Work should keep Americans out of poverty. It should make it possible for you to live with dignity and respect, to have a comfortable place to live in a safe neighborhood, to see a doctor, to have a shot at education, to save a little money, to enjoy the opportunities of this great country. But that's out of reach for most people at $5.15 an hour. It is time that we do better by those in our workforce who make the least.1
That philosophy helped lead to the passage of an increase in the Federal Minimum Wage a month ago, and Barack Obama also fought for an increase in the state minimum wage while in Illinois. He continues to call for further increases, as the real value of these wages is still less than what it was 40 years ago.
In addition to the increase in wages, Barack Obama has advocated for increased entry into the workforce by the least in our society. While in the Illinois Senate, Obama sponsored bills that created job training and work programs for ex-felons. In the U.S. Senate, he sponsored a bill that would have provided incentives to employ individuals in struggling neighborhoods. Obama now calls for bills that would help disadvantaged youths, laid-off workers, and ex-criminals transition into the working world by targeting them for training programs and work projects that benefit their communities.
Raising Wages
In Illinois, Obama voted to raise the state minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.50 2. In the U.S. Senate, Obama sponsored bills that would raise the minimum wage and tie the wage to congressional pay3 4 5 6. He has also sponsored and cosponsored amendments that would keep corporations from taking advantage of migrant laborers and guest workers to depress wages7 8 9.
Building up the Workforce
Transitional jobs are a promising way to help chronically unemployed people break into the workplace. This approach places participants into temporary, subsidized wage-paying jobs. It also offers mentoring and social services designed to address the work-blocking problems like personal and family conflicts. Obama supports providing funding for both transitional jobs programs as well as bridge programs that partner the federal government with employers and community-based organizations to identify job opportunities, develop customized training programs, and place low-income employees in better jobs.10
Government could kick-start a transformation of circumstances for these men by working with private-sector contractors to hire and train ex-felons on projects that can benefit the community as a whole: insulating homes and offices to make them energy-efficient, perhaps, or laying the broadband lines needed to thrust entire communities into the Internet age. Such programs would cost money, of course—although, given the annual cost of incarcerating an inmate, any drop in recidivism would help the program pay for itself.11
Obama has worked to provide new job opportunities to ex-criminals12 and welfare recipients13 14. He states that as president he would sign these bills into law and create a Prison-to-Work incentive program to match the successful Welfare-to-Work program. Obama also has worked to increase general job-training programs15 16 and add incentives for the employment of individuals from impoverished areas17. As president, Barack Obama would create the 5-E (Energy Efficiency, Environmental Education and Employment) Disconnected Youth Service Corps, a program that would train and employ youth in targeted high-growth employment fields while also benefiting their communities 18.
Protecting Worker Rights
Barack Obama believes that workers should have the freedom to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers. Although an estimated 60 million Americans would join a union if given the opportunity, companies too often evade employment laws and deny workers the opportunity to organize and advocate for their rights. Obama is a cosponsor and strong advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act, a bipartisan effort to make the unionization process more transparent and increase penalties on companies that violate employee rights. He voted in favor of the legislation this year and will continue to fight for its passage. Obama also will fight to make the card check process more common and less difficult.19
Barack Obama has consistently fought for the right of workers to unionize. Besides supporting the Employee Free Choice Act, he has been involved with ACORN and has spoken on behalf of UNITE-HERE and Wake Up WalMart20 21. He also sponsored legislation in Illinois that protected workers' overtime pay from federal deregulation 22 and has successfully fought for better working conditions for miners and agricultural workers23 24 25 26.
[1] "Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007", Speech to Senate, Jan. 30, 2007.
[2] "A look at Obama's record in the Illinois Senate", Chicago Tribune, January 17, 2007.
[3] Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2005
[4] Tax Relief and Minimum Wage Act of 2006
[5] Standing with Minimum Wage Earners Act of 2006
[6] Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007
[7] To amend the temporary worker program
[8] Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2005
[9] AgJOBS Act of 2007
[10] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/fightingpoverty/, Issues: Fighting Poverty
[11] The Audacity of Hope, pages 258-259.
[12] SB2239, Ex-Offenders Employment
[13] PUB AID-WELFARE TO WORK
[14] DHS-TANF-JOB SKILLS TRAINING
[15] CHICAGO COLLEGES-JOB PROGRAM
[16] JOB-TRAINING EXP
[17] To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to alleviate poverty by encouraging the employment...
[18] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/fightingpoverty/, Issues: Fighting Poverty
[19] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/fightingpoverty/, Issues: Fighting Poverty
[20] "What Makes Obama Run?", Chicago Reader, Dec. 8, 1995.
[21] Project Vote Smart Biography.
[22] "A look at Obama's record in the Illinois Senate", Chicago Tribune, January 17, 2007.
[23] Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006
[24] MINER Act
[25] Senate Amendment 2728
[26] AgJOBS Act of 2007
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