Jobs & the Economy
We need an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.
The cost of living is going up, schools are underfunded, and health care costs are out of control.
Our coalition supports:
- Creating thousands of good-paying jobs in the health care industry. Medicaid expansion will grow our economy by $4 billion dollars and create over 37,000 new jobs by 2022.
- Stoping corporate handouts. Raleigh politicians like Joyce Krawiec put their wealthy contributors first. Joyce Krawiec raked in thousands in contributions from Duke Energy’s PAC, but voted to leave North Carolinians with the bill for Duke’s $8 billion toxic coal ash spill.
- Investing in education and job training programs. Our teachers are working two or more jobs just to make ends meet – all while spending roughly $500 out of pocket to make sure their students have classroom supplies. While Joyce Krawiec brags about raising teacher pay, teachers have said that her $350 bonus before taxes is not enough, and Governor Cooper described the pay raise as inadequate.
- Supporting small business. North Carolina needs to prioritize small businesses over big corporations. After COVID-19 hit, small businesses and their employees took a hit. We will fight to make sure that small businesses can afford to stay open by expanding programs like Governor Cooper’s Job Retention Grant Program. This program is designed to help employers keep employees on the payroll. We will also work to make sure small businesses have equal access to the working capital needed to fund their operations.
- Restoring unemployment benefits. In 2013, North Carolina Republicans cut unemployment benefits to some of the lowest in the nation. With millions out of work and with small businesses closing down, we need to restore unemployment benefits and make sure that North Carolinians receive the support they need to find a new, good paying job.
- Lifting up every community. To tackle poverty, we must create jobs that pay a fair wage, address structural inequality and inequity, raise the minimum wage, and invest in affordable housing.
