MENDOCINO Co., 5/1/19 — May Day has long been celebrated as a day to honor workers around the world, with parties and marches often highlighting the importance of labor unions, immigrants, and the working class in building our economy. The holiday was first established in the United States in recognition of the Haymarket Affair.
Today, Governor Newsom issued an executive order which will create a “Future of Work” commission in California, focusing on preparing Californian workers for a changing economy in the years ahead. The order expressly outlines that the commission will address increasing economic and income inequality, the need for a modernized social safety net, a future with increasing automation and emerging technologies, and the development of “the nation’s largest adult training program” as some of its goals. The full executive order can be read here.
The Mendocino Voice is a worker owned news service, which we founded in part based on our experiences working for minimum wage at other local media outlets owned by distant hedge funds. Not only do we believe reporters deserve to be paid a living wage, but since we are owned by local workers, our money stays in the community.
Here’s the full press release from Newsom’s office:
On International Workers’ Day, Governor Newsom Celebrates Dignity of Work
After working alongside facility staff at American River College, Governor Newsom signs executive order creating Future of Work Commission
SACRAMENTO – On International Workers’ Day, Governor Gavin Newsom spent the morning worked alongside custodian Maria Arambula and groundskeeper Brenda Baker at American River College. He talked about the sense of purpose and meaning that work often creates within people.
“There’s no yearning more central to the human experience than finding purpose,” said Governor Newsom. “For so many Californians, having a job is about more than just getting a paycheck – it’s about belonging. It’s about understanding that you fit into a broader picture and that you provide value to others. As California builds the economy of tomorrow, we must prioritize our workers and strengthen pathways for Californians to find meaning through work.”
At the event, the Governor also today signed an executive order establishing a Future of Work Commission to help prepare our state’s workforce and state government for changes in the economy.
The order can be read here.
The Future of Work Commission will be tasked with getting underneath the hood of our state’s economy to understand and forecast how technological and economic developments will impact workers, workforce needs, regional economies and industries within our state’s economy. The Commission will be tasked with making recommendations to help California leaders think through how to create inclusive, long-term economic growth and ensure workers and their families share in that success. The Commission will work to develop a comprehensive statewide strategy to lift up and upskill workers, to improve job quality, to ensure technological advancements create jobs and to reform our institutions to allow more people to find dignity in work.
Today’s announcement comes on May 1st or May Day, which is recognized as International Workers’ Day in commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago.
