Labor & Employment Law

Ohio Workers Demand Good Jobs Now

By James Parks

Ohio AFL-CIO President Joe Rugola addresses Jobs Now rally in Columbus.

More than 100 working people marched from to the state capitol in Columbus, Ohio, yesterday to call on lawmakers to focus on creating jobs and making Wall Street pay for the economic crisis it created. They sent the message that it is time to help working people and put Main Street back to work.

Ohio’s jobless rate is 10.9 percent. The state has lost millions of jobs due to the decline in manufacturing.

Marchers chanted “Good jobs now, make Wall Street pay,” and carried signs saying, “Dear Wall Street: you destroyed millions of jobs. Fix your mess.” Some dressed as Wall Street executives to highlight the role of greedy executives in creating the economic crisis.

At the rally, sponsored by the AFL-CIO’s community affiliate Working America, speakers said Congress and the White House must take serious and immediate action to invest in jobs

Ohio AFL-CIO President Joe Rugola said corporations and Wall Street executives have destroyed working people’s jobs. He said it is up to working people to hold our elected officials accountable to create a new economy that works for working families.

Working America’s Regional Director Dan Heck said:

Ohio working people have been slaughtered by a bad economy, bad decisions  made by the last administration and Wall Street greed. Working people are saying ?no more’ and marched today to call attention to how bad things are for Main Street.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on February 26, 2010 (boomark / email).