If there is no federal support, the first front to face the coronavirus could be 'broken'.
The protest was held in Palos Verdes. Dr. Erica Barrios gives her testimony. (Supplied SEIU 721)
Photo:
SEIU 721 / Courtesy
On Wednesday morning, front-line workers appeared in front of the Trump Golf Club in Palos Verdes to ask the president of the nation not to abandon or break the workforce of the essential employees of the United States.
Dr. Érica Barrios, a fourth-year obstetrician resident physician at Harbor UCLA, said she has seen firsthand the devastation COVID-19 causes in humans and the impact it has on hospitals.
"Los Angeles County is the epicenter of California's COVID-19 crisis," Barrios said at a press conference. "But we know that this crisis could be much worse. Colleagues doctors, nurses, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and everyone here are stepping forward every day to do their part. We are the reason why the numbers of the cases are decreasing. ”
Barrios said all of these workers play an important role in fighting the coronavirus, but they also need the president to help them.
The workers called for the president to support a stimulus package of at least $ 500 billion for public workers who are on the front lines.
"You cannot call us heroes and leave us unprotected and lacking in resources," Barrios said. "This county faces a huge resource gap and in my line of work this has a detrimental impact on patient care."
Essential workers present said that as COVID-19 progresses it puts more and more front-line workers at risk who are only trying to do their duty.
The Trump Administration could allow millions of Americans to face unemployment in the event of mass layoffs in the public sector. The devastation of the economy by COVID-19 in the City of Los Angeles faces a projected loss of revenue of $ 117 million for fiscal year 2019-2020 and another $ 178 million for fiscal year 2020-21.
Los Angeles County anticipates a loss of $ 1.3 billion for the 2019-20 fiscal year and an additional $ 2.3 billion for the 2020-21 fiscal year.
"Once we get out of the crisis, elected leaders will balance a budget behind the backs of the workers who helped us get through this crisis," said James Wheeler, an agent with the Los Angeles County Sheriff for 30 years. "The same people who risk their lives during the crisis will be on the unemployment line in a few months if there is no action."
Trump and his allies have expressed complete readiness to allow dozens of US cities and counties to file for bankruptcy instead of contributing federal taxpayer dollars to help shore up vital public service funds, SEIU 721 said one of the unions organizing the press conference.
"Today's heroes cannot become tomorrow's unemployed!" Said Simboa Wright, a Los Angeles Wastewater Collection employee and a member of SEIU 721. "We are on the front lines, even without enough protective gear, because the COVID-19 is still attacking our communities and the American people still need us. "
