May 6, 2020
After a cautious start, Governor Inslee has taken the aggressive actions needed to keep Washingtonians safe and communities protected
On March 23, 2020, I sent an open letter to our members denouncing Washington Governor Jay Inslee for not taking more decisive and aggressive actions to protect our communities from the COVID-19 pandemic by issuing a stay home order. Later that same day, Governor Inslee did exactly that, issuing his “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, and since then, the order has been extended several times. This has allowed our communities to remain safe with relatively low COVID-19 infection rates, causing a bend in the curve of infection rates downward which has now led to us entering the beginning phases of reopening our state economy.
After my harshly-worded letter more than seven weeks ago, I have been very impressed with Governor Inslee’s stepped-up response and would like to offer him thanks on behalf of Teamsters Local 174 for finally treating this outbreak with the seriousness it requires.
With close to 75% of Teamsters Local 174 members continuing to work as “essential services providers” in industries such as grocery and grocery delivery, package delivery, sanitation, healthcare, law enforcement, and many others, it has been imperative to keep the nonessential public at a safe distance from our members. This has been and continues to be necessary to limit their exposure to COVID-19 as they put themselves and their families in harm’s way every day to keep our society functioning.
I am thankful that Governor Inslee took the step of ordering Washingtonians to remain at home other than for essential outings. I believe that this action has saved countless lives, and has helped Washington transition from the first known case in the United States and one of the biggest COVID-19 hotspots to its current location as the 19th deadliest US state, with 841 total COVID-19 deaths reported as of today.
Taking decisive action during a crisis of this magnitude can be difficult for a leader, as strict government responses like what we have seen in Washington will always be unpopular with some individuals. However, as I pointed out in my March 23 letter, leadership is about taking action, and I am thankful that Governor Inslee did what was needed to help flatten the curve and protect Washingtonians from this deadly virus.
As frustrated as I was when I sent the Open Letter on March 23rd, I am equally impressed with the Governor’s commitment to his well thought-out multi-phased approach of relaxing the order in a way that eases us back into some semblance of normalcy.
As we begin the slow process of reopening, I know that it may be tempting to move too quickly, and to take on too much exposure to this disease in the name of getting people back to work. I continue to urge caution, not just to our state leadership but to the communities we all live in as well. As we make our way through the four phases of Governor Inslee’s plan, we may find ourselves taking one step forward and then two steps back. However, it is critical that we all continue to row in the same direction and work together to get our state safely back on its feet.
Washingtonians should continue to work together to keep everyone safe and healthy from this invisible enemy we are battling. We can do this by wearing masks whenever we are out in public, continuing to wash our hands, and continuing to stay home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out. Remember that masks are to protect others from those of us who are positive but asymptomatic with COVID-19, and refusing to wear some sort of face covering at this point is an act of selfishness that goes against our oaths as Teamsters to support and protect our Sisters and Brothers.
This is an extraordinarily difficult time for us all, but I am extremely proud of the members of Teamsters Local 174 for their courage and resolve to ‘keep on trucking’ no matter what. You have all shown exactly how essential you are, and that will never be forgotten. I am grateful to all of you who have continued to work, and to all of you who have continued to stay home, and to Governor Inslee for making the tough choices to keep us all safe. Together we can get through this, and get back to normal life.
In Solidarity,
Rick Hicks
Secretary-Treasurer – Teamsters Local 174