March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom
Dozens of protests planned for September 15

Reviving a core demand from the August 28, 1963 "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom" Jobs with Justice is declaring a national "jobs emergency" and calling for Full and Fair Employment on September 15.

It's time for corporate apologists in the Senate, who are blocking a recovery for the rest of us, to recognize what workers already know: we are in a jobs emergency that requires a bold, emergency response. With record long-term unemployment and communities losing vital public services, it is time to put Full and Fair Employment and a massive federal works program, core demands from the 1963 March for Jobs and Freedom that Glenn Beck wants us to forget, back on the national agenda."

The demands of the September 15 protests are full and fair employment - including passage of legislation like Local Jobs for America Act which would save or create 1 million jobs, extension of the emergency Temporary Assistance to Needy Families subsidized jobs program, and extension of emergency unemployment compensation - and passage of a Financial Speculation Tax that would rein in the more destabilizing aspects of Wall Street and generate $200-$500 billion annually.

If Congress focuses on reducing the federal budget deficit rather than fixing the jobs deficit, millions of workers and communities will suffer. When Wall Street was in crisis, Congress found hundreds of billions of dollars to bail them out. We need to respond to the jobs crisis with the same urgency.

Nationwide, the "jobs deficit" is about 11 million, with 5 job-seekers for every job opening. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that the bailed out Wall Street banks are making 'bumper earnings" while non-financial US corporations are sitting on more than $8 Trillion in cash reserves. A mere 20% of those holdings could pay 5 million Americans $70,000/year for five years.

In addition to the September 15 Day of Action, Jobs with Justice coalitions across the country are organizing to address the jobs emergency in multiple ways, including organizing local Unemployed Workers Councils, participating in a United Autoworkers and Rainbow Push march for "Jobs, Justice and Peace" in Detroit August 28, and building for the "One Nation Working Together" march on Washington on October 2.

For a list of cities planning actions on September 15 and to learn more, visit www.jwj.org/jobs.