Jobs are a fundamental right for all

By Marylou Cabral

Full employment - decent jobs for all is a demand of the Marylou Cabral campaign. Unemployment in Los Angeles County is increasing as the economy declines. A comprehensive response to this crisis can be implemented by putting people's needs before the profit motive.

The highway and bridge infrastructure in the United States is in serious need of repair, More than 155,000 U.S. bridges need to be restored or reconstructed, including many bridges in the South Bay and Los Angeles County. The creation of hundreds of thousands of permanent, full-time union jobs could restore the infrastructure. The local bus, subway and rail system must be expanded to greatly reduce dependence on cars and to reduce global warming.

Jobs must be created to give the hundreds of thousands of seniors in Los Angeles county the special, individual care they deserve. They could live healthier, more independent lives with the help of home care workers. Day care programs to fulfill the social and personal needs of seniors can help enrich their lives and the lives of their families.

We call for the hiring of hundreds of thousands more teachers and tutors for students who need a boost in learning. Classroom sizes should be reduced and public education should be improved at all grade levels. Community arts and cultural programs should be expanded.

Providing free, quality healthcare for all people in Los Angeles County also would provide many more jobs.

We call for the creation of quality substance abuse programs with guaranteed disability or other income for people receiving treatment. Social service aftercare will contribute enormously to affected communities and society as a whole, reducing crime as well.

The Cabral campaign believes that everyone is entitled to a job. A job should be a constitutional right. Youth training and hiring programs, along with apprenticeship programs and job placement for adults of all ages can fill the employment for the projects above and more.