AFL-CIO Staff

Jennifer C. is an actress from New York and a member of the Actors' Equity Association. Her industry is 100% unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Broadway is closed for the indefinite future. Learn more about how dancers, singers and the rest of her community are affected during these dangerous times.

Michelle Simmons is a letter carrier who lives and works in Grand Island, Nebraska, and is a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). Grand Island is a COVID-19 hot spot with one of the highest density rates of contagion anywhere in the country. 

​​​​​​​She speaks here about what it feels like to be considered "essential."

Leaders of America's unions send a message of support and thanks to the union members and workers who are keeping our economy going and providing all of us with basic needs and essential services.

Kennita Jones is a roll mixer and has been working at Schmidt Baking Co. for 19 years. She is a member of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 68 in Baltimore. Like so many of America’s workers deemed essential, Kennita still leaves her family

Meet Shekina Givens. She is an AFGE member and lead transportation security officer for the Transportation Security Administration and works at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport. She and her co-workers are in constant danger of getting COVID-19, but they show up for work to protect the traveling public every day. Learn more about her and other TSA workers during these dangerous times. 

Working people are on the front lines in the fight against the COVID19 virus. AFL-CIO presents a new series of videos of workers speaking about the pandemic and what it's like to confront it head on.