Jobs are People

We should not be protecting jobs. We should be protecting the American Worker, or some other personified construct.

A job is a thing, and it is not even a really good thing, otherwise it would be a career.

By using the term 'job' we don't do the American people justice. We are more than just jobs. When we lose 30,000 jobs, there are probably 100,000 American's whose life and livelyhood are threatened. There is a community that is decimated. Job loss is more than just dollars and sense, more than just numbers; job loss is lost opportunity for Americans. Each job is a person, and losing that job hurts that person and their families.

Here is an impersonal story from the 'liberal' BBC from 2004:BBC NEWS - Thousands protest at GM job cuts

Workers at GM plants in Britain - where 400 jobs are to be cut - were also expected to suspend operations briefly.

GM has started negotiating with unions over the job cuts.

And here is something a bit more personal:
GM layoffs hit NE Ohio

Even though the people in Ohio were only temporarily hit, it seemed like a stronger story from an emotional standpoint.

Here is Amy goodman on jobs and GM:
Democracy Now! | Ford and GM Devastate Workers by Slashing Jobs and Closing Plants:

"Over the past five years, the Big Three American automakers, Chrysler, GM and Ford, have cut 140,000 jobs. Just last November, GM said it would slash 30,000 jobs and close up to 12 factories. And more cuts at GM might be coming. General Motors reported a loss of $8.6 billion in 2005, its largest since 1992.

Ford's jobs cuts are part of what it calls a "restructuring" plan to reverse a $1.6 billion loss in its home market last year. But Ford actually announced an overall profit of $2 billion for 2005. The cuts make up 20 percent of Ford's North American work force."

That was the intro to the piece. Damn, we can do better than that, no? She sounds like Alan Greenspan; jobs...North American Workforce...30,000... yawn...

We need to lead with the emotive things, these jobs are now families without healthcare. These jobs are now homeless families. These jobs are now debtors with no protection.

Jobs are People, Jobs are Families, Jobs are Opportunity.

GM didn't cut jobs, GM Fired people.

GM didn't reduce their North American workforce, they reduced opportunity for Americans.

GM didn't restructure their workforce, GM added 30,000 American families to the ranks of the uninsured.

GM didn't close a plant, GM abandoned this community

Jobs are People.