ACTION UPDATE May 15, 2020 afscmemn.org Tell the MN Senate: Pass Our State Contracts NOW! Is This Your Senator? Last year, hundreds of AFSCME We’ve seen this before; we know If you live in these Senate Districts, members engaged in a long process Republicans won’t miss an opportunity we need you - and all your to negotiate with their employers and to attack worker power, even in a neighbors - to call your senator: the State of . It wasn’t an global pandemic. Now is the time to easy process, but we worked together fight back. (District 5) and won the contracts our members deserved. Republicans claim to care about the 651-296-7079 budget. But while they’re reaching Now, over a year later, Republicans into the pockets of hardworking public Jerry Relph (District 14) in the Minnesota State Senate are employees, they’re refusing to make 651-296-6455 inserting themselves in the collective corporations and the super-rich pay bargaining process, threatening to cut their fair share. While working families [email protected] workers’ pay even as they risk their suffer, they’re looking out for their big Senator John Jasinski (District 24) lives on the front lines of COVID-19. donors. 651-296-0284 We need YOU to reach out to your We need YOU to reach out to your State Senator to send a message: State Senator and demand that they Senator Jeremy Miller (District 28) stop playing games and pass our respect the collective bargaining contracts now. process. Call your senator and tell 651-296-5649 them to pass our fair contracts now! Find your State Senator here: www.gis. [email protected] leg.mn/iMaps/districts. The Legislature has a duty and an Senator (District 35) obligation to vote on our contracts. But In Minnesota, we believe in taking care so far, they have refused to even bring 651-296-3733 of each other and ensuring people our contract to a vote. in our state are well cared for and [email protected] safe. State workers always step up Our right to collectively bargain Senator (District 39) and our members are on the frontlines is sacred. This isn’t just about one helping Minnesotans battle the global contract: we must send a message that 651-296-4351 pandemic. our rights as workers are not up for [email protected] discussion. Now is not the time to play political Senator (District 55) games with livelihoods of state workers This year’s legislative session is coming who are doing so much to keep to a close. We need you to take action 651-296-4123 Minnesotans safe and government NOW to make sure our contracts are running during this critical time. ratified before session ends. [email protected] Tell the MN Senate - don’t hold our Find your senator at www.gis.leg.mn/ Your voice will make a difference. contracts hostage for political gain. iMaps/districts. Don’t wait - call now! Call now!

Workers like Taylor, Zinnia, and Steve need your help to make sure our state contracts are ratified! One Strong, United Voice for Minnesota Workers Walz: #StayHomeMN to #StaySafeMN By staying home, Minnesotans successfully pushed out the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and bought our state time to get ready to treat those who fall ill. We know there is no way to prevent COVID-19 from hitting Minnesota, and much work remains to protect all Minnesotans - especially our front-line workers - from the worst effects of this virus. On Wednesday, Governor Tim Walz announced a new phase of the COVID-19 response effort. Though the State of Emergency Governor Walz extended Minnesota’s Stay at Home order until May 4. You can help spread awareness by sharing the #StayHomeMN campaign on social media! will continue, the Stay at Home order will be lifted on May18. At worksites and inspect unsafe worksites. RSVP Now for Online AFSCME Mental that point, Minnesota will enter a new If the employer does not take steps to Health Check Ins phase, which Governor Walz is calling make the worksite safe, the EO states #StaySafeMN. that “if the worker...has given the Over the past year, your union siblings employer a reasonable opportunity to have convened Mental Health Summits In this phase, Walz explained, we correct such adverse work condition, to advocate for higher standards, will slowly “move the dial” toward to no avail, or has been retaliatory better service and working conditions more interaction between people and terminated from their employment as a for all those affected with mental businesses. AFSCME Council 5 recently result of exercising the worker rights… health issues. released our economic plan to protect shall not lose unemployment insurance The COVID-19 pandemic means that workers with businesses and offices benefits eligibility.” potentially re-opening and can be large in-person gatherings are no read on our website at afscmemn.org. You can read the entire executive longer advisable. But now - more than order at mn.gov/covid19. ever - we not only need to continue Beginning May 18, non-critical the work we’ve started, but make businesses, like retail stores and Despite these relaxed restrictions, we sure we are all connected. It is our main street businesses, can reopen have a long way to go before the goal to make sure mental healthcare if they have a social distancing plan threat of COVID-19 abates. services be prepared as they can and operate at 50 percent capacity. It is more important than ever that during and after this crisis. Additionally, the Walz-Flanagan we protect those most at risk, support Administration is assembling guidance On our website under the Mental/ workers, and do our part to slow the on how to safely reopen bars, Behavioral health tab you can sign up spread of the virus. restaurants, barbershops, and salons to join our weekly member-led mental beginning June 1. Please continue to: health check ins on Tuesdays at 9am! Also, starting May 18, Minnesotans are • Wash your hands often Resources for Members welcome to gather with friends and • Get tested when sick Stay up to date on all the latest family in groups of 10 or less with safe • Maintain social distance social distancing practices in place. news by following @afscmemn5 on • Wear a mask Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Governor Walz also announced • Stay home when able Get new guidance and resources at a series of new Executive Orders, afscmemn.org under the COVID-19 including one designed to protect We also urge everyone to pay tab. workers who report unsafe working attention to their mental health. This conditions from employer retaliation. is a stressful time for everyone, so Look for action alerts via email and The EO states that workers have a right please do not be afraid to seek help. text so you know when to take action to refuse to work in unsafe conditions You can find resources on our website and be protected from retaliation. to protect working families. We are all at afscmemn.org/mentalbehavioral- in this together. DLI can receive reports about unsafe health.

Published for activists by AFSCME Minnesota Council 5, AFL-CIO l American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees l www.afscmemn.org 300 Hardman Ave. S, South St. Paul 55075, (651) 450-4990 l 211 W. 2nd St., Duluth 55802, (218) 722-0577 l Toll-free: (800) 652-9791