Teamsters on the Frontline of the Pandemic Need to Be Protected

(CARSON, Calif.) – The following is a statement from Rick Middleton, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 572 and Director of the Teamsters Passenger Transportation Division:

“The vaccination of frontline workers is essential to their protection and the protection of the public at-large. Much attention has been given to the heroic workers who have continued to keep our country functioning during this terrible time – those in industries like the supply chain and health care are owed an immeasurable debt of gratitude. We shouldn’t forget, however, another group of workers who are owed that same debt – those in school bus and transit.

“These unsung heroes have continued to transport our most precious cargo throughout this calamity – elderly and disable citizens who have nobody else to turn to, other essential workers who rely on public transportation to get to work, and of course, our children. The fact that they deal with the public every day puts them at a higher risk of infection, even with the precautions that are in place – precautions that in many parts of the country are unfortunately either not mandatory or sporadically enforced.

“I am therefore calling on public health and safety officials to include school bus and transit workers as a high priority group for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. They are essential service workers and deserve to recognized as such.”

Teamsters Local 572 represents workers in passenger transportation, logistics, the public sector and a wide variety of additional industries. For more information, go to https://www.teamsters572.org/.

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