Tipped Workers Protest For The HEROES Act; Republican Senate Propose HEALS Act
July 28, 2020
WASHINGTON - Protests took place in over a dozen American cities as part of the Strike for Black Lives on Monday, July 20th with the One Fair Wage group taking part in demonstrations near Capitol Hill. The group of over 100 people held signs showing support for the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or HEROES, an act that passed in the House of Representatives and was set to be debated in the Senate later that week.
Protesters gather near the US Capital as part of the nationwide Strike for Black Lives on Monday, July 20th 2020. Photo courtesy of One Fair Wage.
Nikki M.G. Cole, One Fair Wage national policy campaign director, said in an email interview that many tipped and subminimum wage workers, like service industry employees, in DC and around the country are being denied unemployment coverage for a list of reasons while those eligible for the $600 of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance fear losing that support once the program ends on July 31st. Cole mentioned that lack of employer provided personal protective equipment, COVID-19 exposure risk and lack of wage increases to cover lower tip numbers are additional concerns. The group’s aims coincide with those of the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement.
“And it's unfortunate because so many of DC's tipped and subminimum wage workers are black, brown, and immigrant women and family members, already dealing with systemic racism before the pandemic - and now through the pandemic and in the face of ongoing police brutality - that our people really aren't valued in our society. And so that's why folks are rising up to say that Black Lives Matter and we're in solidarity with ending a legacy of systemic socio-economic oppression,” said Cole.
One Fair Wage President Saru Jayaraman said that the HEROES act will benefit eligible workers by extending unemployment insurance and paid sick leave. But mentioned that the Payment Protection Program requirements that restaurants must meet put workers at a disadvantage. “Restaurants receiving PPP are not required to pay workers a full minimum wage, but they are required to bring workers back in order to make the loan payment forgivable,” said Jayaraman in an email interview.
Opponents of the HEROES act point out the $3 trillion cost compared to the approximate $1 trillion price tag of the HEALS act proposed Monday by Senate republicans. One major difference is how much Americans can expect if a second round of stimulus checks is approved. While both acts will broaden who will qualify as a dependent; the former will pay $1,200 per dependent and the latter will pay $500.
Looking ahead, Cole said the group is working to win two more seats on the Washington city council and reintroduce and pass a law increasing wages in the city.