Again, I hope that everyone is healthy and is being safe. I thought that by the time this newsletter reached you that we would be out of this pandemic situation. Unfortunately that is not the case and it appears that it will not be the case in the near future. We must come to the conclusion that our lives for the near future have changed drastically.
Not only has the COVID-19 pandemic put a strain on our health, our work environment, our personal lives, mental state, but has certainly put a strain on our economic status. As I stated in last monthβs newsletter, many of us have been furloughed or ATOβd (Automatic Time Off). This has caused drastic reductions in our income. I do want to remind you that you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. We have put information on our website, seiu722.org, about unemployment that may assist you. Just make sure that you report your correct salary when applying.
We know of the financial weight that this is placing on you, and during times like this any type of relief, no matter how big or small, helps. On that basis we have decided to suspend or rebate your dues for the months of July and August. We are in the process of determining the best way to do this. Do we have the Hospitals simply not take the dues out during those months or do we rebate the dues back to you via a check from the Union, via mail or pick up like we do the tickets to the party? Just in case we do it by mail, we are asking you to update your mailing address so the checks will go to the correct address. You can do this through your employer or contact the Union Office via email, phone, or fax. Please feel free to include your e-mail address too, in case we start doing e-mail blasts.
