. Check it out here and submit your video.