After months of uncertainty, many of us will soon return to work. Although we are grateful that we have jobs to go back to, we are concerned with the working conditions we’ll face, especially as COVID-19 continues to spread.

Working at Encore has shown many of us that our rights as workers are not always respected. As we reflect on the events surrounding the Black Lives Matter protests, we are reminded that our colleagues of color experience suppression of their rights in both life and work, on a regular basis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even more clear that working people need to stick together to demand more from our employers. That’s because, to quote Encore lighting technician Vincent Dayries, “without us, nothing happens!”

All workers should be able to expect simple things like fair overtime pay, reliable scheduling, and adequate communication from management. Unfortunately, Encore employees have no such luck.

Encore workers: As we anticipate our return to work in the new world of COVID-19, it’s more important than ever that our health and safety are a priority on the job. Even though quarantine will end, the reality is that work places will need to implement new healthy & safety guidelines to minimize spread of the virus.