Jimmy Carter on Jobs President of the U.S., 1977-1981

1978 Civil Service Reform Act limited collective bargaining

US minimum wage $5.15, while England $9.20 & Germany $12.74

Assuming 50 weeks at 40 hours/week, this sets the US minimum annual income at $10,300, below the poverty level, for tens of millions of Americans who have full-time jobs. The official poverty line in 2004 for a father or mother with one child was $12,400 in the continental US.

Never accept a permanent group of unemployed Americans

With the support of the American people, government in recent decades has helped to dismantle racial barriers, has provided assistance for the jobless and the retired, has fed the hungry, has protected the safety, health, and bargaining rights of American workers, and has helped to preserve our natural heritage.

We remain committed to improving our labor laws to better protect the rights of American workers. And our Nation must make it clear that the legal rights of women as citizens are guaranteed under the laws of our land by ratifying the equal rights amendment.

Voluntary price restraints to put our people back to work

FORD: Not at all. If you look at the projections, it shows that we will reduce unemployment, that we will continue to win the battle against inflation and, at the same time, give the kind of quality of life that I believe is possible in America: a job, a home for all those that will work and save for it, safety in the streets, health care that is affordable.

CARTER: In a Carter administration, the sacrifices would be much less. Mr. Ford's own administration has projected a 10% unemployment rate by 1978 if he is President. The major effort that we must put forward is to put our people back to work. I think we could call together--with strong leadership in the White House--business, industry, and labor, and say, let's have voluntary price restraints, let's lay down some guidelines so we don't have continuing inflation