This week’s topic, Protecting and Celebrating Facility and Manufacturing Workers During Covid-19 welcomed a panel of guests who represent property service, essential manufacturing, and facility operations workers who have worked hard to keep public and private buildings functional during the pandemic.

Aaron Jones and Carla Thomas, Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ (SEIU); Mike Fisher, Sub-District Director, United Steelworkers (USW); and Frank James, Financial Secretary, International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 68 (IUOE) spoke to the occupational safety and health challenges confronting workers during the COVID-19 health crisis.

Our panelists shared their members’ struggle to access and maintain a stable supply of PPE as well as grave concerns regarding health and job security. These essential workers rose to the occasion from the start of the COVID-19 crisis, at times remaining quarantined within facilities to do the work necessary to keep buildings running. We learned how workers have adopted new health and safety protocols, including wearing PPE, intense cleaning, temperature checks and health screenings. Keeping these workers safe is essential to keeping our facilities operational. Here is the presentation from SEIU 32BJ. More than 60 people attended this webinar.