Unemployed workers

How does this sound:

• Economic security
• A democratic workplace
• Rising living standards
• Adequate income support
• Family-friendly policies
• Equal opportunity
• Shared prosperity
• A healthy environmen
• Safe and vibrant cities
• Sustainable development
• More leisure time
• A peaceful world

This is the vision of the National Jobs for All Coalition (NJAC).

As advisor Richard Trumpka, quoted on the NJAC site, states: "It's way past time for Americans to take whatever actions are necessary to make the needs of workers and their jobs central priorities for our economy."

According to June 2009 employment data, there are 14.7 million officially unemployed and 14.9 million considered hidden unemployed. That equates to over 18% of the labor force. But as we know, even the employed suffer grossly inadequate wages, poor or no health care, inadequate and/or unaffordable child care options, and many other obstacles.


NJAC calls for "First Friday" actions:

The next First Friday Action day will be August 7th. On the first Friday of each month the Labor Department releases the previous month's unemployment numbers, and the issue of unemployment and joblessness gets attention from the news media. The National Jobs for All Coalition is urging groups and unemployed workers to hold news conferences, vigils and pickets at unemployment offices, and to take other creative action to demand jobs and an effective safety net.

(Picture from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library. Workers in New Jersey Unemployed Union march in 1935.)