Organizers of San Diego’s MoveOn are planning on holding a “Rally for the Jobless” on Labor Day, September 5th.
Scheduled for noon on Labor Day at Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego, the event will continue to highlight the employment crisis in America, and it is hoped will continue to place pressure on Congress and the White House. The national, state-wide, and San Diego County unemployment rates just increased.
“The politicians in Washington talk about jobs,” Frank Gormlie, an organizer for the rally said, “but no one is doing anything about them. That’s why we’re doing this.”
Patty Jones, another organizer, said:
“It would be wonderful if hundreds of unemployed people showed up. Can you imagine?”
Gormlie and Jones also work for this website.
“Jobs not cuts” is the theme for MoveOn and the huge national coalition it’s in, the Rebuild the American Dream movement, led by Van Jones. The plan for the event is to show a presence of the jobless in downtown San Diego on the day set aside for labor. Also, if grocery workers are on strike locally by then, it will be a venue for their supporters.
Tentative speakers have been scheduled, and they include Congressional rep and mayor candidate Bob Filner, Lorena Gonzales, head of the Labor Council, Lori Saldana who is running for Congress against Brian Bilbray, and Floyd Morrow, recent mayoral candidate and long-time San Diego activist.
For more information, contact the OB Rag – obragblog@gmail.com.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
your rally speakers look to be a bunch of old white guys and a couple of young chicana chicks.
Except for the word “chicks” – what’s the problem?
I think I’m the only unemployed speaker on the list.
I know that Lori looks great but I don’t think she would think of herself as “young” as in a 20 or 30-something.
In terms of speakers committing, I spoke with Bob Filner and Floyd Morrow on Aug 15th and they both said they would speak. Lori Saldana confirmed this afternoon, as did Gregg Robinson. So, half of our speakers have confirmed.
Update on the speakers: Lorena Gonzalez told me today she will speak – unless there’s something going on due to a potential grocery workers strike. Also Floyd Morrow told me he’d be proud to speak on labor day.