SEE: Protest For Excluded Workers Takes Over BK, Manhattan Bridge

New York City NY

05 March, 2021

11:25 AM

Description

BROOKLYN, NY — Hundreds of New Yorkers shut down the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges on Friday morning in the latest call for the state to workers left out of coronavirus relief packages. The huge crowd of "excluded workers" from across New York took to the streets in Brooklyn before marching, and driving, across the bridges, shutting down traffic on the inter-borough connectors with chants and drumlines. The demonstration is the latest from a coalition of more than 100 organizations who are calling on the state to #FundExcludedWorkers, or those who have been excluded from coronavirus relief because of their status as formerly incarcerated, self-employed or undocumented. NOW Excluded workers, who have survived 324 with $0 in relief aid, are marching to take the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and demanding action from Albany to #FundExcludedWorkers! "Cuomo escucha!" is heard as hundreds march through the major roadways. pic.twitter.com/mXGvfmLTJd— #FundExcludedWorkers (@FEWCoalition) March 5, 2021 Only 5 percent of households in immigrant, Black and brown communities received unemployment insurance despite nine in 10 of those surveyed losing their job or income, according to a study by one of the organizations, Make the Road New York. The workers include taxi drivers, salon and restaurant staff, street vendors, and countless others who have been on the frontlines during the coronavirus crisis. More than half of New York City's essential workers are immigrants, according to the coalition. The coalition has proposed creating a billionaire wealth tax to help pay for flat rate monthly payments to the eluded families and funds to retroactively pay those who have not been given relief since the start of the crisis. More than 60 state legislators have signed onto the idea. And we've SHUT DOWN the Manhattan Bridge too!!! Millions of undocumented and excluded workers have gone a year with no relief while billionaires got richer. #FundExcludedWorkers #TaxTheRich Solidarity is a beautiful thing! pic.twitter.com/JyWkD96an5— NY Taxi Workers (@NYTWA) March 5, 2021 THAT'S RIGHT! We're taking over the Brooklyn Bridge because our leadership needs to hear us. It's been far too long. #FundExcludedWorkers. pic.twitter.com/Uocnke2W7F— Make the Road NY (@MaketheRoadNY) March 5, 2021