Jobs With Justice PRESS RELEASE
Released: Friday, March 27, 2020
Contact: Jessica Felix Romero, Jobs With Justice, jessica@jwj.org, 202-393-1044 x104
Washington, DC – On Friday, Congress passed a $2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package that includes: emergency stimulus payment to certain individuals and households with children, expanded access to unemployment insurance and benefits, and $500 billion for businesses.
While the original iteration of this bill would have allowed corporate recipients to use this money however as they see fit, the version that passed includes key stipulations — including limitations on executive bonuses, stock buybacks, and dividend payments. The specific airline industry bailout was the only one designed to benefit the working people and requires that half of all money accepted must go directly to airline workers.
There are still gaps in this bill, particularly when it comes to paid leave, unemployment access for all, and the inclusion of working people in corporate decision–making bodies, but our communities need relief now, not later — which is why Jobs With Justice supports the passage of the stimulus.
“This bill is the necessary first step in securing real, immediate relief for working people, and not just bailouts for corporations. For instance, the specific guidelines for airline industry relief within this bill is a huge victory and can serve as a model for future industry bailouts and regulations. But make no mistake, it shouldn’t have taken a pandemic to finally do the right thing. We need permanent policy changes that give workers a lasting voice in their workplace and in our economy, so we can prevent economic disasters before they start,” said Jobs With Justice Executive Director Erica Smiley.
Last week, Jobs With Justice formed the #UnifiedAction COVID-19 Response Team to hold corporations accountable and lift up worker voices during this crisis. Workers are the ones paying for this stimulus with their tax dollars, they deserve a say on how it is used — and if Congress won’t force every corporate recipient to listen, Jobs With Justice will.
Follow the #UnifiedAction campaign on Twitter @jwjnational.
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Jobs With Justice is the country’s leading nonprofit in the fight against injustice in the workplace and systematic inequality. Comprising of over 200,000 members and local affiliates in nearly every state, Jobs With Justice brings together coalitions comprised of labor, community, student, and faith voices at the national and local levels to win improvements in people’s lives and shape the public discourse on workers’ rights and the economy.
