BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The New York Essential Workers Coalition is calling on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Department of Health and the New York State Department of Labor to strengthen the lifted mask mandate.
In a letter to the Governor's office, the coalition said they feel the mandates must be stronger because "Already our members are telling us that employers are saying they no longer have to provide masks. Workers are forced to interact with maskless customers without knowing what their vaccine status is. Business owners who want to protect their communities by continuing to require masks are now fearful that they will lose business."
ALIGN NY is one of the organizations in the New York Essential Workers Coalition. Executive Director Martiza Silva-Farrell believes that the mask restrictions being lifted is incredibly dangerous.
"It's putting employers at risks, employees at risk and communities at risk," Silva-Farrell said, "it's important to stress that we are not out of the woods yet."