Groundwork’s Director of Policy and Research Mike Mitchell Previews January Jobs Report

Ahead of tomorrow’s Jobs Report, Mike Mitchell, director of policy and research at Groundwork Collaborative, released the following statement:

“Tomorrow’s jobs numbers will highlight the need to focus on Black workers, and especially Black women. Amid the Omicron surge, school and day care closures, and the expiration of the Child Tax Credit, women and workers of color are barely hanging on by a thread.

“Pulling back on investments and returning to the pre-pandemic status quo isn’t an option. We cannot ensure a robust recovery and a resilient economy unless we make public investments to address pervasive economic inequality in our labor market.”

To speak to Mike about what to expect from the January jobs numbers, email press@groundworkcollaborative.org.

Background

• Public health is inextricable from the overall health of our economy. The emergence of the Omicron variant threatens job gains and disproportionately affects workers of color and low-income workers.
• We continue to have an economy that leaves Black people – especially Black women – behind. Even as our economy recovers and overall unemployment ticks down, Black and Latinx communities still face disproportionately high unemployment rates.

• Real economic strength and security only happen when we focus on the needs of the workers and communities who keep our economy going. Pushing for higher wages and sustainable, secure jobs through unions, especially for the lowest-wage workers and in critical links of our supply chains, goes hand-in-hand with addressing rising costs of living.

• Policymakers have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient economy. Lawmakers must push for additional public investments to ensure safer working conditions, guarantee paid leave, extend the Child Tax Credit, and rebuild our supply chains – all while reining in corporate profiteering and making wealthy CEOs and shareholders pay their fair share.

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Groundwork Collaborative: The Groundwork Collaborative’s mission is to advance an economic vision for strong, broadly shared prosperity and true opportunity for all.