Tonight, the Sunrise Movement, joined by Representative Ayanna Pressley and President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO Sara Nelson, launched their “Good Jobs for All” campaign, laying the organizing groundwork and economic vision for a post-pandemic society that puts millions of people to work stopping the climate crisis. The campaign comes 43 days into the administration, as time ticks down on the Democrats’ now or never moment to stop the worst effects of the climate catastrophe and avoid the fatal political mistakes of the early Obama years: not acting at the full scale of the economic crisis, and falling short in delivering on promises made.
“In the richest country in the world, no one should go without a good job. For years, our movement has been demanding a Green New Deal that fulfills Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s promise and Coretta Scott King’s dream through guaranteed good jobs and a better society. This campaign will galvanize and grow our movement around this critical component of the Green New Deal as we recover from COVID-19 and the economic recession,” said Varshini Prakash, Executive Director of the Sunrise Movement. “We expect Biden and Congress to deliver on a bold economic recovery in its first 100 days — by April 30th. And we’re going to put on the pressure to make sure that they do. And if they don’t, well then they’re really gonna hear from us — and there’ll be hell to pay. So, Biden, Congress. The clock is ticking. You’ve got 57 days to deliver.”
During the call, Sunrise introduced their Good Jobs for All Pledge, which calls on Members of Congress and Joe Biden to do everything in their power to pass economic recovery legislation that meets the scale of the crises we’re facing and puts us on a path to a Green New Deal that guarantees a good job to anyone who wants one. Green New Deal co-sponsor, and sponsor of the recent Federal Job Guarantee Resolution, Representative Ayanna Pressley became the first signatory of the Good Jobs For All Pledge tonight, with other prominent Members of Congress expected to follow.
“Establishing the legal right to a good job for every person will help address the current employment crisis, create the foundation for an equitable economic recovery, and ensure that we are able to meet the pressing challenges facing our communities,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “That’s why I recently introduced a history-making resolution in Congress calling for a federal job guarantee, and it’s why I’m proud to be among the first to sign the Good Jobs for All Pledge. I’m excited to work alongside the Sunrise Movement – as well as my colleagues, advocates, and activists across the country – to advance bold employment policies that ensure every person has access to a good job that pays a living wage, and that we put people to work addressing urgent priorities, like the climate crisis.”
The Good Jobs for All Pledge is written below:
We live in a moment of historic crises — a health crisis, an economic inequality crisis, a racial justice crisis, and a climate crisis that looms over it all. With so much work to do building a better society that works for all of us, there’s no reason anyone in the richest country in the history of the world should be unemployed, underemployed, or working a job that isn’t in the public interest.
I will do everything in my power — including advocating for changes to Senate rules that obstruct the will of the majority — to champion economic recovery legislation that invests $10 trillion to create at least 15 million good jobs sustained over the next decade in clean energy, transportation, housing, the care economy, public services, and regenerative agriculture, with the goal of ultimately guaranteeing full employment, while:
- Upholding Indigenous sovereignty and strong labor, equity, immigration and environmental justice standards, as outlined in the THRIVE Agenda
- Establishing or enhancing public employment programs to directly put Americans to work in serving the public interest, including the robust funding of a Civilian Climate Corps and a Public Health Jobs Corps
- Strengthening and protecting our workforce, unions, and workers’ rights through the provisions in the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act
- Directing at least 50% of investment funds to communities on the frontlines of our economic, environmental, and public health crises
- Moving every sector of the economy to 100% clean, renewable energy as fast as possible over the next decade
Thousands of people attended the call via livestream or at one of 600 virtual watch parties around the country, making this Sunrise’s largest event of this nature. This launch event kicks off a series of upcoming mobilizations by Sunrise to put pressure on politicians across the country. There are organizing actions planned as early as March 11th, and as part of a broader progressive movement “Recovery Recess” effort during Congressional Recess from March 29th to April 9th, culminating in a day of action on April 7th, when Members of Congress are home in their districts, as well as on April 22nd, Biden’s planned International Climate Summit.
