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| Jessica Keeley, member of Cement Masons Local 633, addressed the rally. |
“The bottom line is we can’t grow private sector jobs without fair public sector investment,” Keeley said.
National AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and U.S. Representatives Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum were among the speakers who echoed that message. View video.
Nationally, about one in every 10 workers is unemployed. And that doesn’t include those who have stopped looking and are no longer counted.
“This jobs crisis is a disaster,” Shuler told the crowd. “We need to take action to create jobs . . . We need to take it now.”
‘A new movement’
Ellison said the rally signified “a movement for working class prosperity,” adding, “We have a vision of everybody who wants a job has one – and it pays good.”
The vision, he said, also includes health care, education and retirement security for all.
“We are together demanding prosperity for working people,” he said.
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| National AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler said the jobs crisis is so severe it requires major action at the state and national levels. |
While the Legislature acted last month to pass a jobs creation bill, union leaders worry that lawmakers’ response to the state budget crisis will undercut any gains made. Already, the DFL-controlled Legislature has approved $222 million in program cuts and Republican Gov. Pawlenty has signed the legislation.
“If the Legislature balances the budget with cuts alone, essential services will be gutted and at least 3,400 public service jobs will be lost,” said Mike Buesing, president of AFSCME Council 5, the largest state workers’ union.
The solution, Buesing said, is “We need to grow good jobs. And we need to tax the rich.”
Several speakers said wage earners pay a far larger share of their income in taxes than wealthy people do. They urged a change in state tax policy to generate the money needed for public services.
“It is time for a balanced approach,” said Linda Hamilton, president of the Minnesota Nurses Association, who warned the cuts are jeopardizing the health of the state.
Shar Knutson, president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, which organized the rally, said, “That’s why we’re here today – to stand up for a Minnesota where we invest in our people . . . Everyone pays their fair share to improve everyone’s quality of life.”
After the rally, participants fanned out to meet with lawmakers and reinforce that message.
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| Members of Working America, the AFL-CIO\'s community affiliate, held up signs at the rally and participated in meetings with lawmakers to urge action to address unemployment. |
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| Jessica Keeley, member of Cement Masons Local 633, addressed the rally. |
Keeley was among hundreds of workers and union leaders who rallied to urge the Minnesota Legislature and Gov. Tim Pawlenty to take action to save and create jobs. They said the government cannot cut its way to prosperity and must use fair taxes to fund important public services.
“The bottom line is we can’t grow private sector jobs without fair public sector investment,” Keeley said.
National AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and U.S. Representatives Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum were among the speakers who echoed that message. View video.
Nationally, about one in every 10 workers is unemployed. And that doesn’t include those who have stopped looking and are no longer counted.
“This jobs crisis is a disaster,” Shuler told the crowd. “We need to take action to create jobs . . . We need to take it now.”
‘A new movement’
Ellison said the rally signified “a movement for working class prosperity,” adding, “We have a vision of everybody who wants a job has one – and it pays good.”
The vision, he said, also includes health care, education and retirement security for all.
“We are together demanding prosperity for working people,” he said.
|
| National AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler said the jobs crisis is so severe it requires major action at the state and national levels. |
McCollum said that while the economy started to show some employment growth last month, “the jobless numbers are just plain unacceptable . . . We have more work to do.”
While the Legislature acted last month to pass a jobs creation bill, union leaders worry that lawmakers’ response to the state budget crisis will undercut any gains made. Already, the DFL-controlled Legislature has approved $222 million in program cuts and Republican Gov. Pawlenty has signed the legislation.
“If the Legislature balances the budget with cuts alone, essential services will be gutted and at least 3,400 public service jobs will be lost,” said Mike Buesing, president of AFSCME Council 5, the largest state workers’ union.
The solution, Buesing said, is “We need to grow good jobs. And we need to tax the rich.”
Several speakers said wage earners pay a far larger share of their income in taxes than wealthy people do. They urged a change in state tax policy to generate the money needed for public services.
“It is time for a balanced approach,” said Linda Hamilton, president of the Minnesota Nurses Association, who warned the cuts are jeopardizing the health of the state.
Shar Knutson, president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, which organized the rally, said, “That’s why we’re here today – to stand up for a Minnesota where we invest in our people . . . Everyone pays their fair share to improve everyone’s quality of life.”
After the rally, participants fanned out to meet with lawmakers and reinforce that message.
|
| Members of Working America, the AFL-CIO\’s community affiliate, held up signs at the rally and participated in meetings with lawmakers to urge action to address unemployment. |