Tuesday, August 12, 11:30am to 1pm

free lunch to first 500 - legislator speeches - live 97.7 FM broadcast - delegation to Governor

State Employees Struggle for a Worker Stimulus

            Over 60,000 state employees are currently negotiating for a pay raise to insure state jobs pay living wages and our local economy stays vibrant.  These jobs breathe economic life into thousands more Washingtonians.  Bargaining with state officials has bogged down and the Governor has declared a hiring freeze.  Governor candidate Dino Rossi has called for gutting bargaining rights of workers, outsourcing, and privatization.

            The George Bush low-wage job economy has tanked in most parts of our nation.  Bush said “Wall Street got drunk and has a hang-over.”  If state government stays sober, it will not put the economic downturn on the backs of workers.  When living-wages grow, our economy grows and that’s what we need now.

            In the last 2 years, state employees have earned 3.2% and 2.3% cost-of-living raises, hardly keeping pace with inflation or even private sector raises which averaged 5% last year.  Consumer prices are rising:  Milk is up 19.3% and power is up 11%.  State employees deserve to keep pace with inflation and our economy needs a boost form their spending power.

How Will We Balance the Budget in Recession?

            JwJ activists are familiar with the corporate welfare model that government runs on the backs of taxpayers and workers to “stimulate development.”  Few workers see this money because trickle-down is really trickle-on economics.  It’s sober-up time for corporate welfare kings.  If we get transparent audits, efficiency goals, and clawbacks for failing grades, we’ll clean up literally billions of dollars in broken tax break schemes in the name of phony “job creation.”

            Our recession is caused by a crisis in housing and retail prices, particularly oil and food.  It’s no secret that we wouldn’t face such a stark downturn if low-wage workers had not mortgaged their homes with subprime loans to keep pace with living costs.  Unemployment is on the rise as workers can no longer afford to consume necessities and companies are cutting jobs to match lower production needs.  We will see spikes in malnutrition and hypothermia this winter which will worsen the cycle of job cuts.  Government must intervene with living wage job creation especially when the corporate-controlled “market” gets drunk with greed.  Then the executives need to have permanent Market Anonymous classes to keep them in line.

South Sound office of Washington State Jobs with Justice
3049 S 36th St #201 Tacoma WA 98409
Phone: 253-459-5107     Fax: 206-441-5059
Email: southsound@wsjwj.org    Website: www.wsjwj.org