Essential employees push work safety law

New York essential workers joined state lawmakers Monday in pushing for Senate passage of the N.Y. Hero Act, which would mandate extensive new workplace safety rules in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Leaders of groups representing nurses, laundry and nail salon workers were among those calling for the state to act to protect public-facing workers who suffered the most during the yearlong fight with COVID-19.

“We owe it to the essential workers and the frontline workers who have protected us while this pandemic has been going on,” said Maritza Silva Farrell, executive director of ALIGN, an alliance of labor and community groups that has spearheaded the push for new workplace protections.

Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, president of the New York Nurses Association, hailed the proposed law for putting into action the near-universal support for protecting frontline workers.

“Let New York prove that essential workers are not expendable,” said Sheridan-Gonzalez.

The HERO Act would direct the state to develop protocols on testing, personal protective equipment, social distancing, hand hygiene and disinfection in workplaces.

Companies would face stiff penalties for flouting the rules, which advocates say will protect outbreaks in the community that start in workplaces where public health rules are not properly enforced.

The Essential Workers Coalition, an alliance of 75 unions and community groups, pushed for the new legislation after months of gathering feedback from ordinary workers about the impact of the pandemic on them and how to protect themselves.

Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens) said he expects the bill to cruise to passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate by the end of the day Monday.

Assemblywoman Karines Reyes (D-Bronx), who is a nurse herself, will start pushing for the Assembly to pass the bill after that.

Gov. Cuomo would have to sign the bill into law if it passes both chambers. He hasn’t publicly said if he supports it.