Richie Neal endorsed by SEIU State Council and Locals
Contact: Kate Norton, 617-838-6083, press@nealforcongress.com
SPRINGFIELD – The Massachusetts State Council of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has endorsed Congressman Richie Neal for re-election, citing his leadership in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and his ongoing work on behalf of working families everywhere.
“Healthcare workers have been on the frontlines during this pandemic in every setting. As a home care worker, our fight has been in homes across the Commonwealth as we care for seniors and people with disabilities,” said Minerva Lebron, a Springfield Personal Care Attendant and member of 1199 SEIU. “Our work has been invisible but our need for personal protective equipment like surgical masks and gloves has been just as critical. We needed help on the ground right away to get access to PPE, and Richie Neal was the healthcare champion who stepped up to protect us and those we care for. His leadership during this pandemic ensured that healthcare workers were put ahead of politics.”
“As Richie Neal was creating emergency relief legislation in the wake of COVID-19, he was also making sure that our economy was supported with stability measures like the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), grants for child care and development, and Election Assistance Grants,” said Kwesi Ablordeppey, a Springfield worker at the Holyoke Soldiers Home and member of SEIU 888. “Because of this comprehensive approach, Richie Neal successfully secured broad facets of our society as the economy, Holyoke crashed. He addressed the immediate, while taking the long view on saving our future.”
“The CARES Act did more than just help healthcare workers, and Richie Neal was the one who made it happen,” said Cheryl McCarthy, a Southwick Family Child Care Provider and member of SEIU 509. “The CARES Act is what kept families like mine afloat when everything was so uncertain. Because of the extended unemployment benefits and the additional immediate cash payments, working families can move ahead while most of the economy is shut down.”
In Congress, Richie has led the effort to pass a series of stimulus efforts to directly help residents, businesses, and state and local governments with practical, on-the-ground solutions for COVID-19 relief. He has negotiated each facet of these bills with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, securing the passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act, and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act, in part, provides for an additional $5 million for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, including over $4.75 million in funds for communities within the district.
The House-passed Heroes Act would continue critical, emergency federal unemployment benefits through January 31, 2021, to ensure that basic economic support is available until workers are able to return to their jobs safely. The measure is just one in a series of efforts led by Congressman Neal and House leadership to protect the health and well-being of Americans during a time of unprecedented economic crisis.
The SEIU Massachusetts State Council includes the local unions SEIU 509, 1199 SEIU, SEIU 888, SEIU 32BJ, SEIU 3 FO, and the SEIU Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) and collectively represents more than 106,500 healthcare workers, public service workers, human service workers, educators, and property services workers.