A laid-off bartender helped collect more than 1,000 KN95 masks for employees in the Ann Arbor service industry
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Shortly after Gabrielle Bussell was fired from her bartending job at the Arbor Brewing Company in March, she threw herself into her work with the workers’ advocacy organization she helped build at the start of the pandemic, service workers in the Ann Arbor Area ( SIWA3).
“I’m currently laid off and basically use that time to work full-time around the clock with this group of service workers I organized with,” Bussell told Metro Times.
Thanks to SIWA3, Bussell recently helped secure more than 1,000 KN95 masks that can be distributed to Washtenaw County’s service industry employees thanks to the county’s free mask program. Another 120 masks were from a private donor, 80 of which are the higher quality N95 masks, while the rest are KN95.
According to Bussell, SIWA3 found on its Facebook page, where membership skyrocketed to over 2,600 as the pandemic progressed, that many workers in the service industry have not received masks or other personal protective equipment from their employers – and many workers who have I’ve seen their hours and tips cut and can’t afford to buy their own.
“Unfortunately, during the pandemic, service workers were pushed into the background as they were viewed as essential workers,” says Bussell, adding, “We are specifically focusing on workers in this group because of the risk involved.”
According to Bussell, the masks are particularly a problem in Washtenaw County, where a highly contagious coronavirus mutation called B.1.1.7 was first discovered in Michigan, which infected at least 23 people. The University of Michigan was found to be a driver of the spread of COVID-19 in Washtenaw County, which officially accounts for 62% of the county’s cases.
SIWA3 organized a march for work safety in October after the campus had reopened for the fall semester.
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“Even if employers or bosses follow all protocols to a T, we hear from workers that the people who are going out and about to eat inside are not people who take viruses seriously – and the health and safety of workers, that they serve, under no circumstances take them seriously, “says Bussell.
The group packages the masks for distribution to people who work in bars, restaurants, and cafes in Washtenaw County. Bussell says they are reaching out to companies to see if they need masks. People can also request the masks by filling out a form or emailing the group at [email protected].
Bussell says they are in talks to get more mask donations from other private donors. They also have plans to offer assistance to people struggling to find their way around Michigan’s unemployment system and hope to distribute food to service workers who need it.
During the vacation, the group raised more than $ 10,000 to help nearly 100 service industry workers in the area.
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