‘Our members scared,’ says union leader

Union leaders painted a grim picture Tuesday of health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, making desperate pleas for personal protection equipment and hazard pay for America’s new soldiers.

Garbage bags as hospital gowns, cloth bandannas for protective masks and patients doubling and tripling up on ventilators are just some of the war stories spreading across the medical battlefield.

“Our members are exhausted, they are scared,” said Henry Garrido, executive director of New York’s AFSCME District Council 37. “We’re just pushing as hard as we can.”

Garrido and other health care union leaders called on the federal government to improve conditions for frontline workers, and urged President Trump to immediately invoke the Defense Production Act to speed the delivery of personal protective equipment to first responders treating COVID-19 patients.

Those fortunate enough to have protective equipment have been forced to reuse items that would normally be thrown away. First responders said they are playing Russian roulette with masks that are soiled.

“Taking shortcuts around personal protective equipment doesn’t work,” said Denise Duncan, a registered nurse who is president of the United Nurses Associations of California. “These standards were set for a reason.”

Union leaders said workers are taking on the challenges despite the obvious risks, not only to themselves but to their families.

“After a long day many of our workers come home and self-quarantine,” Garrido said. “They can’t even hug their kids.”

In some locations, workers have even set up cots to spend the night to avoid the risk of infecting their families.

But even those workers who do get tested for coronavirus must still report for duty until they get the results, Garrido said.