Jean Cohen, Local 393’s former political and communications director, was tapped to be the new executive officer of the South Bay Labor Council. Following are some of her thoughts on her new role.

“Right now is a transformational moment for the South Bay Labor Council and the labor movement. The pandemic has shifted perceptions, and the public is aligned with workers more than it has ever been since World War II. We can harness that empathy to pass policies that improve working conditions and the standard of living.

“Working people are facing four overlapping issue areas that create organizing opportunities:

1. The economic impacts of the pandemic and how to create a just recovery with good-paying jobs – not just low-wage, gig-economy jobs;
2. The rise of automation and ensuring that today’s workforce is trained and has a seat at the table in regulating the future of work;
3. The lack of affordable housing and the need to find immediate solutions as part of workers’ basic need to be able to live where they work;
4. The intersection of race and class with ongoing worker struggles and bringing curiosity and openness to discussing these issues.

“The South Bay Labor Council is building upon 50 years of championing causes for working families, and I enter this job following in the footsteps of transformative leaders who have won cutting edge policies that lift all working people in Silicon Valley. 

“We need to continue to shift the imbalance of capital and power between employers and the working people who make them successful. We are always going to have fewer resources , so we must out-organize them by using the weight and influence of our collective action. 

“We can build on our successful history, grow our movement, and lift our communities. Only by coming together can we address the struggles and injustices faced by workers. And through organizing, we can win, change workplaces, and change people’s lives.”