ATLANTA, GA – Immigrant advocacy organization CASA, New Georgia Project Action Fund, United for Respect, and the Communications Workers of America have joined to create an advisory board for essential workers in every county in Georgia. The advisory board champions blue-collar workers to empower their voices and develop solutions when confronting issues in their work environment. State legislators have led anti-worker initiatives, leading many community members to silence their voices.

The board seeks to give the community a forum to voice their concerns and to implement the advisory committee within the next four months. Bringing labor and advocacy organizations together through this board will help the county develop solutions for essential workers. 

“It is imperative to champion the rights of blue-collar workers and let their voices be heard by their employers. During the pandemic, they became the bread and butter to keep the economy afloat while aiming not to get sick themselves,” said Luis Zaldivar, Georgia State Director from CASA. “It is important to create a forum for organizations to discuss workers’ rights to make an impact in our various communities in the great state of Georgia.” 

The pandemic has proved that essential workers are the backbone of Georgia’s economy, yet unfortunately, they lack the appropriate protection. Increasing labor standards will help revitalize the economy at a time so many businesses cannot find people to work for them. 

“Essential workers provide us with our food, clean our homes and workplaces, collect our trash, and do so many other thankless and invisible jobs, often at the cost of their own safety, economic security, and ability to thrive. They are the ones that hold our state together, and it’s far past time that we do whatever is needed to ensure and protect their rights.” said Eric Robertson, Senior Organizer at New Georgia Project Action Fund. “This new advisory board will provide the platform that essential workers need to finally be heard, recognized, and centered in the fight for their rights. A fight in which we all need to be involved.”

“Working people are essential to our communities and experts of their workplaces,” said Jess Newman, Political Manager at United for Respect. “For our communities across Georgia to thrive, they must be in every room, at every table, and in every meeting where decisions are being made that affect their quality of life and livelihood. Working people are the backbone of our economy and the only ones with the real-life experience to offer meaningful solutions to the systemic issues perpetuated by corporate executives’ greed and negligence.”

“The pandemic magnified how essential many workers are to our lives, our community, and our economy. Most of these workers have nowhere to turn when they face safety or quality of life issues on their jobs, said Tony Tilley, Sr. Campaign Lead at Communications Workers of America. “This advisory board is a great step towards giving these essential workers a voice on how to best address their problems in the workplace.” 

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NGPAF: State leader on multi-racial, multi-generational, cross-class movement to win policy victories for the working class. Learn more at www.ngpaf.org.

CASA is the foremost immigrant organization in the mid-Atlantic region and a national leader in supporting immigrant families and ensuring that all individuals have the core support necessary for full participation in society.  With over 122,000 lifetime Latino, immigrant, and working-class members across 46 US states, CASA creates change with its powerbuilding model blending human services, community organizing, and advocacy in order to serve the full spectrum of the needs, dreams, and aspirations of members. Learn more at www.wearecasa.org.

CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields. Learn more at  www.cwa-union.org 

UFR: United for Respect (UFR) is a national non-profit organization. UFR is a multiracial movement of working people throughout the U.S. advancing a vision of an economy where our work is respected and our humanity recognized. UFR is not a labor union and does not intend or seek to represent retail employees over terms and conditions of employment or to bargain with retail employers. www.united4respect.org