The AFL-CIO and its affiliated unions will be mounting a nationwide grass roots campaign and working with interested parties in business, government, the environmental movement and academia to promote investment in jobs and job training..
“We at the AFL-CIO believe that together, with our partners in business and government, we can profitably invest significant resources to make America more competitive and energy-efficient,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. “The AFL-CIO and our 55 member unions and 12 million members are in the business of solving America’s problems. Here’s one place where we can help, and that’s what we intend to do, starting right now.”
With the unemployment rate stuck at unacceptably high levels, the federation believes that the only way to create new jobs is to invest in large-scale projects that will create jobs for middle-class working families. At a minimum, the federation believes the government should set aside $10 billion. The projects should be designed to promote green jobs for the future and to make America more energy independent and competitive.