President-elect Obama’s speech on his economic recovery plan demonstrated bold leadership and inspiring vision to create jobs and turn our economy around. For the past eight years, we have lacked this kind of leadership from our President. Now we are realizing the potential for economic revival with a President who puts the needs of working people first.

As monthly job reports continue to show a dramatic increase in unemployment, particularly in the construction industry, LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – called for an economic stimulus package that matches the size of our economic crisis. America needs a bold plan to create jobs because working people need paychecks.

Today President-elect Obama called for creating jobs by investing in “what works.” Americans need jobs and nothing is more effective at creating jobs than building America. There are thousands of important ready-to-go projects around the country that will put people back to work quickly if funded. America’s roads, bridges, waterways, healthcare systems and schools need building and there are endless opportunities to create a new generation of green jobs by investing in renewable energies.

President-elect Obama’s plan to put millions of people back to work building America is exactly the leadership we hoped for when he promised LIUNA members earlier this year that he would be the "build America President.”

We are also encouraged by President-elect Obama’s call for reform on Wall Street. From our perspective this means irresponsible companies who contributed to our economic crisis, such as mortgage lenders and corporate homebuilders, should be excluded from tax breaks and bailouts in the recovery plan.

President-elect Obama's vision for economic recovery has the full support of the working men and women who build America and the half-million members of LIUNA stand ready to fight to make sure his job creation plan succeeds, including utilizing LIUNA's nationwide training programs to help transition working people into these new jobs. With a "build America” President's leadership and vision, we will build America, so America works.

The members of LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – are on the forefront of the construction industry, a powerhouse of workers who are proud to build America.
To learn more about LIUNA’s Build America, so America Works - a long-term effort to make taking care of America’s basics a national priority - go to www.LiunaBuildsAmerica.org.

Contact: Jacob Hay, LIUNA at (202) 942-2285, (202) 445-4788 or jhay@liuna.org

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