FRI, JUNE 3 >> First Friday Vigil for Jobs in NYC

First Friday Vigil for Jobs - Come Stand With Us in Dallas, Dayton, New York City, and Syracuse to Send a Message to Washington, DC

Create a National Jobs Program

Joblessness and Service Cuts Must Not

Become the New “Normal”

Friday, June 3, 2011 • 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

in front of Sen. Schumer’s Manhattan office,

757 Third Ave. (East 47th– 48th Sts.)

Join the Vigil for Jobs on the First Friday of June BECAUSE…

This past year, one out of every four families in America has been affected by unemployment. In January of this year, 13.9 million persons were officially unemployed, and another 14.8 million persons, the “hidden unemployed,” wanted full-time work but were forced to work part-time or wanted a job but were not actively looking. The best way to solve this crisis is for the federal government to create a new national jobs program, similar to the innovative work programs created by President Roosevelt during the 1930’s Great Depression. Senator Schumer, as New York’s highest federal official, we urge you take our message to Washington.

Congress and the President must act immediately to:

· Pass H.R. 589 to extend emergency benefits for the long-term unemployed who have been jobless for longer than 93-99 weeks.

· Resume financial assistance to state and local governments to avoid massive layoffs in health care, education and other essential services and which will disproportionately affect women.

· Create “Green Jobs” in the United States and defund foreign wars and military bases.

Speakers at Vigil: Heidi Siegfried, Hunger Action Network; Jim Perlstein, Professional Staff Congress-CUNY; Owen Rogers, Fight Back; Neal Frumpkin, DC 37 Retirees' Association; Sid Socolar, Rekindling Reform; Jon Bloom, Workers Defense League; Trudy Goldberg, National Jobs for All Coalition; Gaby Moreno, National Organization for Women-NYS

Endorsed by: Alumni Association of Social Service Employees Union Local 371, DC 37 • Americans for Democratic Action, NYC Chapter • Communications Workers of America, Local 1180 • Democratic Socialists of America, NYC Chapter • Empire State Economic Security Campaign • FIGHT BACK • Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition • Healing of the Nations Fndtn, Rev. James Forbes, Jr., Pres. • Hunger Action Network of NY State • Job Party • Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, NYC Chapter • National Jobs for All Coalition • National Organization for Women – NYS • New York Jobs with Justice • Professional Staff Congress/CUNY, AFT Local 2334 • The American 99ers Union • U.S. Labor Against the War, NYC Chapter • Veterans for Peace, NYC Chapter • Workers Defense League, Inc. • Individual Endorsements, org. for identification only: Tom Anderson, Vice Chairman, Organization of Staff Analysts • Keith Brooks, United Federation of Teachers • Leslie Cagan, Co-Founder, Organization United for Peace and Justice • Barbara Garson, author • Connie Gruber • Martin Melkonian, Adj. Assoc. Professor, Hofstra University • Ed Ott, former Exec. Dir. NYC Central Labor Council • Dorothy Savage, Former Dir. of Education & Leadership Ministries, The National Council of Churches • Paul Vasquez, Pres. National Assoc. of Broadcast Employees & Technicians (NABET), CWA Local 16 • Julia Willebrand, delegate, U.S. Green Party Natl. Committee

For more info: http://www.njfac.org/ or http://www.jobscampaign.org/ or http://www.nownys.org/

Contact: National vigil coordinator Logan Martinez (937-433-8260 or 937-275-7259 or loganmartinez(at)hotmail.com; NYS vigil coordinator, Noreen Connell, 212-586-3257 or norconnell(at)aol.com

**Note: No Vigil will be held in May due to scheduling difficulties.**

12/3 First Friday - Vigil for Jobs video on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc36dnyHGbo

Join us! for our next Vigil for Jobs on the First Friday in January - Jaunary 7 - outside Sen Chuck Schumer's office 757 3rd Avenue (between E 47th and 48th Streets).   For more info, visit http://www.jobscampaign.org/

12/3 First Friday - Vigil for Jobs

First Fridays — "Vigil for Jobs” – New York City

Friday, Dec. 3, 2010
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Gather outside U.S. Senator Schumer's office

757 Third Avenue (betw. 47-48 Sts.)

Why the First Friday?

On the first Friday of each month, new statistics are released by the US Department of Labor on the official unemployment rate.  For example, in October 2010, the Department of Labor announced 14.8 million were officially unemployed. The official unemployment rate was 9.3%.

As reported by the National Jobs for All Coalition, an additional 15.5 million people make up the so-called “hidden unemployed.” These include 1) people who are working part-time because can't find a full-time job; and 2) people who want jobs but are not looking so are not counted in official statistics.

Taken together, the total number of jobless people in October was therefore was approximately 30.3 million (18.9% of the labor force). Over 8 million have lost their jobs over the last two years.

Our goal is to call attention to the unemployment crisis, and the need for urgent federal action to reduce unemployment, including a national federal jobs program similar to the WPA.  During the last serious economic depression in the 1930’s, President Roosevelt put millions to work doing useful jobs that made a lasting contribution to our country — roads, bridges, schools, libraries, housing, theater, painting, road guides, parks, and much more.  

In addition, we call for the continuation of unemployment benefits to the long-term unemployed, including people who have been unemployed for more than 99 weeks.

“Jobless recovery” is a contradiction in terms, and completely unacceptable to New Yorkers. We must insist that the Congress and President act swiftly to create millions of new jobs in clean energy and conservation; infrastructure and mass transit; education, health care, public and human services; and by creating a national industrial policy to stabilize and increase the number of manufacturing jobs, pink-and-blue-color jobs, and employment opportunities for youth and those nearing retirement. Also, the Federal Reserve should be encouraged to direct banks to expand lending for community job creation and small business.

Join Us!!   And also plan to attend the next monthly vigil -- Friday, Jan. 7, 2011 (same place, same time).

Cosponsored by:

Communications Workers of America, Local 1180
Empire State Economic Security Campaign
Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition
Healing of the Nations Foundation (Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Jr.)
Hunger Action Network of NYS
National Jobs for All Coalition
National Organization for Women - NYS
Workers Defense League, Inc.

For more information, see Press advisory, posted immediately below.
To endorse the NYC vigil, click here

Download NYC flyer

Contact: Noreen Connell, norconnell(at)aol.com or 212-586-3257

Web: http://www.jobscampaign.org/

12/3 Friday Vigil for Jobs in New York City - Press Advisory

Press Advisory: Vigil for Jobs

When:       Dec. 3, 2010 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where:      Outside U.S. Senator Schumer's office, 757 Third Avenue (betw. 47-48 Sts.)
Contact:    Noreen Connell, norconnell(at)aol.com or 212-586-3257

To mark the First Friday of the month release of Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment data, the National Jobs for All Coalition will be joined by civil rights, community, labor, and religious groups in a "Vigil for Jobs" in front of U.S. Senator Schumer's office to call for bold and decisive federal action to create more jobs.

"During the last Great Depression, President Roosevelt's New Deal jobs programs not only saved families from dire poverty and despair, but also left a lasting legacy of infrastructure, art, parks and post offices. We need a similar job-creation program to employ 14.8 million officially jobless Americans and 15.6 million who want work but are not looking or who have settled for part-time jobs," says NJFAC Chair Trudy Goldberg.

Bill Henning, Vice President of CWA, Local 1180, states, “The top priority for this economy must be putting people to work.”

The Vigil for Jobs in NYC is co-sponsored by Communications Workers of America, Local 1180; Empire State Economic Security Campaign; Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition; Healing of the Nations Foundation (Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Jr.); Hunger Action Network of NYS; National Organization for Women - NYS; and Workers Defense League, Inc.

The event is also being held to thank U.S. Senator Schumer for his efforts to secure a further extension of unemployment insurance benefits. "This is a critical issue for women," says NOW-NYS President Marcia Pappas, "because the majority of the long-term unemployed are women." Failure to extend these benefits will not only hurt those currently unemployed but will lead to further joblessness due to depressed consumer spending.

Speakers at the Vigil for Jobs include NJFAC Chair Trudy Goldberg, whose latest book is Poor Women in Rich Countries (Oxford University Press); Bill Henning, Vice President of CWA, Local 1180; and Jon Bloom, Ex. Director of the Workers Defense League, who will talk about the experiences of thousands of unemployed workers who have contacted his agency over the last year.

Vigil for Jobs will also be held in ten other cities on Friday December 3 or during Human Rights Week (December 3 to 11). Contact Logan Martinez (937-433-8260 or 937-275-7259 or loganmartinez(at)hotmail.com) for information about Vigils in Dayton, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, OH; Chicago, IL (with Jobs with Justice); Atlanta, GA; Portland, ME; Columbia, SC; Gary, IN; and Little Rock, AR.