For Hawaii’s working class, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a nightmare. Workers, mostly in low-wage jobs, are keeping the economy afloat while facing the uncertainty of layoffs, furloughs, and faulty safety and health precautions. They continue to rise to the challenge. The Ige administration and the Legislature are failing these workers by not providing sufficient resources, assistance and protective legislation to ease the pandemic’s heavy toll on workers and their families.

In response to this administration’s neglect, a coalition of 16 labor, church, student and community organizations is conducting a rally at the state Capitol on Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The newly formed “Respect and Defend Hawai‘i’s Workers Coalition” is supporting several key measures to support Hawaii’s workers.

1) Open unemployment offices for safe, in-person services. Unemployed workers have borne the brunt of this public health and economic crisis. The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) closed public access to its unemployment offices last March. This left thousands of unemployed workers and their families no choice but to navigate the department’s antiquated computerized claims system. They were left in the dark and without assistance for months as emails were left unanswered and the DLIR call center proved inaccessible.

For nine months the Hawaii Workers Center urged the DLIR to reopen its unemployment offices to safely provide direct, in-person services and assistance. If essential services and businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies and banks can safely provide direct services to the public, so can the DLIR!

2) Raise the minimum wage, establish a living wage — pass Senate Bill 676. Some 40% of Hawaii’s workers earn less than a living wage (at least $17/hour). Workers employed at minimum wage levels ($10.10 per hour) are 14% of our workforce. Legislators are contemplating raising the minimum wage to $12 per hour. Although a step in the right direction, experts advise that at least $17 to $28 an hour is needed, given Hawaii’s high cost of living. Too many workers need to work more than one job just to survive. One job should be enough!

An incremental raise to $15 and later $17 would be a substantial help to workers while not causing significant increase in prices. To further help unemployed workers, the Legislature should exempt unemployment compensation from state taxes.

3) Safe and fair recall to work — pass SB 588. Hotel workers and workers in tourism, the backbone of Hawaii’s economy, have been hard-hit by layoffs and furloughs as hotels and other related businesses downsize or close. They often have lacked information as to when and how they may be recalled to work. As the economy improves and businesses reopen, the state must ensure that workers can return to their pre-COVID jobs in a safe and healthy workplace.

4) Ban forced overtime. Health care workers have rendered essential services in caring for the public. Ironically, they are thanked for their services by being forced to work long overtime hours. This not only jeopardizes the health and safety of both the workers and their patients, but greatly reduces precious time workers have with their families and for personal needs. We need to ban forced overtime.

5) Reduce poverty and inequality, legislate a fairer tax system. This crisis provides an opportunity for Hawaii to develop a progressive tax system where the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share. A fairer tax system lessens the burden on working people and provides the resources needed to fully fund public education, provide access to health care, and build an economy that works for all of us.

Jun Shin, Mary Ochs and Sergio Alcubilla are members of the Respect and Defend Hawaii’s Workers Coalition.