We demand: Jobs for All #occupywallstreet

A working group on Demands met last night to consider amendments, alterations, and a preamble to the demand of jobs for all that will be presented to the GA on Sunday night. Here is a draft of the demand. Over the next few days, we are hoping to generate discussion and support for it. It's not perfect, but it has been holding up under a lot of questioning and criticism. It's also not singular--there will be more demands. 

Jobs for all

“Power concedes nothing without a demand.  It never did and it never will.—Frederick Douglass

We retain the right to make multiple and/or continuous demands of ourselves, our society, and our government, as there are numerous and varied problems to be addressed by our peoples' movement.  We reject the insinuation of connecting these demands to an endorsement of any one political party.  Demands are only one integral part of an already successful movement.

Many of us wish to effect a dramatic transformation of our society and economy, in order that the 99% can control their workplaces, local communities, job creation, and the global economy and environment.  This is offered to that GA as an initial, transitional demand, in the hope that others will follow, and to help us build alliances with workers, the homeless, the unemployed and the undocumented.  We expect that as the movement grows we will make new demands on our society, our government, and our selves.  Our movement is just beginning.  The demands we make and will make are just one of the ways we will take collective control over our common world and common future.

We demand a massive, democratically controlled public works and public service program, with direct government employment, to create 25 million new jobs at good union wages.  This is to be paid for by new taxes on the wealth and income of the rich, financial transactions, reinstatement of the Glass-Steagall Act, and corporate profits - as well as by ending all U.S. wars, disbanding mercenaries, ending aid to authoritarian regimes, and closing military bases.  The new jobs will aim to radically expand access to education, healthcare, housing, mass transit, and clean energy – and are to be open to all, regardless of immigration status or criminal record.

Comments

[Marvin Gonzalez]

When I read Zizek write "The art of politics is also to insist on a particular demand that, while thoroughly "realist", disturbs the very core of the hegemonic ideology: ie one that, while definitely feasible and legitimate, is de facto impossible." A demand similar to the one proposed here is what i immediately thought of. One of the most important want workers is by a steady flow of umemployment and therefor labour power. Great job!

[Douglas Lain]

Zizek also speaks of impossible demands that are only made with the tacit understanding that the demands will not be met. It is difficult to know precisely what kind of demand this is exactly.

[Alain]

I think most of these demands are of the type that Marvin suggests - feasible but impossible under the current political coordinates. Where these demands will lose vast numbers of working class people is regarding jobs for the undocumented - this is one of the fissures that reactive forces have exploited repeatedly. That doesn't mean OWS shouldn't demand this but it just points to the challenges a broad based movement faces even during an economic catastrophe.

[Joepdx]

Not that I haven't seen you advocate for it before, but jobs for all should involve some basic income program, because the plethora of work people could be doing is excluded by keeping work attached to wages.

[Matthew Black]

I really like this. I think one point which bears more emphasis, along the lines of suggestions about basic income, is the primary role of education, social reproduction, and the definition of work. I think when a lot of people consider massive federal reinvestment, they imagine pouring concrete and building bridges--which is also important, but in the area I live, there's less need for infrastructure and more need for household stability, educational credentials, and 'spare time.' Not closing these definitions off by making them strictly vocational, but more radically, insisting that working-class immigrants, especially women, have a right to a college-level education for free, could be one approach.

[Nam Seylon]

The Event: http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10100373720832278&set=p.10100373720832278&type=1&theater