Governor Walz and administration officials held a conference call on April 1 with reporters to update the public on state efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Walz and administration officials held a conference call with reporters on 03/31 to update the public on state efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

These provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

For full details, see the poster bleow.

You can download the info here.

MN Government Daily Press Briefing March 30, 2020

Governor Walz

• Governor Walz announced that state COVID-19 deaths have risen to 10.
• He also said that over the month of March, traffic flow is down 71% in Greater Minnesota and 79% in the metro area. This is one aspect of social distancing that has allowed the state to buy valuable time to prepare hospitals, do more testing, and make other preparations as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In accordance with Executive Order 20-14, the governor reiterated that evictions will be halted beginning April 1.
• When asked whether the state’s hospitals and medical facilities have enough personal protective equipment, the governor responded, “As of today, yes.” However, he said the state does not have enough personal protective equipment right now for when the peak in infections arrives. The governor said the state is ramping up acquisition of such equipment – ventilators and personal protective equipment – for those on the front line.

To All Local34 Members:

The 2020 Fishing Outing has been cancelled.

Reminder:

All April meetings have been cancelled.

Stay safe!

In Solidarity,

Samuel Schultz

Walz Daily Press Briefing

The governor was asked today during the press briefing about the level of restriction on construction in his order in relation to expected tightening referenced today by Governor Cuomo in NY. Governor Walz responded that NY is more dense and that current modeling allows construction to continue here. He gave a compliment to the building trades for strong adherence to the CDC and MDH guidelines.

This afternoon, Governor Walz and administration officials held a conference call with reporters to update the public on state efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please find attached the slides from a Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council webinar on COVID-19.

It provides a good summary of relevant rules and guidelines.

Download the pdf here.

The House and Senate passed another COVID-19 response package to assist Minnesota coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and its related disruptions.

• This legislation provides $331 million to help Minnesotans withstand the effects of this global pandemic. It establishes a dedicated COVID-19 Minnesota Fund that will be used by the Walz Administration to keep Minnesotans safe during this emergency. The package also includes funding for childcare providers, college students, small businesses, veterans, homeless shelters, and food shelves. The two previous COVID-19 bills passed by the legislature allocated a combined $221 million in funding for medical needs – bringing the total to $552 million this year to address the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota.

With the increasing restrictions being implemented nationwide regarding an appropriate response to Covid-19, I wanted to assure you that TEAM's services continue without interruption. We have been monitoring the situation daily and continue to update our strategy in order to become more accessible during this time of crisis.

Local34 Members:

Please find the attached Executive Order issued by Gov. Walz along with my read of it (same text as below).

Executive Order

Okay to Work

Response by Sam Schultz

My initial read of this order is that it allows workers in the following critical service categories to go to work:

• Workers in skilled trades related to construction of all kind.
• Workers engaged in roadway construction, maintenance and utility projects.
• Workers performing public workers construction including construction of critical or strategic infrastructure.
• Construction materials suppliers and workers providing services necessary to maintain construction materials sources.
• Workers supporting building code enforcement.
• Workers performing any construction required in response to COVID-19, including health care faciilties and essential businesses and services.
• Construction required for emergency repairs and safety.
• Critical Labor Functions. Includes labor union essential functions, including health and welfare funds and monitoring safety of members.

We are considered an essential worker. If you want to continue to work and your job stays open it will be allowed. Please keep social distancing and stay safe in this time.

In solidarity,

Samuel Schultz