From the CT Working Families Party:
BRIDGEPORT — Holding signs with slogans like “No Boogers In My Burgers” and “No Coughing in our Coffee,” the EverybodyBenefits.org campaign for paid sick days legislation held a rally outside McDonald’s at 1900 Fairfield Ave in Bridgeport to highlight the need for paid sick days legislation to protect both the public health and low-wage workers.
“McDonald’s made close to $5 billion last year,” said Lindsay Farrell, legislative director for Connecticut Working Families. “Is it worth pinching a few pennies to deny people the time off they need to recover, and instead have them come to work sick and risk our health?”
Hundreds of thousands of workers in Connecticut lack paid sick days, with most concentrated in sectors that require a high level of public interaction, like food service, retail and health care.
“I’ve seen plenty of sick students in the Bridgeport schools, coming to school when they should be at home recovering or even at the doctor. But they’re at school because their parents couldn’t miss a day of work to take care of them.” said Maria Pereira, a member of the Bridgeport Board of Education from the Working Families Party. “It’s not fair to those students or to their classmates who they might infect.”
Pereira added that she herself had spent three years working at McDonald’s. “They may like to pretend employees never get sick, but I can tell you from experience, they do. And it’s not healthy for any one,” Pereira said.
Especially in difficult times like these no one should have to choose between their job and their health, advocates say. But when workers come to work sick it threatens not only the health of those workers, but also the public health.
McDonald’s, which made $5 billion in profit last year, has a policy advocates call unhealthy and unfair, by failing to provide paid sick days to most of their employees. Nationally, about 4 in 5 food service workers lacks paid sick days. The results are startling and unhealthy.
One recent study published by the Journal of Food Protection found that one in eight food service workers reported coming to work sick twice in the last year, with symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea. The study also found that workers with paid sick days came to work sick much less often.
During major health epidemics, the lack of paid sick days exacerbates the crisis. During the H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak of 2009, data show that 8 million Americans came to work while infected with the virus, infecting another 7 million people in the process.
Legislation to create a basic workplace standard for paid sick days has passed out of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Labor Committee. The legislation would require large businesses with 50 or more employees to allow employees to earn up to 5 paid sick days per year. This year, advocates say they are cautiously optimistic because of the support of Governor Dan Malloy.
www.EverybodyBenefits.org is Connecticut’s campaign for paid sick days. Formed by a broad coalition of public health professionals, women’s advocates, union members, faith leaders, small business owners and concerned citizens, the EverybodyBenefits campaign believe that without a basic workplace standard for paid sick days, it’s unhealthy for our workers, our families, the public health and the economy.
I suggest eating only canned and prepackaged food … or growing your own.
Two Burgers meet for the first time, one politely extends his hands and introduces himself to the other. “Hi my name is Joe Mayo, what’s your name?” he says and asks. Shaking hands, the other responds, “My name is Boogers.” “Why they call you Boogers?” asked Joe Mayo. Sticking his index finger way up his nose–the same hand he had just used to shake Joe’s hand, he responds, “I don’t know.”
“… no one should have to choose between their job and their health, advocates say.”
Bullshit, most of those sick days for most part, myself included, are for personal days off.
“But when workers come to work sick it threatens not only the health of those workers, but also the public health.”
Bullshit again. I’ve seen too many assholes who come in with the plague because they don’t have enough sense to stay home. You know the types, the company will go under without them.
I find it ironic that those organizing this policy are advocating sick days off for employees who work for an establishment that serves up fast food, whereby in the long run are causing unhealthy conditions for those customers. Oh the irony.
Full disclosure. I eat their food whenever I can. But incorporate this and see what happens to the dollar menu.
Don’t worry, the dollar menu will still be a dollar. Of course, the serving size will be smaller or less, and there will be more ice in the cold drinks.
The serving sizes of dollar menu items? That stuff is puny to begin with. It’s an outrage they charge $1.00 for twelve cents’ worth of potatoes.
Fairfieldrebel,
Spoken like a true SCAB.
I don’t know your work history but the vast majority of workers protect their sick days religiously. They realize the value of them to care for themselves & their families. Please don’t tarnish all for the folly of the few. If they can afford health insurance would you accept a doctor’s note?
Antitesto,
Spoken like a true UNION MINION.
My work history is what I based my observation on. Your union head in the sand mentality prevents you from the realities of what most employees practice.
“the vast majority of workers protect their sick days religiously.”
Yeah, no shit. Why do you think that is? Because it’s 5-6 days off with pay.
“Please don’t tarnish all for the folly of the few”
If it’s only a “few” then why aren’t most union contracts written to say use it or lose it? The reality is if they don’t use it, they get paid for it. Why?
Fairfieldrebel,
You wear your stupidity like a badge of honor.
Most employers including the city of BPT permit & encourage employees to accumulate & carry over sick days. This offers them protection in the event of a prolonged illness or the utilization of the family leave act.
I’m sorry your experience at Dunkin’ Donuts has sullied your view of the realities of life. Get a job in the real world & grow up.
The world needs plenty of bartenders, Fairfieldrebel.
Paging Lennie Grimaldi:
Based on the tone of OIB postings in the last three days, I think it’s time to seriously consider building the first OIB Police Station.
Johnson & Johnson has a new pest repellent on the market called Bitch B. Gone. It ought to work on Ernie Newton and Fairfieldrebel.
Another opportunity for me to make friends and influence people.
Part-time employees should not receive sick days. They are “part-time” employees.
I make my living providing skilled biotechnology professionals to my clients who work on a temporary contract basis. In other words, they are paid by the hour. If any call in sick, they do not get paid for the time off. Nor do they get paid for time they take as personal days, vacation, or holidays. Granted, my contractors are not minimum-wage earners. They base their livelihood on the fact they can rely on 47 weeks of pay each year. Part-time workers need to factor in that they will experience downtime for various reasons. One more thing. If any of my contract employees showed up for work ill and contagious I or my client would send them home immediately without pay for the time lost. The McPart-timers don’t expect pay for vacation, holidays, or like we experienced this winter, weather-related closures. Why do they think they should be paid if they call in sick?
That’s why the biological product produced by your work crew always tests positive for booger contamination.