Watch Live — Start time 10:00 A.M. P.T. — 1:00 P.M. E.T.
SPEAKERS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
Forum start time: 10:00 a.m. PT/1:00 p.m. ET
Mary Kay Henry, International President, SEIU
Neera Tanden, President and CEO, Center for American Progress Action Fund
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX)
Break: 12:00 p.m. PT/3:00 p.m. ET to 1:00 p.m. PT/4:00 p.m. ET
Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro
Former Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
With an eye towards how we unrig our economy to ensure higher wages, economic security, and opportunity for all working people, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Center for American Progress Action Fund will jointly convene a day-long “National Forum on Wages and Working People: Creating an Economy that Works for All” in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 27. This forum will provide an opportunity for thought leaders to go beyond talking points and share concrete plans to re-balance our economy and democracy.
Today we will hear from Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, Julián Castro, John Hickenlooper, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Six of the 21 running. Wow 21. Do you think anyone else is going to join the field? I couldn’t remember half of those who are running, I had to look them up for the poll. Oh my!
We must close the gender wage gap and raise wages to improve living standards for all working people. Low-wage jobs are disproportionately held by women. Women are the primary beneficiaries of an agenda to raise wages for low- and moderate-wage workers. Raising the minimum wage particularly benefits women. Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2024 would lift pay for nearly 40 million workers.
New technologies mean workers will have to acquire skills to compete in a new job market. Early education, development of new skills, concentration on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, and lifelong learning will all be key components as we prepare people for new types of employment. We need to make access to education and training seamless and affordable, for those at the beginning of their careers and those who have long been part of the workforce.
“When We All Vote, We Determine Our Future”