CALL TO ACTION #884: COVID-19 Relief for People, NOT Corporations (March 23, 2020)
225 Days
Until the November 3rd Election
COVID-19 RELIEF FOR PEOPLE,
NOT CORPORATIONS
On Friday Congress passed an emergency coronavirus response package. It’s a beginning, but there are many gaps that leave us all vulnerable. For the next three days, we will be focusing on some issues that must be addressed in the legislation currently being drafted and considered in the Senate.
The relief bill just passed requires businesses to provide paid sick and family leave. However, it exempts any business with more than 500 employees. Most workers in businesses considered essential, which will remain open, work for large corporations like Walmart and are excluded. These people have the greatest risk of exposure and yet are not assured of paid leave if they or their families become ill.
We believe the new legislation must include UNIVERSAL paid sick days and family leave. All workers—regardless of who employs them—must be covered, as well as those who have already lost their jobs.
Congress has approved $1 billion in state grants to assist with unemployment insurance payments. They must now expand that to cover more of workers’ lost wages for as long as this crisis continues. The bill under consideration by the Senate TODAY would amount to another corporate bailout to the tune of at least a trillion dollars. Our members of Congress must VOTE NO on any bill that puts corporations before people.
JUST SAY NO to more corporate bailouts!
People Before Profits!
**ACTION ONE: CALL OUR U.S. SENATORS**
SAMPLE SCRIPTS FOR SENATORS MERKLEY AND WYDEN
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [town/city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling today because . . .
Decades of Republican efforts to hollow out the middle class and gut our safety net programs have left millions of people teetering on the edge. With the economy slowing down, Congress urgently has to act to protect families, workers and low-income people from destitution. The Senator must vote no on any coronavirus package which does not include stronger economic supports for workers and families, including universal paid sick days and family leave, and expanded unemployment insurance.
Thank you.”
SENATOR JEFF MERKLEY
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact/
Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/contact/
**ACTION TWO: CALL COMPLICIT GREG WALDEN**
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WALDEN:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [town/city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling today because . . .
Decades of Greg Walden’s GOP’s efforts to hollow out the middle class and gut our safety net programs have left millions of people teetering on the edge. With the economy slowing down, Congress urgently has to act to protect families, workers and low-income people from destitution. Tell Greg to show us his morality, his compassion, his humanity – especially during these times of crisis – by stopping his and his party’s attacks on America’s working people. Greg must now VOTE NO on any coronavirus package which does not include stronger economic supports for workers and families, including universal paid sick days and family leave, and expanded unemployment insurance.
Thank you.”
DC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400
https://walden.house.gov/contact-greg/email-me
**ACTION THREE: BE AN ACTIVIST**
All ORD2 Indivisible sponsored events have been canceled in order to minimize public gatherings. We anticipate rescheduling several events in the near future and will provide updates in the daily Call to Action and on the ORD2 Indivisible website event calendar.
Visit the ORD2 Indivisible Event Calendar on a regular basis to keep updated on local activities. Participate with us as often as you can. We also encourage you to submit events to be added to the ORD2 Indivisible Event Calendar and help us keep current with our event postings. https://ord2indivisible.org/submit-your-event/
Let the Coronavirus NOT stop you from being an activist – keep your social distance and join our ORD2 Indivisible Virtual Postcard Party!
If you live in Medford, Jacksonville, Phoenix, Talent or Ashland, we’ll deliver to your doorstep a pack(s) with 25 stamped postcards and stickers to write for a campaign through https://postcardstovoters.org/
We ask you to leave a donation of $10 per packet to cover the cost of supplies and postage in an envelope by your front door. We’ll drop off a packet(s) with everything you need to write from home.
Simply join postcardstovoters.org online. Once you get your packet of cards from us, write your cards and mail them from home.
ORD2 Indivisible 2020 Fundraising Campaign
As we approach what will be the most important election of our lifetimes, ORD2 Indivisible wants to be in a secure financial position to help engage as many voters in our district in the election process as possible. To accomplish this goal we are conducting the ORD2 Indivisible 2020 fundraising campaign. Click on the image below to donate.
To make a donation by check, please make the check payable to ORD2 Indivisible and mail to:
ORD2 Indivisible
P.O. Box 1242, Phoenix, OR 97535
ORD2 Indivisible is partnering with Jobs With Justice Southern Oregon and Washington Federal Bank to gather warm adult clothing for the homeless. We are also asking for tarps, throw blankets and sleeping bags.