A 2021 “Good Jobs for All” Virtual Town Hall
By SARIANNA SABBARESE
In a profoundly unjust and unequal society, people with the fewest resources are taxed for their poverty—both in economic and social terms.
The notion that individual accountability determines one’s lot in life obscures how an individual’s social and economic position is often restricted while it is preserved for others who possess wealth and access. To combat conventional wisdom, we must reflect honestly on the past.
Challenging all Americans to question if decent jobs or basic health care are unreasonable demands in the world’s wealthiest nation stands to shake the premises upon which capitalist bloat rests. The assumption that all Americans are entitled to rewarding work at livable wages could mean busting the myths upholding neoliberalism.
A Virtual “Jobs for All” Town Hall
On Sept. 29, from 6 to 8 p.m., the National Jobs for All Network (NJFAN) is hosting a virtual ‘Good Jobs for All” Town Hall to raise consciousness about policy that will reframe gainful employment as a federally-guaranteed human right—rather than a privilege held for the lucky few.
In his keynote presentation, National Jobs for All Network veteran Phil Harvey will explain in accessible terms why New Deal-style federal job-creation programs are so much more effective at advancing social and economic justice than those focused on stimulating job creation in the private sector—and why we should care about knowing the difference. Supporting speakers plan to share their thoughts and experiences about the intersections of the federal job guarantee and a range of other causes, such as health care, the peace movement, and environmental, racial, and immigration justice; with several live music performances by Frank Panzarella (aka the “Labor Movement Troubadour”) to add even more flavor to the night’s itinerary.
This town hall, which follows others in Memphis, Tenn., and Dayton, Ohio, is free to attend and open to all. Email ssabbarese@gmail.com, and visit us on Twitter at #GoodJobs4All!
Sarianna Sabbarese is a student at the Southern Connecticut State University’s graduate program, pursuing master’s degrees in social work and women’s and gender studies. She is a member of the NJFAN outreach committee and an organizer of the 2021 Good Jobs For All! Virtual Town Hall on Sept. 29.