Meghan McCain is voicing her support for all corporations doubling the pay of workers who are performing “essential” services during the coronavirus pandemic. McCain’s comments came during Tuesday’s episode of The View, during which the co-hosts discussed increasing concerns regarding employee safety that have led to a number of strikes.
WORKER SAFETY CONCERNS LEAD TO STRIKES: As essential workers such as employees of online delivery businesses in the U.S. face tough choices amid the coronavirus outbreak, the co-hosts discuss if they should be treated like first responders. https://t.co/Ignof6parZ pic.twitter.com/17JkX6Gag7
— The View (@TheView) March 31, 2020
“I think that anyone who is doing any kind of essential work for us right now should not only get hazard pay but should have their pay doubled,” McCain, who admitted that she has been relying on delivery services as she is considered “high risk” due to her pregnancy, said. “And if corporations aren’t going to have a conscience enough to take care of these workers – who, by the way, just have a higher susceptibility of getting the virus, not necessarily getting the kind of medical care they would necessarily need – I think that it is up to the government and I think if we have to do another stimulus and aid package for essential workers, that’s what we have to do at this time.”
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Saying that she is “like the last person on planet earth that ever wants the government to give any kind of financial handouts to anyone,” McCain said that she thinks “these people who are putting their lives on the line, putting their families at risk just for us to be able to get our groceries and needed packages” deserves a pay increase.
“Everyone from truck drivers to janitorial workers to anybody, anywhere who is out still working in this kind of environment should 100 percent be given hazard pay,” she said.
McCain’s remarks came after it was reported that workers at companies such as Amazon are protesting over a lack of protection on the job and just days after President Trump signed a historic, $2 trillion stimulus bill to relieve the economy and the strain on the American workforce, which has seen a historic spike in those applying for unemployment benefits.
Although McCain is known for her controversial remarks, many seemed to agree with her stance.
“Yes,” tweeted one person in response. “Anyone risking there safety/health should be treated the same. And they don’t have the protective wear as the others.”
“Pay everyone of these essential workers hazard pay if you expect them on the ‘frontlines,’” added another person.
