A New Workers' Manifesto

by Leo Hindery, Jr.:

"I believe in the American worker, and I believe in keeping manufacturing jobs here in this country. I believe that our workers and our businesses can compete with any worker and any company anywhere in the world, as long as we have a government that will stand up and demand a level playing field for all."

• An abiding commitment to fair wages, including an increase in the minimum wage, and to benefits for the long-term unemployed.
• Comprehensive labor law reform that will make it easier to: enforce labor standards; rule in favor of workers when management is not negotiating in good faith or is engaging in unfair labor practices; and, through the provisions of a new "Employee Free Choice Act", join the organized labor movement.
• Preservation, without compromise, of Social Security and Medicare, and protection of pension benefits.
• Elimination of the "trickle down" tax policies that since 1980 have been rewarding the extremely wealthy at the expense of 90% of America's workers.
• An abiding commitment to a "National Industrial and Manufacturing Policy" with the medium-term objective of near tripling the percent of workers in the manufacturing sector (from the dismal 9% level it is today).
• Trade policies and agreements that put American workers first and provide clear and measurable benefits for American workers.

Workers in America -- organized and non-organized -- should not have their wages and benefits attacked, their Social Security benefits and retirement savings put at risk, or their jobs taken away by unfair globalization and trade agreements.