ONE NATION WORKING TOGETHER UNITES AMERICANS FOR JOBS, JUSTICE AND EDUCATION FOR ALL

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Heeding a call to Put America Back to Work and Pull America Back Together, tens of thousands of people across America have united as One Nation Working Together for jobs, justice and education. One Nation Working Together is a fast-growing movement of people of diverse backgrounds, hues and faiths demanding an American economy that works for all of us.

"We are facing unprecedented economic and social challenges in this country," says George Gresham, president of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East (Service Employees International Union), a One Nation Working Together partner. "Unemployment and recession, struggling public school systems, and recent attempts to take away basic civil and human rights compel us to come together and act," he adds, "by demanding one million new jobs now."

"It is time we put aside our differences and focus on moving forward together, refocusing our country’s priorities on what is truly important – renewed and stepped up investments in our people."

According to Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP, also a One Nation Working Together partner, this movement represents the mosaic of ideas, ideals and backgrounds that is America. Jealous explains: "We are coming together - people of all faiths, nationalities, and races to demand that everyone have the opportunity to work at a good job, that every child be able to go to a great school, and that justice for all be a reality not just a promise.  Our movement strives to make real the promise of America for everyone.   On October 2nd, our voice for progress and hope will be raised in a clarion call.  Our vision of unity and progress represents the true majority of Americans. It will ultimately prevail over those seeking to divide us and turn the clock back." 

"While we look to our leadership in Congress, state houses and in town halls," adds Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, "we also are adding our names to the list of people responsible – and accountable – for national priorities that choose jobs over military actions abroad, and building schools instead of bailing out failing financial institutions."

On Saturday, October 2, tens of thousands of One Nation Working Together supporters will lift the true majority voice during a One Nation Working Together march at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. We know that when we speak as a united voice and work together for our common purposes we will be successful in demanding a Plan for a New Economy That Works for All of Us. This plan includes one million new jobs immediately including green jobs, extended unemployment support, paid sick days and family leave for all workers, fixing the broken immigration system, extending civil and human rights protections to all, ending racial profiling, curbing re-segregation attempts, completing the promise of health care reform with the public option, and ensuring that all people have access to affordable, high quality public education from pre-school through college.

From Saturday, August 28 and continuing through September, local ONWT coalitions from Boston to the Bay Area will kick off One Nation Working Together mobilization efforts with rallies and marches, job fairs, affordable housing summits, organizing meetings, education forums, community and town hall meetings, parades, festivals, prayer breakfasts, voter registration drives, tailgate parties, news conferences, social media blitzes and more. The purpose: to mobilize people ready to change America’s future, and to garner a record-breaking crowd for the One Nation Working Together national march for jobs, justice and education on October 2 in Washington.

Such local launches reinforce the depth and breadth of the One Nation Working Together appeal. Americans are joining, from rural towns to urban centers, united by what we have in common: a belief that every person deserves to live the American Dream; a secure job that will support a family, a safe home and excellent quality public education. Green For All CEO Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, an ONWT organizational partner: "The One Nation March is a critical moment in American history. Now is the time that the progressive power in this country prove that we are the movement of faith. We are the movement fighting to protect the most vulnerable Americans from those who want to exploit us and lock us out of the American dream."

"With the 10-2-10 march, we are serving notice to Congress," says Jealous. "We will march on October 2 and we will march again on November 2 into the voting booths." "We need and expect decisive leadership to overcome this country’s urgent challenges. We in One Nation Working Together are ready to do our part."

To read the One Nation Working Together Call to Action, to sign a One Nation Working Together pledge or to register for the 10-2-10 march visit: www.onenationworkingtogether.org

What ONWT Supporters are Saying:

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, an ONWT organizational partner:

"With tens of millions of people stuck in a jobless quagmire and a slow economy, the time for action is now," said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. "This great country can do better. As one nation, working together, we can build an economy that truly works for all. And we will."

SEIU President Mary Kay Henry, an ONWT organizational partner:

"One Nation is about putting America back to work and pulling America back together," said SEIU President Mary Kay Henry. "It's time to unite our collective strength to lead our country back to economic prosperity and send a clear message that we will not be divided. We will not back down until all workers have the freedom to unite to form unions and rebuild the middle class. And we will not back down until we build a fair, humane and just immigration system that protects hard working immigrants from exploitation and meets the economic needs of our future."