Statement by the National Organization for Women and the National Domestic Workers Alliance

04.17.2020

WASHINGTON, D.C.— In 2019, 91.5 percent of all domestic workers in the United States were women, and 57.1 percent were people of color. Now the Coronavirus is decimating the livelihoods of many domestic employees as their employers close off their homes, and those who are still employed are risking their safety to keep working. A high number of domestic workers are also undocumented immigrants, so despite paying taxes, they will not receive unemployment benefits or stimulus checks from the recently passed $2 billion economic relief package. 

These populations need our support more than ever, so the National Organization for Women is partnering with the National Domestic Workers Alliance’s (NDWA) Coronavirus Care Fund to rush emergency relief for domestic workers during this crisis. 

NOW is donating a portion of all gifts over $25 to help provide critical support to domestic workers across the United States, who play a vitally essential role on the front lines caring for the elderly, those with chronic illnesses and children of other health essential personnel. Many domestic workers are now facing unemployment, and, as low-wage workers, will be hit doubly hard by this crisis.  

“NDWA’s Coronavirus Care Fund provides much needed relief for domestic workers who are struggling each and every day, alone and unprotected during this pandemic,” said NOW President Toni Van Pelt. “As a grassroots organization, we realize the importance of the work they are doing on the ground and are proud to partner with NDWA in this campaign.” 

“We are delighted to partner with NOW to direct donations to the people who care for us and our families. Right now, many domestic workers are being forced to choose between putting food on the table or risking their health during this pandemic. Donations to the Coronavirus Care Fund will provide emergency assistance to nannies, house cleaners, and home care workers who need immediate help, giving them the stability they need to stay home and be a part of the solution to this crisis,” said Ai-jen Poo, executive director of NDWA. 

The NDWA Coronavirus Care Fund reduces the burden on domestic workers to sustain themselves and their families through these difficult times. These workers play a critical role in homes across the nation, and we must ensure that they receive the same support as other Americans.  

You can learn more about the fund here.  

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary , press@now.org

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt and Wisconsin NOW President Lindsay Lemmer

04.07.2020

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Voter suppression is one of the most insidious forms of racism this country faces. When even one vote is suppressed it makes a mockery of our Constitution and our ideals. Yet the conservative majority of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is playing partisan political games during a pandemic and putting people’s lives, and right to vote, at risk. They are forcing the people of Wisconsin to choose between putting their health in peril, or exercising their civic duty to vote.  

What happens in Wisconsin has broad implications going forward as the challenge of holding elections during the COVID-19 crisis continues to develop. Rather than pushing for expanded access to voting, lawmakers are trying to prevent a seismic shift in who ultimately leads our legislatures and instead they are trying to restrict voting rights and disenfranchise communities of color, particularly African American communities, who may have the most impact at the polls. 

As we manage our new reality throughout this pandemic, we need to be flexible when it comes to the voting process. From expanding in-person early voting to extending ballot counting deadlines, what we need is to focus on keeping people safe and educating the public on these new developments. What we don’t need is a rushed and risky voting day like we are seeing in Wisconsin today. 

Wisconsin NOW members and leaders are hard at work on the ground, volunteering with phone calls and text banks to provide the information needed to vote absentee, and even stepping up to physically volunteer at the polls as many high-risk poll workers have had to cancel. 

NOW is dedicated to making sure that every vote is counted and that the people of Wisconsin have their voice heard. We will rise up against these underhanded voter suppression techniques. 

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary , press@now.org

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – NOW is a strong supporter of the Women’s Health Protection Act, and we applaud Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) and Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) for their leadership.  Today, Rep. Eshoo will chair a hearing entitled “Protecting Women’s Access to Reproductive Health Care”—adding another milestone to this already historic record of the 116th Congress. 

In testimony I submitted for today’s hearing, I said: 

“We know that this campaign against women’s access to reproductive health care has nothing to do with promoting women’s health and safety but is about controlling women and their bodies. Misogyny clearly plays a part. It is hard to believe that in the 21st century, in the wealthiest nation in the world, with all of our medical advances that these restrictions on vital health care needs have been allowed to persist.” 

NOW proudly stands behind Rep. Eshoo, her colleagues, and today’s witnesses as they bear witness to the need for a statutory protection for access to abortion care free from medically unnecessary limits and bans. 

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary , press@now.org , 202-570-4745