Join us November 17th: we need jobs, not cuts

Our Bridge Needs Work and So Do We

We have a jobs crisis here in Washington. But instead of getting us back to work by investing in transportation, education, and health care, Congress and the State Legislature are considering billions more in cuts.

We need  jobs, not cuts:

  • 45 bridges in King County are “structurally deficient”. 349 more are “functionally obsolete.”
  • $6 billion of repairs are needed in Washington’s public schools.
  • More than 800,000 people in our state don’t have access to affordable health care.
  • We could create up to 30,000 new construction jobs in Washington with a general obligation bond next April.

But some politicians in Washington, DC and the State Capitol in Olympia keep saying no to jobs. Instead of getting us back to work, they’re rejecting proposals to invest in our bridges and transportation system and demanding cuts to health care, education, and other programs — cuts that we simply can’t afford.

On November 17, people from across the area will converge at the Montlake Bridge to bring attention to the need to invest in our bridges and other infrastructure. Montlake Bridge itself is "functionally obsolete", and in sight of the 520 floating bridge — which is just one of 45 bridges in King County that are considered "structurally deficient" by the Federal Highway Administration.

Join us on November 17th at Montlake Bridge to declare an economic emergency for the 99%. It's time for our elected officials to stop the cuts, create jobs, and make Wall Street banks pay.

Note: We will meet at the plaza at corner of Montlake Blvd NE & NE Pacific Street, immediately across Montlake Blvd from Husky Stadium at 3:30 p.m.

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Participating organizations include Working Washington, Martin Luther King County Labor Council, OneAmerica, SEIU, Somali Community Services, Teamsters 117,Washington Community Action Network, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), CURB (Communities Uniting Rainier Beach), Martin Luther King Celebration Committee, NAACP Seattle/King County Chapter, PINW (Peoples Institute Northwest), POCAAN (People of Color Against AIDS Network), Rainier Community Empowerment Coalition, Tyree Scott Freedom School, YUIR (Youth Undoing Institutional Racism), and many more.

The Economy isn't Sick; It's Broken

by Nate Jackson Man holding "Our Kids' Future Trumps Short-Term Profit" at Occupy Seattle

Young people were sold a bad bill of goods.

The rules were simple: go to school, work hard, graduate and good jobs will be waiting. But the CEOs and their lobbyists fixed the rules so the system only benefits them.

We’re not giving up. The top one percent may control 40 percent of the wealth, but we have our voice, and our vote. There is work that needs doing and we will demand good jobs until politicians hear us.

In Seattle’s Westlake Park, working families and young people are standing up for good jobs. We’re asking for a return to policies that don’t reward shipping jobs overseas and million dollar bonuses for CEOs. We share supplies, support each other and peacefully protest a system that was broken by corporations and greedy CEOs who now pretend that the economy “got sick” on its own.

The economy is not a living creature; it can’t “get sick,” but it can be broken. The economy is a series of choices, policies and priorities made by people.

The corporations that are sitting on trillions of dollars instead of investing in our community have shown their priority. They have broken this economy for the rest of us.

But we can fix it. We have our own priorities. Good jobs, good benefits and a chance to support our families and build a positive future.

We’ve been standing side by side through rain and cold to bring the message that we can’t afford to wait for the economy to stop stalling. We need good jobs now and there are jobs waiting to be done.

We’ve seen the crumbling roads and rusting bridges, but we’ve also seen the lines at unemployment offices, the understaffed medical centers, and the homeless forced to find shelter in tents on the sides of highways or in urban forests. Out of sight, but not out of mind.

We are getting organized. Standing true to each other and showing that we are not going to let policies that benefit the richest 1 percent stand while leaving the rest of us to struggle just to survive. Working families are taking to the streets to fight for good jobs and policy changes to make a more fair economy.

Young people get it. We know that something is wrong when we see our peers graduate with mountains of debt but no jobs. We know something is wrong when we see schools cram more students inside of run down portables. We know something is wrong when our libraries are closed due to budget cuts and lay offs.

We really know something is wrong when we see our parents cry into their hands.

We’re not going to stand for it. There is work that needs doing all around us and it is time that the CEOs, lobbyists and politicians change policies to get us back to work.

We’ll keep speaking out for good jobs and a better future. We can’t afford to wait and we need your voice.


No disenchantment for the youth

by Sara Kiesler and Nate Jackson Everywhere you turn, there’s an alarming statistic about America’s youth.

The Atlantic says unemployment is up 55 percent for those aged 16 to 29. The suicide rate is up. Those living at home between the ages of 25 and 34 has jumped 25 percent.

But that hasn’t stopped Washington’s youth from fighting back--for good jobs, for a better future, and for Congress to wake up and create jobs, not cuts.

Emma Klein holds up "Value People Over Money" sign at Occupy Seattle

On Tuesday at the Occupy Seattle movement in Westlake Park, a crowd of over 400 consisting mostly of students attended to speak out about student loans that are breaking them. Jobs are scarce for everyone, but the students said the challenge is great as they wade under a mountain of debt. They came from all over--Seattle Central Community College, University of Washington, Cornish College and more.

The came down in graduation robes and spoke up about how Big Banks have gotten away with criminal acts and then got bailed out, while the gap between the rich and the poor is the highest its been since the depression.

Chants rang up around the park: "Money for jobs and education not for banks and corporations!" and “"The students united will never be divided!"

Students and recent graduates spoke up about the unfair economy, with corporations making record profits while we have to keep paying more.

"I'm tired of tuition going up, Metro (fees) going up, sales tax going up,” said Liam, a recent graduate who has been involved in the Occupy Seattle movement. “Thank you students for supporting us and we support you!" Other young people are fighting back in different ways, by giving their time and volunteer work as much as possible.

On Wednesday, 18-year-old Kitty Jones attended the protest. Despite having been homeless for part of her youth, the senior at Shorecrest High School is an optimist who believes that giving back is the answer and the media is just trying to scare people.

“Being told there's no hope for jobs or futures, how are kids expected to pull up their boot straps and run head-first into this supposedly hopeless economy?” she said.

Kitty volunteered her time this summer collecting signatures for the United States Humane Society ballot measure to help chickens in factory farms, and eventually got offered a job by the non-profit.

But some young people already in the work force have seen the struggle come to a head.

Emma Klein, 28, waved a sign that said “Value People Over Money” as honking cars passed on Westlake Avenue Wednesday evening.

“I definitely think it’s harder to find a job. A lot of my friends are going back to school and getting higher degrees, which increases debt and doesn’t necessarily increase the chance of getting jobs,” said Klein. “At the same time, especially with a movement like this, because so many people are affected and they don’t have resources to live fulfilling lives, they’re willing to risk more.”

As a professional dancer, teacher and performer, Klein is especially effected by cuts in funding that hurt the arts, but she finds inspiration from the unemployed that have less than her and come to Occupy Seattle every day.

“They could be sitting on their couch, but instead they’re coming out to be empowered.”

Fred Wilson is one of those unemployed who is looking for his power among the protestor carrying “We are the 99 percent” signs. The 25-year old construction worker is currently homeless and looking for work.

“The jobs have been just taken away,” he said, “but I’m OK. I’m here.”

Occupy Seattle, We're With You

Hundreds stood with the 99 percent at Westlake Park to demand one thing: good jobs now. Susan Wilkinson speaks at Occupy Seattle in Westlake

Susan Wilkinson has worked her whole life. She never had trouble finding good work until policy makers, banks and greedy CEOs decided to change all the rules, not hire and ship jobs overseas.

Wilkinson is now two years unemployed and is on the verge of running out of the only support she has, but she is not going to take it sitting down. Wearing her green Working Washington T-shirt, she talked to the crowd about what she thought was a solution: passing the American Jobs Act.

“I’ve never not worked in my life,” she said. “We need good jobs now and the American Jobs Act will help get us back to work. I need to work!”

Susan had arrived back from Occupy Wall Street in New York to attend the event in Westlake.

“I see democracy in action at these Occupy events,” she said. “This is what democracy looks like. We don’t want handouts or gifts, we want good jobs and we want them now. We need to pass this American Jobs Act.”

The American Jobs Act is a bill supported by President Obama. It would get people working right now on the work that needs doing around the country. In fact, here in Washington, 9,600 people would be hired to build roads, repair bridges, upgrade schools and do more to invest in the country right now.

We need to let our Senators and Representatives know that we need to work and the American Jobs Act is a way to get us back to it.

Many of us have been part of the "99%" movement in Seattle for weeks. We were gathering to stand against corporate power that has rewarded layoffs, encouraged CEO greed and left the rest of us out in the cold, sometimes literally. We were staying and not backing down as we’ve seen the influence of greedy CEOs drive this economy into a ditch.

Imam Mohamed Sheikh Hassan of Masjid Afrique Mosque stood up to show his support. He wore a traditional fez hat and started his speech pointing to the large group of Somali immigrants standing at the front of the crowd.

“We work hard,” he said. “We work long hours and we never complain, but the airport is firing us for no reason.”

The Hertz rental car company had suspended 32 Somali workers for praying at the workplace even though they had negotiated permission to do so.

“How can we raise our families?” he said. “We need to change the culture and reward hard work, not fire us. We want to work! Put us back to work!”

Then, a five piece brass band playing songs as we danced our way into the night. We marched, sang and held lit candles as we rallied more people to get involved and call their Senators to pass the American Jobs Act.

Leonard Sims took the microphone his voice breaking as he described how his family had suffered from the corporations and CEOs sitting on money instead of investing in our communities.

“I tell my children to work hard,” he said. “Work hard and you’ll be rewarded, but I’m not seeing that. I can’t even get a job.”

He paused.

“Something is wrong,” he said. “Something is wrong when we can’t find work and we want to work. We need jobs right now! We’ve done our part. Now they need to do theirs.”

Even the Mayor of Seattle took to the stage to show his support for the 99 percent to keep fighting for their rights.

“Keep organizing,” he said into the microphone waving his fist. “Keep fighting for good jobs; keep fighting for justice.”

We need the work that the American Jobs Act could provide. We have the talent and the skills, we just need the opportunity. Won’t you call your Senator and ask them to stand up for good jobs right now?

Work That Needs Doing

If you ignore it, it won’t go away.by Nate Jackson

Holding "Build Bridges" signs on an I-5 overpass

They say when something becomes familiar it’s easy to ignore.

We are so used to our crumbling roads and bridges that we forget that it took people to make them and people to maintain them. We just roll over them day in and day out, forgetting that without routine maintenance and constant repair, those roads and bridges will start to weaken. That’s work that needs doing and we need the work.

On November 17th we’re showing people what is right in front of them.

Working families are getting out of their houses and onto bridges. These last few weeks, families and community members have made signs and banners and taken the message that we need to invest in our communities first, not cut more and more services.

Build bridges that are sound. Repair roads that are crumbling. Hire locally and get us back to work doing things that we need right now.

Folks in Tukwila braved the ”structurally deficient” Boeing Access overpass of I-5, a series of bridges built in the early 40’s and 50’s, to spread the word that we need this important work right now.

Other community members in partnership with the Backbone Campaign rose balloons showing the top 1% owning the vast majority of the wealth that working families create. The balloon raised more than just eyebrows over the I-90 Bridge.

Somali airport workers also took to the streets in support of work that needs doing. They donned signs and banners stating that they need good jobs, fair treatment and an opportunity to use their skills to better their community.

I-5 got a double dose when community members marched on Yesler Avenue and dropped a large banner over the highway. Semi-truck drivers and working families honked in support as the community members waved American flags and hoisted signs saying “Good Jobs,” and “Stop the War on Workers.”

We see the needs every day and we are starting to recognize it. We can’t ignore the infrastructure anymore and we will keep getting out there to remind everyone else.  Come join us on November 17 and take a good long look at work that needs doing.

Monday, 5pm, be there!

     Tell Congress

       We Stand with the 99%

     We Need Good Jobs!

Monday Oct. 10 5pm Westlake Park

The economy is rough and the jobs still have not come back. Monday at 5pm in Westlake Park, we are standing with the 99 percent of Americans who have not received bailouts and $1 million bonuses. We stand to tell Wall Street no more bonuses. No more tax cuts. Invest in good jobs, and invest in us.

President Obama has proposed to create jobs by putting $50 billion into our bridges, roads and transit systems. This would be paid for with a tax on millionaires.

But Congress says "NO". It wants to do nothing.

 

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Work That Needs Doing: Union Gospel Mission

Nonprofits struggle to stave off suffering as CEOs refuse to hire. by Nate Jackson

Unfortunately, the Union Gospel Mission is having a busy year.

Lines of people outside Union Gospel Mission

The Union Gospel Mission is a nonprofit that provides emergency shelter as well as other “last resort” services to folks who have been hit hard by this still continuing recession. State services have been chopped and many nonprofit organizations in the area, including the Mission, have had to pick up the slack created by politicians gifting tax giveaways to CEOs while cutting off public services.

Policy makers need to reinvest in us instead of handing out money to CEOs who don’t need it. There is work that needs doing and we need good jobs in our communities.

The Mission provides emergency shelter to over 500 people per night, which is up from previous years. It’s privately funded through individual donations and foundations, but has seen more working families turn to its services. The Mission is partnering with other community groups and is asking for those with the means to help support the organization.

It is cleaning up the mess made by policy makers who have sided with CEOs instead of struggling working families.

We’ve seen savings disappear and back up plans dry up as we’ve stayed unemployed. We’ve fallen through the cracks of social services as state money is ripped away due to budget cuts. We want to work, but when corporations are giving bonuses to millionaire CEOs instead of creating good jobs in our communities we’re stuck.

We are potential wasted.

Without fully funding basic services, education, health care and holding corporations accountable to hire instead of rewarding layoffs we cannot move forward. The work that needs doing is not just roads and bridges, but also growing and supporting workers. How many of us are stuck, forced to rely on services, instead of living up to our full potential?

We have the talent and the skills. We have the potential and the experience; we just do not have the opportunity to get back to work. Society can’t afford to forget us. We the working families are the strength of our economy, not greedy CEOs or out of touch policy makers. We need to invest in our communities not just by building bridges and fixing schools, but also by funding public services that help us get back on our feet and back to work.

We can’t afford to wait anymore. No more tax giveaways to greedy CEOs and out of state corporations. No more rewarding companies for firing people. No more bonuses for putting working families out on the street. We have work that needs doing right here and giving a helping hand to those of us who feel forgotten is a good place to start.