Author: Carrie

The Local 1857 executive board approved a statement at our last meeting in support of Black Lives Matter and our Black members and community.  This was suggested and approved by our membership at our June general membership meeting, and a group of staff worked on creating a draft and identifying what actions we would like to take as a union.  

Read the full statement here.

Your union works hard every day to keep our members safe. These unprecedented times have seen your union representatives hard at work with KCLS, ensuring that we can get back to work in a safe and sensible manner. To that end, Local 1857 has purchased masks for every union member.

The outside of the mask is an antimicrobial poly-spandex, which helps reduce particulates from getting to you. The inner layer is made from an antimicrobial medical wick material, which makes the mask more comfortable to wear and reduces the amount of particulate going out. The elastic straps are adjustable to fit every person’s face.

Please see this video explanation from Dr. Lorelai Walker, explaining more about the type of masks we have purchased from ASTI.

Cleaning Recommendations

From the Washington State Department of Health:

Wash your cloth face covering frequently, ideally after each use, or at least daily. Masks should be washed with detergent and hot water and dried on a hot cycle. If you must re-wear your cloth face covering before washing, wash your hands immediately after putting it back on and avoid touching your face.

Discard cloth face coverings that:
• No longer cover the nose and mouth
• Have stretched out or damaged ties or straps
• Cannot stay on your face
• Have holes or tears in the fabric