2012 Annual Report: Shaping Issues. Driving Change. Improving Lives.

Letter from the Executive Director

Friends,

Ask Americans to name their top national concerns and most say “jobs and the economy.” Things are improving, but finding good jobs that help workers provide for today and prepare for tomorrow remains a challenge. Yet too often these days, Washington seems stuck in a bad version of the movie Groundhog Day, mired in gridlock over long-term budget deficits, while ignoring the immediate jobs crisis and its current and future consequences.

At NELP, we’re cutting through the clatter and focusing on what really matters to workers: good jobs with livable wages that extend economic opportunity and security to all who want and need to work. That’s what we did in 2012—and that’s what we’re doing now, as we work to:

Protect unemployment benefits for millions seeking work. With long-term unemployment still record-high and job growth too limited for all who are looking, we led efforts to renew federal aid through 2013, defended against unprecedented attacks on state benefits, won new federal incentives for state work-sharing programs, and laid the groundwork to challenge egregious unemployment insurance cuts in some states.

Raise and strengthen the minimum wage. With stagnant wages curbing consumer demand, income inequality expanding, and jobs growing mostly at the low end of pay, we’re trying to restore a strong federal minimum wage—$10.10 per hour, and indexed—and helping allies in 10 state wage campaigns. Strengthening the minimum wage will boost the economy, build a solid wage floor at the bottom of the labor market, and benefit 30 million workers and their families.

Win comprehensive immigration reform. We know the only way to guarantee fair, healthy, and safe workplaces for any worker is to protect these rights for every worker. In expanding access to U visas for immigrant victims of workplace crimes and exposing employers’ use of immigration status to undermine workers’ rights, we’re helping to ensure inclusion of strong worker protections in immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship for millions.

Highlight the dual crises of slow job growth and declining wages. In reports like The Low-Wage Recovery and Growing Inequality and Slower Wage Growth, Declining Real Wages Undermine Recovery, we painted the landscape of today’s economy as workers view it; and with Getting Real: Time to Re- invest in the Public Employment Service, identified concrete policies to put America back to work.

Tackle unfair employment barriers. Our research detailing harsh impacts of refusals to consider job applicants with criminal records and remedial approaches to ease these effects helped inform new EEOC guidance strengthening job rights for people with records, while our work with grassroots partners secured introduction of several state bills banning hiring discrimination against the unemployed.

Rising poverty, falling wages, growing economic insecurity, and rampant workplace abuses are just some of the consequences of policies that put corporate profits ahead of workers’ well-being. It doesn’t have to be this way.

The pages that follow highlight NELP’s 2012 achievements, victories often won against many odds and requiring us and our allies to overcome many obstacles. And as the media excerpts throughout reflect, NELP’s work has influenced coverage of critical economic and workplace issues and helped inform public awareness and discourse on the economy. We’re proud of what we, with the loyalty and generosity of our partners, friends and supporters, were able to do for America’s workers last year. We thank you for your partnership, and look forward to our work together in tackling the challenges ahead.

In solidarity,

Christine L. Owens
Executive Director