Workers in Seattle are speaking up to private business, local, state and federal officials demanding good jobs. After years of unprecedented tax breaks for the rich and greedy corporations, the results are record breaking profits for those that make the most, but very few living wage jobs for us.
Kimberly, Vernon, Frank and others went to a city-funded construction site and the Park and Recreations Services office in Seattle moved by the lack of steady, living wage jobs and the effect this is having in our communities.
Working Washington went with workers Kimberly, Vernon and Frank and Ed to a Lake City construction site to demand that jobs funded by money from our community be offered to qualified unemployed community members. Ed, one of the workers, read a letter stating that we are ready and able to work and demanded the opportunity to compete for this jobs.
Next we moved on to the Park and Recreations services office in Seattle. This is the city department in charge of the Ranier Beach Community Center construction project.
The center is closed at present and the project has not been granted to any contractors yet. This project was chosen because, by closing the center, this has left a hole in the fabric of the community. Again, we asked that that good jobs that come out of the project be offered to qualified community members.
In a letter read to a city official, Vernon said, ”We are asking for a fair shot at the jobs created in our communities.”
Frank added that the actions are not over yet, and they can expect to see more of us demanding good jobs. With Congress continuing to grant tax breaks to the rich instead of helping create jobs for the middle class, our fight will continue.
“We are going to keep coming back until our voices are heard,” Frank said.