Immigrants workers and advocates launched a hunger strike in White Plains on March 18 to pressure State leaders to support legislation to establish a fund for excluded workers in the New York State budget. Excluded workers were joined by faith and community leaders as well as elected officials at White Plains Presbyterian Church to announce their participation in the “Fast for the Forgotten,” named in honor of the hundreds of thousands of immigrant New Yorkers who have been left behind throughout the pandemic with no access to unemployment benefits, stimulus checks, and other federal and state economic relief programs.
The White Plains action is one of many across New York, where excluded workers began fasting to pressure Albany to pass bill SB4543/A5421, sponsored by Senator Ramos and Assembly Member De La Rosa, that would set up the $3.5 billion fund to provide retroactive, direct cash assistance to workers who haven’t been able to access unemployment benefits, stimulus checks, or other government assistance.
Joining the hunger strikers was Peekskill City Councilperson Vanessa Agudelo. “How easily do we forget that the success of our economy is reliant on the blood, sweat and hard work of our immigrant communities. Status or not, their labor is no less then the labor of any other worker, and they are just as deserving of equal relief. For the past year during a global pandemic, the rich have gotten richer while the poor continue to sink into dire financial hardship. It is New York State’s responsibility to step up, act fast and fund a program that equally matches the unemployment benefits granted to every other worker in New York so that all families across the state have the opportunity to recover and weather this pandemic,” said Peekskill City Councilperson Vanessa Agudelo.
“Every New York family deserves a chance at recovery from this pandemic, but for half a million New York households, help isn’t coming fast enough. One year after New York State shut down all but essential activity, undocumented New Yorkers on the frontlines of this pandemic are still struggling to pay their bills and feed their families. It’s long past time for New York State to reverse the injustice of every federal stimulus relief package, which excluded these New Yorkers from all social safety nets just because of their immigration status,” said Murad Awawdeh, Interim Co-Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition. “In this time of crisis, the state legislature must remember the families who have been here for us in our time of need, and step up to ensure that New York State can get on the road to economic recovery by prioritizing the well-being of every New York family and supporting the passage of the Excluded Worker Fund.”
“Yonkers Sanctuary Movement members have suffered without government relief during this long pandemic year. Our community is not only going hungry and getting severely sick from COVID at higher rates than other New Yorkers, but they are continuing to be ripped apart from beloved family members and friends through deportation. We need to fund excluded workers now!” said Diana Sanchez, Yonkers Sanctuary Movement.
“Immigrant day laborers in Westchester, along with undocumented workers from across the state, haven’t stopped working or fighting for equitable COVID relief during this entire pandemic. New York State must end its shameful exclusion of its own workers, establish this fund at a level equivalent to basic unemployment insurance, and with that action, send a clear message to those who seek to deny workers not only financial aid, but their very humanity,” said Nadia Marin-Molina, Co-Executive Director, National Day Laborer Organizing Network.
“For the past year, hundreds of thousands of Black, brown, and immigrant New Yorkers haven’t received a dime of support even as they’ve lost jobs and income just like millions of other New Yorkers. Working people in the Hudson Valley and all across New York are struggling to pay the rent and lining up at food pantries just to be able to feed their families. The state legislature took a welcomed first step by allocating $2.1 billion in funding for excluded workers, but it’s not enough. We’re fasting today in solidarity with working people who are asking for the same level of economic relief available to everyone else. The state legislature must step up, listen to workers, and pass the $3.5 billion in funding that excluded workers have been demanding,” said Jennifer Hernández, Lead Organizer, Make the Road NY.
“Covid-19 has affected us all and it is only fair that we come together to help everyone,” said Westchester County Legislator Jose Alvarado.
“This pandemic has affected everyone in a negative way, especially caused by hardship financially. We must do our best to continue to help all residents, which in turn helps all people,” said Westchester County Legislator David Tubiolo.
If passed, the bill would provide flat rate monthly cash payments directly to families who have lost their livelihoods due to the pandemic. It will operate similarly to unemployment insurance and will be retroactive from March 27, 2020 and continue through the end of the pandemic.
The strikers were blessed by faith leaders in a “Ceremony of Excluded Indigenous” as they launched their fasts, which will be done in three-day increments. The strikers are prepared to fast until the end of the month, concinding with the state budget deadline.
“I am proud to be fasting alongside dozens of workers, fighting for the $3.5 billion we need to make sure excluded workers receive benefits on par with what other New Yorkers received through unemployment. While our communities are further impoverished, the rich get richer- $87 billion richer since March 2020 to be exact. There should be no excuse for this level of greed and we shouldn’t have to fight for scraps. The state must end tax breaks for the rich to make sure we can have access to the support that has let other workers survive. It is New York State’s responsibility to step up and fund a program that equally matches benefits granted to every other worker in New York so that all families across the state have the opportunity to recover and weather this pandemic,” said Councilmember Agudelo.
