Network and allies press DHEC to take mandatory measures on COVID guidelines for workers

Workers invited to provide legal testimony

Organizations representing scores of thousands of members across the state sent a letter today to the Board of the SC Dept. of Health and Environmental Control citing DHEC’s authority, and responsibility, to issue and enforce mandatory compliance with the agency’s COVID-19 safety measures. The organizations represent the public at risk, as well as the workers and their families who are being required to work or face being fired for following Gov. Henry McMaster and DHEC’s advice to follow CDC guidelines during the pandemic.

“It is clear that urging citizens and employers to mask up and follow safety guidelines isn’t working,” said Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, Executive Director of CASA Family Systems, an Orangeburg-based shelter for battered women and children. “The virus has become a political issue, and DHEC must stand up for science or we are all going to continue to suffer,” Cobb-Hunter said.

SC NAACP President Brenda Murphy stressed the disproportionate impact of the virus on working people of color. “Those most vulnerable to the disease are the least protected workers,” Murphy said. “They fear getting fired if they challenge unsafe conditions at work.”

The letter to the DHEC Board points out that the governor’s Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency ordered DHEC to “utilize any and all necessary and appropriate emergency powers, as set forth in the Emergency Health Powers Act (Title 44, Chapter 4 of the SC Code of Laws) that regulates your agency: During a state of public health emergency, DHEC must use every available means to prevent the transmission of infectious disease and to ensure that all cases of infectious disease are subject to proper control and treatment.”

SC AFL-CIO Charles Brave Jr. said, “The governor wants to sound like he has no enforceable authority to require that COVID guidelines be followed, but we know that’s not true. His priority of keeping corporate profits up and workers’ rights down is killing people.”

The Charleston Alliance for Fair Employment (CAFE) fights for wage workers in the hospitality and service industries. “Our members don’t have sick leave, and will get fired if they don’t show up for work,” said CAFE President Kerry Taylor. “Many of them are single mothers who are forced to work sick or lose their income if they have to stay home with a sick child.”

“The pandemic underscores how cruel public policies are in South Carolina,” said Brett Bursey, Executive Director of the SC Progressive Network‘s 24-year-old nonpartisan policy institute. The state has a long history of sacrificing workers’ health for corporate profit.”

The Network fought legislation introduced in 2013 to prohibit local governments from establishing sick leave policies to prevent sick workers from spreading diseases. In 2017, Gov. McMaster signed the anti-sick leave legislation into law.

The bill was promoted by the same hospitality corporations that comprised the governor’s accelerateSC task force that contributed over $21,000 to his current campaign account. Members of the House Ways and Means Committee, which passed the Hospitality Task Force’s $2 billion COVID relief budget last month, received over $100,000 in campaign contributions from the same hospitality industry that relies on low-wage service workers with no sick leave. They did this without a public hearing.

Workers and their families threatened by the state’s failure to adequately address the continuing spread of the virus and their potential loss of employment are encouraged to contact the Network at 803-808-3384 or email network@scpronet.com. Fast food workers should address their concerns to CAFE at kerryt33@gmail.com. Workers testimony is needed to develop a legal case seeking to compel state agencies compliance with existing statutes regulating health emergencies.

SC progressives map strategy for 2016

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Grassroots activists from across the state met Oct. 23-25 at the SC Progressive Network‘s annual fall retreat at Penn Center in St. Helena, near Beaufort. It was a full weekend of networking, organizing, and mapping plans for the coming legislative session – and beyond.

Saturday morning was spent on Network business: reports from the 11 member groups present and updates from our chapters (Charleston, Columbia, Rock Hill and Spartanburg). The body also approved a bylaws change to establish caucuses within the Network so members can organize around issues and specific constituencies. At Penn, participants caucused on racial justice, women’s rights, and young people. They will identify and promote their own priorities, set their own meeting schedules and develop their own leadership.

Graham Duncan and Meeghan Kane, who taught portions the summer session of the Network’s Modjeska Simkins School, led a short course on the people’s history of South Carolina. Brett Bursey talked about the history of Network, and its precursor GROW.

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The afternoon was given over to a strategy discussion for 2016, centered on a four-pronged approach to: educate, agitate, legislate, and litigate. Reps. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (Orangeburg) and Joe Neal (Richland) – members of the newly formed SC Progressive Legislative Caucus – led a session on the state of voting rights. They were joined by George Eppsteiner, staff attorney for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.

The main consideration for shaping our strategy about voting rights is recognizing that the system has been rigged by partisan gerrymandering. As the dominant Republican Party has been allowed by the US Justice Dept. to draw legislative districts that create majority-black and white districts, the winners will be chosen in primaries that fewer than 10% of the citizens decide. Accordingly, the Network’s strategy includes grassroots education and agitation around the nation’s least-competitive elections. This educational effort will reflect legislative proposals to restore democracy through creating competitive political districts and other voting methods. These efforts will be capped off by possible litigation challenging the rigged nature of elections.

That session segued into a facilitated discussion on this state’s most insidious problem – institutional racism – and practical ways the Network can address systemic oppression in South Carolina. The panel included Kevin Alexander Gray, Rep. David Mack, and Laura Cahue of Somos SC.

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Participants then broke into work groups, joining issue caucuses or attending workshops on the Network’s Missing Voter Project (led by Kyle Criminger) and Racial Profiling Project (led by Kevin Gray). The Racial Justice caucus and the Immigrant Rights caucus joined the discussion around the Network’s Racial Profiling Project as a “shovel ready” tool to organize against racial injustice anywhere in the state. Laura Cahue reported that Latinos are being targeted by police in traffic stops that often result in jail and deportation. Rep. Neal wants the Network to help coordinate racial profiling complaints from Latino communities to the SC Progressive Legislative Caucus.

Network Caucus contacts:

In the evening, everyone gathered at picnic tables under giant oaks to dine on Gullah Grub’s fried fish and fixin’s, then went inside Frissell Hall to sing along with the fabulous Dave Lippman.

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On Sunday morning, caucus representatives gave reports on their work and next steps. Among other Network business, it was decided to postpone elections for Network officers until our annual spring meeting.

Rep. Cobb-Hunter offered a legislative forecast for 2016, which was followed by discussion on bills we will introduce and promote.

After lunch, the SC Progressive Voter Coalition (SC ProVote), the electoral arm of the Network, met to discuss GOTV priorities and involvement in upcoming state and local races. They were later joined by progressive activist and tax reform expert Mike Fanning, who is running for state Senate (Dist. 17: Chester, Fairfield and York). After a rousing presentation, he earned the group’s endorsement.

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Before adjourning, the body rejected a resolution to support a presidential candidate, as that would break with the Network’s state-based strategic model.

Our thanks to everyone who made time for a very long, but ultimately productive weekend. We will keep you posted about progress with the emerging caucuses and Network chapters.

For information on joining a caucus or creating a Network chapter in your area, or to schedule a Missing Voter Project or Racial Profiling Project training for you or your organization, call our office at 803-808-3384 or email network@scpronet.com.

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See more snapshots from the weekend at Penn Center in our photo album.