(BUFFALO, N.Y.) - The Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) - whose Regional Labor Federation’s 140 affiliated Local Unions combine to represent 145,000 Union Workers in the Public and Private Sectors and the Building Trades, released the following message today (Thursday, March 19) on the Coronavirus Pandemic:

WNYALF President Richard Lipsitz and WNYALF Staffers Angela Blue and George Boger joined the (Wednesday, March 18th) national phone conference with the President of the National AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, who addressed some of the most difficult realities we are facing as a Labor Movement and a society.

First, the National, State, and Regional Labor Organizations within the National AFL-CIO pledge to help the affiliated Unions and the broader population as we all deal with the health, safety and economic fallout from the he spread of Coronavirus.

President Trumka called on us to be the clearinghouse of information on the issues of national, state and regional importance.

Among these include the dissemination of important bulletins and announcements, and the organization of sources of aid and assistance for food and housing.

In this effort we welcome all our community partners and we look to the United Way to play a leading role.

Secondly, we must continue to push for emergency economic aid to those in need, in particular, those who have or will lose their jobs.

Immediate Unemployment Benefits, Extended Unemployment Benefits and Paid Time Off are essential to maintain ones basic needs until this crisis is alleviated.

Just because we are being vigilant about our health concerns does not mean we have forgotten our need to obtain the necessities of life through work.

Finally, we must combat extreme anxiety and a casual attitude to this situation.

We must fight the feeling that we cannot prevail.

This fight is for the lives of all who are dear to us and millions more.

Please pay attention to the Western New York Area Labor Federation Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/WNYALF/), our mass e-mail system and the WNYALF website for information.