Labor gathering urges support for House COVID-19 relief

MINOT, N.D. – Workers and labor leaders gathered in front of the Federal Courthouse in Minot Wednesday to urge passage of a House bill that includes COVID-19 relief measures benefiting workers.

The 1 p.m. event might not have allowed some working people to attend, but seven people came to hold signs and support the effort organized by the Missouri Slope Central Labor Council-North Branch, AFL-CIO. The group called on Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., in particular, to support provisions in the Democrat-controlled House’s HEROES Act.

Landis Larson, state president for the AFL-CIO, said the rally focused on Hoeven as the more likely of North Dakota’s two senators to be willing to change his position on the HEROES Act. The Republican-controlled Senate has countered the HEROES Act with its own relief bill, the HEALS Act.

“There’s so many more things that support working families,” Landis said of the HEROES Act. “There’s subsidies for insurance here for the COVID coverage. They have, I think, similar stimulus, but the unemployment (payment) is very much higher. There’s also support for pension plans because a lot of people aren’t working, so with no money going in, we don’t want to see the collapse of people’s pensions. There’s also some infrastructure spending, too, that I think would really help in North Dakota.”

The labor group says the comprehensive, $3 trillion HEROES Act would confront the three crises facing America: a public health pandemic, an economic free fall and long-standing structural racism.

Key features supported by the AFL-CIO include:

– requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue an emergency temporary standard on infectious disease within seven days and a permanent standard within 24 months.

– extending unemployment benefits.

– providing more than $1 trillion to state and local governments and $25 billion to the Postal Service.

– full federal support for COBRA extensions to preserve health insurance of laid-off workers, as well as free COVID-19 treatment.

– investment in schools, hospitals, transportation, energy and telecommunications systems.

The HEALS Act, the Senate’s COVID-19 relief bill, spends $1 trillion. Both the House Democrats and Senate Republicans agree on another round of stimulus payments to individuals and families. Among the differences is the HEALS Act reduces the $600-a-week unemployment subsidy to $200 until states can establish a system that covers 70% of a worker’s wages.

“The bill also includes a second round of Paycheck Protection Program funding, helping small businesses to keep their employees on payroll,” Hoeven said in a prepared statement. “These funds will help support those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, while ensuring that unemployment benefits don’t create a disincentive for individuals to safely return to work.”

Hoeven said the HEALS Act provides for needs related to COVID-19 and does so in a targeted way.

“In addition, I am working as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee to ensure the legislation provides assistance for our farmers and ranchers,” he said.

When the HEROES legislation was released by the House in May, Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, had commented that it “appears to be the result of a top-down process designed to advance extremist ideas rather than help people during COVID-19. It’s a taxpayer-funded bribe in the making, not a serious proposal.”

He called the HEALS Act “a reasonable proposal with several positive provisions.”

Congressman Kelly Armstrong, R-ND, said last May upon release of the HEROES Act: “This isn’t a time for political posturing or ‘opportunities’ to enact a far-left agenda. Americans are counting on us to work together, like we’ve done successfully over the past two months, to provide relief and assistance during this unprecedented pandemic. Let’s put this unfortunate stain of a bill behind us and get on to real, bipartisan legislating.”

His office stated Wednesday that Armstrong’s position remains consistent. Armstrong considers the HEROES Act to be a Democratic-messaging bill not intended to beome law, and he looks forward to working with his colleagues in the House and the Senate to pass legislation that addresses the needs of the American people.

Zach Raknerud, a Minot Democrat who is challenging Armstrong for his House seat in November, said, “The HEROES act would go a long way toward protecting workers across the board. Those who are risking exposure to COVID-19 in order to maintain our way of life should be protected and compensated in a way reflective of that. The GOP-led HEALS Act is another gift wrapped for the donor class. I’m proud to stand with the AFL-CIO in their efforts to urge passage of the HEROES Act.

Labor gathering urges support for House COVID-19 relief

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