Thu. 5/14: Daily COVID-19 Update
NEW RESOURCES: FOOD DISTRIBUTION, SNAP, MED-QUEST, AND CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE
Food for Hawaii’s Ohana is organizing another food distribution event tomorrow (Fri. 5/15/20) at 10:00am at Aloha Stadium.
On our Local 5 Resources page, we added flyers from the State Department of Human Services with information on how to apply for food assistance (SNAP), Med-QUEST health insurance, and childcare assistance:
- Oahu (PDF)
- Maui (PDF)
- Kauai (PDF)
- Hawaii Island (PDF)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
What the Boss of the Most Devastated Union in Travel Has to Say About the Future – Skift.
Good interview of our international union President D. Taylor about protecting workers.
36 million have sought U.S. unemployment aid since coronavirus hit – Associated Press.
The national unemployment rate for April was officially 14.7%, but some economists estimate an actual unemployment rate closer to 24%, if it counted workers who were employed but listed as absent from work, or discouraged workers.
Trump’s “Reopening” Is a Red Herring: We should not concede the language of “reopening” to right-wing liars who are sending poor people to their death. – In These Times.
Excerpt: “There is a consensus among experts that the United States doesn’t have the measures in place to reopen without causing mass death.”
Excerpt: “Corporate media is also uncritically repeating the line that radical anti-science Republican governors are pushing a “reopening” when they’re simply delaying another inevitable shutdown.”
Hawaii’s economy is reopening, but tourism remains on lockdown – Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Former Starwood executive Keith Vieira is pushing the irresponsible path toward a quick reopening. Remember this next time you see his name quoted in the news as a hospitality industry consultant.
New Poll: Americans See Big Power Imbalance in the Workplace – Steven Greenhouse, On Labor.
Excerpt: “Sixty percent of respondents said unions are good or excellent for the country, including nearly eight in ten Democrats and over half of all Republicans. According to the survey, 55 percent of non-union workers said they would definitely or probably vote to join a union if an election were held today. About one fourth said they would probably or definitely vote against the union, while 21 percent responded that they were unsure. Over 60 percent of Democrats said they would definitely or probably vote for a union, while half of Republicans did.”
World: Cases: 4.4M (+100k). Deaths: 302k(+5k).
USA: Cases: 1.41M (+20k). Deaths: 85.8k (+1.7k). Total Tested: 10.3M (+400k).
Hawaii: Cases: 637* (+0). Deaths: 17 (+0). Hospitalized: 81 (+0). Recovered: 564 (+1).
