United Professionals

From am e-mail I got today:

While Iraq dominates the headlines, the other issue that Americans are grappling with as they head to the polls this fall is the economic uncertainty that affects all American workers. While the numbers on the economy look good, most American workers haven't participated in the economic growth of the past 5 years and rightfully feel that their income and, more importantly, their security, are eroding away. Today's New York Times features an article on the launch of a new advocacy group called United Professionals. Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel and Dimed and Bait and Switch, founded United Professionals with seed money from the Service Employees International Union to lobby Congress and push for issues like universal health care coverage and severance for all laid off workers. It has become customary, in our "knowledge based economy" to lay the burden of unemployment at the individual's feet. Workers must learn new skills, go back to school, etc. to maintain employment. What Barbara Ehrenreich and United Professionals are calling for is that our government and corporations make this reeducation possible and that people not see basic needs like healthcare tied to something as tenuous as employment. Barbara covers these issues each week in her blog and will be speaking around the country about them throughout the fall. I hope you agree that United Professionals is a worthwhile endeavor and that you will help spread the word about it to readers of your blog or publication.