FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 31, 2020

Contact: Mike Roth, 916.813.1554

Maria Elena Jauregui, 818.355.5291 (Spanish-language)

COMPREHENSIVE PANDEMIC PPE LEGISLATION WILL SAVE LIVES AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE CRISES

Sacramento, CA—Today, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California applauded the Legislature for moving SB 275 by Senator Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) and Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) to the Governor’s desk. The final vote in the Assembly was 66-0. SB 275 will ensure workers will have the PPE they need and equip California to meet future pandemic needs and avoid catastrophic shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare and essential workers. The following statement may be attributed to Christina White, a nursing home worker from Kern County and an Executive Board member of SEIU Local 2015:

“Every frontline worker deserves protection. Our own lives, our families’ lives, and our communities depend on it. One of the reasons why working-class communities and communities of color are still struggling with community spread is that we are not protected at work. New research shows preparing for the next pandemic will save money and lives. We urge the Governor to sign SB 275 to protect all healthcare and essential workers so no hard-working Californian has to choose between feeding their families or going to work unprotected.”

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