Home care workers are ramping up protests to end 24-hour work shifts they liken to “torture” and to pressure New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin to advance a local law capping their shifts at 12 hours.
A dozen current and former home care workers began a hunger strike last week to draw attention to their bid to end the 24-hour shifts, for which the workers say they also are undercompensated.
The workers and their supporters have also protested in front of Menin’s Upper East Side home and rallied in front of City Hall, urging the speaker to fulfill a pledge she made to bring the bill to a vote. At a rally launching the hunger strike, protesters argued that 24-hour shifts are bad for workers’ health and chanted, “No more torture! No more 24!”…