Our Perspective
Headline
We Mourn Richard
Trumka, and Will
Fight in his Memory
The world lost a tireless fighter for working
people on August 5, when AFL-CIO President
Richard Trumka passed away. At the RWDSU,
we often saw first-hand the dedication of a man who
was willing to go toe to toe with anybody if it meant defending the rights of
working people and creating a fairer and more equitable society where all of
us have our voices heard, not just the wealthiest and most powerful.
After being elected President of the AFL-CIO in 2011, Rich’s first trip
to New York was to stand with RWDSU members at the Kingsbridge
Armory in the Bronx to demand living wages, especially at projects
funded with taxpayer money. In Williamson, New York, he was there on
the front lines to stand side-by-side with hundreds of striking RWDSU
members at the Mott’s applesauce plant. Richard Trumka’s vocal support
helped the workers win their strike against a corporate employer that was
trying to slash wages and benefits despite enjoying record profits.
Richard Trumka
joined the RWDSU in
taking on Amazon in
Bessemer, Alabama,
standing with the
courageous workers
there who are trying to
organize a union in the
face of Amazon’s
unlimited resources and
willingness to break
labor law to destroy
Trumka stood with working people at
their campaign. He was
Kingsbridge Armory in 2011.
always there to answer
the bell, no matter how big or small the fight when it came to workers’
rights. He was a visionary and an inspirational leader.
Richard was born into a mining family in Pennsylvania, and as a
miner himself, he knew early on the importance of union activism and
giving a voice to working people. Mining can be deadly work, and those
prying coal from the depths of the earth know there is always a chance
they might not make it home. These workers back each other up and
watch out for each other and protect each other.
The values he learned in the mines and in the mining labor movement
shaped his entire life’s work. As President of the AFL-CIO, he gave a voice
every day to millions of union members and all working people in this
country, and he brought to the labor movement an incredible energy,
spirit and passion that showed during his entire career.
We will miss Richard Trumka, but we will never forget
him. We will continue to fight for the values he held
dear, and we will continue to bring a voice to all
working people in his memory. There can be no
greater tribute to his legacy than continuing to
fight for better lives for all working people and
their families.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,4 AUG. 13-19, 2021 BTR
First NYC restaurant
to offer vaccine onsite
Boca Restaurant & Lounge on Webster Avenue was the fi rst restaurant in NYC to administer
COVID-19 vaccinations onsite this week. Photo courtesy Getty Images
BY CHRISTIAN FALCONE
With a citywide mandate looming,
one Bronx restaurant took the unusual
step Tuesday of becoming the
fi rst restaurant in New York City to
vaccinate its patrons.
Boca Restaurant & Lounge, located
at 2458 Webster Ave., conducted onsite
COVID-19 vaccinations on Aug.
10, ahead of a city-imposed Aug. 16
mandatory deadline for people who
want to participate in indoor activities.
The restaurant is partnering in
the venture with NYC Health + Hospital
and the NYC Test and Trace Corps,
part of the city’s public initiative to
combat the COVID virus.
“We partnered with NYC Health &
Hospitals to help keep our communities
safe and avoid unnecessary closures
for all restaurants in the city,”
said Emmanuel Carela, owner of Boca
Restaurant.
The restaurant was also offering to
vaccinate members of the community.
Vaccinations ran through Thursday,
after press time.
“We commend Boca Restaurant
for their efforts to assist the city with
their vaccination efforts,” said Jeffrey
Garcia, president of the New
York State Latino Restaurant Bar and
Lounge Association. “If we don’t get
ahead of this virus, the new Covid-19
Delta variant will result in the complete
closure of the NYC restaurant
industry … We are proud to be part of
this initiative.”
The move comes on the heels of
Democrat Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Aug.
2 announcement that the city would
begin requiring proof of immunization
– the “Key to NYC Pass” – in order
for people to participate in indoor activities
such as dining at restaurants
and bars, attending concerts and visiting
fi tness centers and gyms.
“If you want to participate in our
society fully, you’ve got to get vaccinated,”
the mayor said. “It’s time.”
Another step toward incentivizing
NYC residents to get inoculated, the
mayor’s indoor vaccine mandate is
the fi rst of its kind in any major U.S.
city, and comes amid an uptick in COVID
19 numbers due to the surging
Delta variant. As of Aug. 5, total COVID
19 cases rose citywide to 1,657, an
increase from just a 204-case count
back on June 22, according to NYC
Health data.
The new mandate goes into effect
on Aug. 16, but will not be enforced
by the city until Sept. 13, according to
city offi cials.
Previously, de Blasio offered $100
to New York City residents who received
a vaccination.
By Stuart Appelbaum, President
Retail, Wholesale and Department
Store Union, UFCW
Twitter: @sappelbaum
www.rwdsu.org
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