Our Perspective
Headline
As Pandemic Recedes,
Appreciation for Essential
Workers Must Not
In June, as COVID infection rates, hospitalizations
and deaths in New York hit new lows and
vaccination rates rose above 70 percent, what
had appeared to be a light at the end of the tunnel
blossomed into a sunny summer day. Nearly all remaining restrictions on
businesses and social gatherings were eliminated, and sights we hadn’t
seen since early last year — crowded restaurants, full bars, and sold-out
full-capacity concerts and sporting events at arenas — once again
became commonplace in New York.
As the pandemic hopefully continues to recede, the debt and
gratitude we owe to our essential, frontline workers should not. These
workers — among them, thousands of RWDSU heroes — stepped up to
provide essential services for all of us when we were locked down during
the worst public health crisis in our country in a century. These working
men and women were thrust into a battle they did not choose, but it’s a
responsibility they courageously accepted. These essential workers in
food processing, health care, pharmacies, supermarkets and retail stores
and more were there for us throughout this crisis — often at great
personal cost to themselves and their families.
For a brief while, as the pandemic raged, our society and employers
recognized the sacrifices essential workers were making. An emphasis
was placed on making workplaces safer, with proper PPE provided, and
workplaces being kept clean and sanitized to an unprecedented degree.
And many employers agreed to “hero pay” for their workers; additional
hourly pay that recognized workers’ contributions.
As infection rates continue to drop and vaccination rates continue to
rise, it’s important to not lose sight of how important these essential
workers are to our economy, our society, and our families. The way we
view these workers needs to permanently change for the better, and so
does their treatment. Essential workers deserve the higher pay and
appreciation many of them received last year, and they deserve greater
emphasis on the health and safety of their workplaces.
At the RWDSU, we’ve always recognized the importance of these
workers, and fought for greater pay and benefits and safer workplaces to
protect them. During the pandemic, we’ve been a leading voice for hero
pay as well as proper protection for workers so that they can do their
jobs safely and go home to their loved ones. In our latest contracts for
retail workers at Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s in New York, covering
thousands of working men and women, language was included not only
to protect workers and consumers from COVID-19, but also any future
pandemics we may have to fight through. The lessons we’ve learned
from the COVID-19 pandemic will not be forgotten.
It’s no exaggeration to say that RWDSU members —
and all essential workers — earned the title of
“heroes” during the COVID-19 pandemic. We owe
it to all of them to continue to fight for safer
workplaces, better pay, and better benefits for
the essential work they do not only during times
of crisis, but every single day.
BRONX TIMES R 4 EPORTER, JULY 2-8, 2021 BTR
City Tech student
wins 2021 Nelsen
Scholarship award
City Tech student Dylan Cabrera, who lives in
the Bronx, was recently selected as a winner
of the 2021 Dave Nelsen Scholarship, awarded
to those currently or planning to attend a
technical college or trade school, pursuing a
career in the oil and energy industry.
Photo courtesy City Tech
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By Stuart Appelbaum, President
Retail, Wholesale and Department
Store Union, UFCW
Twitter: @sappelbaum
www.rwdsu.org
BY BRONX TIMES
The National Association of Oil and
Energy Service Professionals (OESP) is
pleased to announce the winners of the
2021 Dave Nelsen Scholarship, with one
of the designees residing nearby in the
Bronx.
The Dave Nelsen Scholarship was
established in 1999 as a way to remember
and recognize the commitment to
education made by OESP member Dave
Nelsen. The scholarship is awarded to
students or technicians who are currently
or planning to attend a technical
college or trade school, pursuing a career
in the oil and energy industry.
“We are extremely proud of the 2021
Dave Nelsen Scholarship recipients,”
OESP President Scott Vadino said.
“These individuals are the best of the
best applicants and we are confident
that they will continue the legacy of
Dave Nelsen. We are very thankful to
our corporate, association and OESP
chapter sponsors, who, along with
OESP, co-sponsor the scholarships
each year.”
John Dunleavey, territory manager
Southern New England from Carlin/
Hydrolevel, which supports the
scholarships added, “Our company is
proud to be able to offer educational assistance
to young people entering our
industry. A career in the HVAC industry
will offer a wealth of opportunities
for these fine scholarship recipients.”
The 2021 Dave Nelsen Scholarship
winners are:
Dylan Cabrera– Attends NYC College
of Technology in Brooklyn and resides
in the Bronx. This scholarship
was sponsored by R.W. Beckett.
Ivan Boirie – Attends Entech Advanced
Energy Training in Cromwell,
Connecticut, and resides in
Middletown, Connecticut. This
scholarship was co-sponsored by
Carlin/Hydrolevel and the OESP
Fairfield County Chapter.
Michael Campitelli– Attends Entech
Advanced Energy Training in
Crowell, Connecticut, and resides in
West Hartford, Connecticut. This scholarship
was co-sponsored by SCPEA and
the OESP New Haven Chapter.
Madison Keenan – Attends The
Fire Dragon School in Sturbridge,
Massachusetts, and resides in Clinton,
Massachusetts. This scholarship was
sponsored by OESP.
Tyler Sellers– Attends Thaddeus
Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, and resides in
Kirkwood, Pennsylvania. This scholarship
was sponsored by OESP.
“We are proud to give back to our
industry in this valuable way,” said
Kevin Beckett, president and CEO of
Beckett Corporation. “It means a lot
to us to support our future by providing
this opportunity to students each
year.”s
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