Burger Statement on White House Task Force on Working Families
Change to Win chair
creation of a White House Task Force on Working Families.
“Change to Win welcomes the creation of the White House Task Force on
Working Families and looks forward to working with Vice President-Elect Joe
Biden who has proven time and again his leadership and commitment to workers’
issues. Today’s announcement shows that President-elect Obama is committed to
middle class families and change truly is coming to
finally have an administration that is willing and eager to take action to
address their needs.
“Hardworking men and women are struggling to make ends meet because of
stagnant wages and declining family incomes. Personal consumption is the
largest component of the U.S. economy and workers’ wages are the largest
single source of consumer spending. Without action to stimulate wage
increases, consumption will continue to falter, and the economy will slip
deeper into recession. The White House Task Force on Working Families is a
vital first step toward restoring our economy and making government work for
working people again.
“We are hopeful that the task force will consider how the federal
government can use its powers as a regulator and purchaser to raise job
standards, protect workers’ rights, and hold corporations accountable. Federal
contracts and grants directly support 10.5 million private-sector jobs, while
private employers in receipt of these funds employ an additional 20 million
workers. Government spending has an impact on the employment standards of one
in five U.S. workers. Moreover, U.S. government regulatory and enforcement
actions also have a profound effect on workers’ lives – from occupational
safety and health, to air quality, and transportation policy.
“The seven unions of Change to Win look forward to working with the Task
Force on Working Families in the New Year to help restore our economy, rebuild
the middle class and renew the American Dream for America’s workers.”
About Change to Win
Seven unions and six million workers united in Change to Win to build a
new movement of working people equipped to meet the challenges of the global
economy and restore the American Dream in the 21st century: a paycheck that
can support a family, affordable health care, a secure retirement and dignity
on the job. The seven partner unions are: International Brotherhood of
Teamsters, Laborers’ International Union of
International Union, UNITE HERE, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners
of America, United Farm Workers of America, and United Food and Commercial
Workers International Union.
SOURCE Change to Win