Community and Faith Leaders Urge Speaker Jones and Leader Hummel to Focus on What’s Best for Missouri Families

Coalition members call on leaders to oppose anti-worker attacks, focus on policies that create economic dignity for all Missourians this session

Leaders from Missouri Faith Voices, Missouri Jobs With Justice and Communities Creating Opportunity (CCO) today called on Speaker Tim Jones and Minority Leader Jake Hummel to focus on the welfare of Missourians during the new legislative session.

Specifically, the leaders pointed to three policies that would affirm the dignity of all Missourians and build an economy that works for everyone: expanding Medicaid, increasing the minimum wage and fully funding our public schools. They also demand that Missouri’s political leaders put aside divisive attacks, like the American Legislative Exchange Council’s so-called ‘right to work’ proposals, that would hurt Missouri families and do nothing to create jobs.

“Missourians need their elected officials to focus on creating a just economic system, because an economic system that values profit more than the dignity and worth of people is unjust and unethical. No Missourian working full time should be living in poverty,” said Missouri Faith Voices’ Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, Pastor at Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal in Jefferson City.

“Missouri families need the legislature to focus on policies that support economic dignity for all people. So-called ‘right to work’ laws result in lower wages and income, higher on-the-jobs deaths, less investment in education, higher poverty and infant mortality rates, and less job-based health care coverage.  We’re calling on the leadership in the Capitol to reject so-called ‘right to work’ bills, and focus on policies that empowering vibrant and healthy communities like Medicaid expansion and increasing the minimum wage,” added The Rev. Dr. Martin Rafanan with Missouri Jobs with Justice.