I don’t know about you guys, but I am sick and tired of living below the poverty line. I am tired of functioning in an economy that thrives while the bulk of the people in the economy lives below the livable wage mark. A large percentage of the population currently lives without any healthcare, wage equality, workers' rights, or any form of job security. I think it’s time for us to act.
In the past, we have seen unions put together strikes to force businesses individually to negotiate tables. These unions often include skilled labor, some trade, or some other signifier that binds that group together. What if the simple fact that you live below the livable wage mark in your area was enough? What if we could unite in solidarity around the fact that we are treated like financial slaves?
What I am proposing is a one-day mass walkout. Everyone who is currently making less than $25 an hour is below the living wage average for the United States of America. On August 9, anyone making below that amount should call out of work that day or show up for work and leave. We need to make a statement that will shake the foundations of our economy. That foundation has been built on our backs, and if we are no longer standing there holding the weight of this country, those above us will scramble to pick up the pieces while realizing just how important we are.
What I want is simple: I want each of us to be able to afford our necessities without fear of falling into an unrecoverable financial pit from things like medical emergencies. I want each of us to afford to feed ourselves, clothe ourselves, and have a safe roof over our heads. I want all of us to be able to stand up proudly against the tyranny forced upon us by those oligarchs who currently hold our government in a stranglehold.
Is anyone with me? Or am I screaming into the void? It's ok if I am; I just thought maybe here I could find solidarity…