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In this episode of The Garifuna Experience Podcast, host José Francisco Ávila examines the escalating crisis surrounding the No More 24 Act (Intro 303)—the landmark New York City Council bill aimed at ending grueling 24-hour workdays for home health aides.

With hunger strikes resuming outside City Hall and demonstrations mounting at Speaker Julie Menin's doorstep, home care workers—many of whom are Garifuna women and immigrant women of color—are demanding an end to systemic wage exploitation under the state’s 13-hour pay rule. But as support within the City Council shifts and co-sponsors withdraw, a complex political debate has emerged between worker rights advocates, disability rights groups, labor unions, and state funding realities.

In this deep dive, we break down:

• The Reality on the Ground: How 24-hour shifts impact the physical health and financial stability of Garifuna caregivers and essential home health aides.
• The Political & Legal Divide: Why funding gaps in state Medicaid are pitting worker protections against care continuity for disabled and elderly New Yorkers.
• The Bronx Delegation Breakdown: Where local Council Members stand—from supporters like Justin E. Sanchez, Oswald J. Feliz, and Eric Dinowitz, to opponents Kevin Riley, Shirley Aldebol, Pierina Sanchez, Althea Stevens, and Amanda Farías and former co-sponsors like Elsie Encarnación who have pulled support over implementation concerns.
• Key Provisions of Intro 303: The 12-hour daily shift limits, 56-hour weekly caps, worker opt-in rights, and DCWP enforcement mechanisms.

Join us for a nuanced, community-focused conversation on labor, dignity, and political accountability in New York City.

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Books by José Francisco Ávila

• Pan-Garifuna Afro-Latino Power of Pride:: My Quest for Racial, Ancestral, Ethnic and Cultural Identit