NEW YORK (October 7, 2020) — D. Taylor, International President of UNITE HERE, North America’s hospitality workers union released the following statement following President Trump’s move to suspend comprehensive COVID relief negotiations:

“To date, millions of workers have lost their income and their health insurance, and over 200,000 people have lost their lives. In this time of great national tragedy, the people of the United States deserve a president who will lead the country with a steady hand, but instead we have Donald Trump. Less than a day after abruptly suspending talks for a second comprehensive COVID relief package, Trump has now resurfaced to demand that Congress instead pass a set of piecemeal responses that will do little more than put a band-aid on this ever-growing crisis. Yet again, he has proven himself unable to act in the best interests of the American people, many of whom find themselves in an increasingly desperate situation with no income, no health insurance, and no confidence that they will receive support from the federal government.

“What is needed immediately is a comprehensive legislative package that will bring long-term relief to Americans by providing expanded unemployment benefits and immediate access to health insurance for the millions who have lost their employer-provided coverage. We must not settle for anything less.”

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UNITE HERE is a labor union with over 300,000 members working in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation, and airport industries in the U.S. and Canada.