Thank You President Obama; Take the Next Step

“You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning”  -- Lev. 19:13

Last week, the Reverend Dr. J Herbert Nelson was arrested in front of Union Station in Washington, D.C., along with other faith leaders and workers. In solidarity with the 8 million U.S. workers who are dependent upon federal contract jobs, Rev. Dr. Nelson has called on the President to ensure that the federal government only does business with companies that pay a living wage and provide good benefits, follow wage, hour, and safety laws, allow workers to bargain collectively, and limit overspending on CEO pay.

To read the Rev. J Herbert Nelson's Reflection on Work, click HERE.

The President responded. Two days later, President Obama signed an executive order (EO) aimed at reducing labor law violations among firms that contract with the federal government. This order requires companies bidding for federal contracts to disclose their recent compliance with labor and employment laws and instructs federal agencies to consider this compliance, or lack thereof, in the process of awarding federal contracts.

One Step Closer: Rev. J Herbert Nelson responds to President Obama's Executive Order

This is an excellent step forward and deserves praise. And because this order applies company-wide, not only to the workers directly employed through the contract, it has the potential to improve jobs across the economy. But there is still more to be done. With the stroke of a pen the president could further improve jobs for workers, federal contract workers and across the economy. For this goal,  the Rev. Dr. J Herbert Nelson participated in a nonviolence civil disobedience with local workers and clergy.

Click HERE to thank President Obama and urge him take the next step and make sure the workers have a voice in the workplace.

There are real benefits to this action. According to Demos, allowing federally contracted workers to bargain collectively would help put 21 million people (8 million workers and their families) on the path to the middle class. This nation became the leading economic power of the world when it had a strong middle class that was paid fair wages and had a strong voice to their employer through unionization.

Federal Jobs Lead the Marketplace, writes Rev. J Herbert Nelson.

The federal government is currently the largest employer of low-wage workers in the nation, spending $1.3 trillion on purchasing goods and services through private companies. What’s more, the federal government has often set the precedent of change in this country. For example, President Lyndon Johnson’s Executive Order 11246 established racial non-discrimination in hiring and employment by U.S. contractors, a precursor to the landmark Civil Rights Act. President Obama too can lead by example. As the largest employer of low-wage workers, the President is setting precedent for the nation’s marketplace. Tell him to take justice for workers a step farther and ensure collective bargaining rights for workers whose wages come from taxpayers.

President Obama has acted to protect U.S. workers. THANK him, and urge him to build on last week’s action with the Good Jobs Executive Order.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has long invested in the dignity of work and supported rights and protections for workers. Dating back to the 1952 General Assembly, the Presbyterian Church urged a “…greater emphasis upon free collective bargaining in labor- management relations,” and that Presbyterians “…participate more actively in management organizations and labor unions as an expression of Christian vocation….” This commitment has not changed in the present day. The 220^th General Assembly (2012) upheld its 1952 stance when it passed A Resolution on Workers’ Rights and Income Inequality that recognized “the PC(USA)’s historic support of collective bargaining rights regarding wages benefits, and unemployment.”

Federal Jobs Lead the Marketplace

Reverend J. Herbert Nelson Joins Workers and Faith Leaders in Demanding Better Jobs for Federal Workers

Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice; who makes his neighbors work for nothing, and does not give them their wages. 

-- Jeremiah 22:13

WASHINGTON -- The Reverend J. Herbert Nelson, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Director for Public Witness, this morning joined with workers and other leaders in the faith community, including Presbyterian minister Reverend Michael Livingston of Interfaith Worker Justice and Reverend Sèkinah Hamlin of the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative (formerly NCC Poverty Initiative), in an action of nonviolent civil disobedience to urge President Obama to improve jobs for millions of workers. Together, workers and faith leaders asked the President to sign a Good Jobs Executive Order that will ensure that the federal government only does business with companies that pay a living wage and provide good benefits, follow wage, hour, and safety laws, allow workers to bargain collectively, and limit overspending on CEO pay.

Of his commitment to get arrested as part of the nonviolent action, Rev. Nelson said, “In the church, we believe in the inherent dignity of work and that God has called each of us to a vocation. Workers have a right to be compensated for their work with a fair wage that provides a living. One of the best ways to improve jobs is to give workers the leverage to organize for better pay, working conditions, and benefits. We have allowed greed to perpetuate a class of working poor in this country, even though there is easily enough for everyone to have what we each need. Worker pay has stagnated while productivity and wealth have skyrocketed. This is our shared failure and it is a sin.”

Today’s action focuses on our shared conviction that God has provided enough for everyone. Rev. Nelson and other faith leaders, together with workers, surrounded a common table with shared bread for all. Clergy and workers then shared the bread among the crowd. Nelson concluded, “We believe God has provided enough, and workers’ wages and compensation should reflect that reality. We need executive action from the White House that will set a federal precedent in the marketplace to strengthen jobs, workers, and their families.  A job should keep you out of poverty, not trap you in it.”

This action follows up on the interreligious community’s successful campaign work with Good Jobs Nation that urged the President to sign an executive order requiring a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour for workers under new federal contracts. In February 2014, President Obama signed the $10.10 executive order, which is a good start to restoring the quality of jobs in the U.S., but it is only enough to bring a family of four just above the poverty line. Workers need living wages to support their families and the leverage to bargain collectively for fair pay and working conditions. With the stroke of a pen, the President can ensure that all federal contract workers receive fair and just compensation.

Of the action, the Rev. J. Herbert Nelson said, “In our capitalist society, payday is always a good day. There is a sense of pride in earning a living and having the means to build a better life. For those of us who take a paycheck for granted, let us be reminded and in solidarity with those persons who, after receiving their paychecks, still cannot meet their basic needs, including food, housing, health and child care, much less a family outing for dinner or a Friday-night movie. Let us not forget the father or mother in despair, because there is never enough to make ends meet, even after working multiple jobs or overtime.”

###

More information will be made available through the PC(USA) Office of Public Witness blog and Facebook page in the hours and weeks ahead.

The Reverend J. Herbert Nelson is the Director for Public Witness at the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness in Washington, DC.

Senate to Vote on Unemployment Insurance Extension TODAY!

The Senate will vote tonight (Monday) on final passage of the bill to restore unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless - finally! 

Please don't leave anything to chance:  tell your Senators to vote yes. And tell the House to take a vote.

Click here to send emails to your Senators and Representative.

As of April 5th, more than 2 million unemployed workers have lost jobless benefits because Congress hasn’t acted.
The Senate seems ready to help - you can make sure they do.
But House Speaker John Boehner is using every excuse he can think of to prevent UI from coming up for a vote.

Where things stand:
The Senate has taken all the procedural votes.  Now the vote on final passage in the Senate is scheduled for Monday, April 7, at about 5:30 p.m.  
But Speaker Boehner and his leadership team are preventing UI from being voted on in the House.  First they said it needed to be paid for.  It is paid for in the Senate bill.  Then they said the expiration has gone on for so long, it would be too hard to provide retroactive benefits.  But Jeff Frischmann, head of Nevada state unemployment insurance operations, says "We would stand ready and do it...We'll get through it, just like we have in thepast."

What to do:  click here to send emails to your Senators and Representative.
TODAY - Monday, April 7:  Contact your Senators and tell them to vote to restore Emergency Unemployment Compensation.
Contact your Rep. and tell him/her to urge Speaker John Boehner to bring up the Senate bill to restore Unemployment Compensation for a House vote ASAP. 

Background:
 The Senate has gotten through all the procedural votes; now comes the vote on final passage, which only requires a simple majority.  The Senate bill to restore Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) is a bipartisan agreement on a 5-month restoration of long-term unemployment benefits (the last resort after all other federal and state support has been exhausted). Those who were denied assistance after the program expired on December 28th will get retroactive help.  The bill is an important step forward, made possible because you and many thousands of constituents held their Senators accountable.  But it still needs the final vote.  So please send this email to your senators so they know you’re still paying attention, because jobless workers desperately need this help.

Your representative needs a different message.  Speaker Boehner has refused so far to bring a bill to the floor to restore unemployment insurance.  So every House member must be urged to tell the Speaker to bring the Senate bill to the floor and to vote for its passage.    

Each week since EUC was allowed to expire, another 72,000 workers and their families have been cut off.  As of April 5th, more than 2.3 million people have been denied assistance.  More than $5 billion in benefits have been lost to families and communities.  There are still not enough jobs and too many out of work for more than six months.