DPCCC membership approved the following resolution at the May 20, 2021 regular meeting.

WHEREAS, health care workers have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic from the very beginning, showing up to care for patients despite insufficient protective equipment, staffing shortages, long hours, mental trauma, and the ever-present risk of infection; and

WHEREAS, health care companies have benefited from billions of dollars in federal support during the pandemic and enjoyed sharp increases in investment income due to the rising stock market, but those gains have not led to increased support for the health care workers who are putting their lives at risk; and

WHEREAS, as a toll of the pandemic, many healthcare workers are leaving the field; and, given the high cost of training health care workers and the harm to patient care from high worker turnover, we must take steps to ensure that California’s health care system is ready for future need and ready to face future crises;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County supports the passage of Assembly Bill 650 (Muratsuchi), the Health Care Worked Recognition and Retention Act, which provide substantial, tangible proof to health care workers that we recognize their sacrifice and value their work caring for our families and communities, during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the future. by requiring private sector health care companies to provide bonuses to their employees; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County shall communicate this resolution to the California Democratic Party and members of the State Senate and State Assembly representing any part of Contra Costa County and the Governor of the State of California, urging the Democratic supermajority in the California State Legislature to pass the legislation and the Democratic Governor to sign the bill into law.

Submitted by: Susan Hildreth, Elected Member, District 2
Cosponsored by: Doug Jones, SEIU United Healthcare Workers