Over 400 Call for Job Creation Legislation Now

For Immediate Release

Contact: Elana Guiney

      503-803-3151

February 10, 2010

400+ Unemployed Call on Legislators to Pass Job Creation Legislation

Well over 400 union members, most unemployed, came to Salem to ask legislators to use the February Legislative Session to help get Oregonians back to work.

Coming from Eugene, Corvallis, Gresham, Hillsboro and everywhere in between, their message was clear: too many Oregonians are still out of work, and not enough is being done. They support a three-pronged approach to rebuilding Oregon's economy: first, Oregon's businesses need to be able to create jobs and workers must be able to be hired; second, businesses must be incentivized to create jobs; and finally, new jobs must be good jobs - jobs that pay a decent wage, and that are here to stay.

"Wall Street may think the recession is over," said AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain, "but here in Oregon it's not. Legislators need to make sure that the job creation legislation before them this session makes it to the governor's desk. For the hundreds of thousands of unemployed Oregonians there is no other option."

Chamberlain added that it was up to everyone in the crowd to make sure their legislators know just how important job-creation legislation is. And that's just what they did.

After a rally where the crowd of over 400 heard from a fellow unemployed worker, from Tom Chamberlain, and from legislators who support job creation, 75 participants went inside to meet with their legislators.

"Too many people are unemployed, upset, and don't know where to turn. They're ready to take action. Today they were able to get answers to some of their questions, and bring up some important issues that our representatives don't always hear. But that's not enough. We need to know that our elected officials heard us by seeing action: we need to see good jobs legislation passed by the end of the session," said Terry Reigle, an Organizer who works with IBEW 48 union members, after the event.

One participant added "hopefully soon so many of us will be back at work that we won't be able to have a rally this big." That sentiment was shared by all.

Bills discussed at the rally included SB 1050, HB 3604, HB 3651, SB 1020, HB 3681, SB 909/HB 3655 and SB 1045, among others.

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The Oregon AFL-CIO - A Strong Voice for Oregon's Middle Class

Posted on February 10, 2010 in Job Creation.