Ned Lamont on Jobs

	Ned Lamont on Jobs Democratic Challenger

Our high-skill jobs are being sent overseas

Connecticut has lost 75,000 manufacturing jobs in the last six years, many replaced by retail and service jobs which pay less and have reduced healthcare and pension benefits. Today, the middle class is getting squeezed and most people living in poverty or near poverty are employed but not earning enough to get by. Many of our high-skill jobs are being sent overseas, drawn by low wages and no benefits. Source: 2006 Senate campaign website, nedlamont.com, "issues" , Apr 23, 2006

Invest in infrastructure to create local jobs

LIEBERMAN: Ned's come out against trade now. He was always for it before. Connecticut benefits from trade. Not everybody does, some people suffer, and we need to help them with trade adjustment assistance. But we do $9 billion worth of exporting from Connecticut every year. That creates hundreds of thousands of jobs. One quarter of the manufacturing jobs in Connecticut depend on exports. If he thinks he can put a bubble over the US and stop all of that and make more jobs in Connecticut, he's wrong.

LAMONT: Senator, we just keep exporting jobs. Over the last 18 years, we have lost 40% of our manufacturing jobs and a lot of our defense-related jobs. Going forward, [we should] invest in infrastructure. That's public transportation. That's freight. That's ports. These are all things necessary to be able to build a base upon which small businesses can grow. We have been losing good-paying jobs in the state, and if Ned Lamont is a US senator, we can turn that around with a long-term strategy.

Source: 2006 Connecticut Democratic Senate Primary debate , Jul 6, 2006

Better training and support for workers: STEM and vo-tech

We must bring our workforce into the 21st century, starting with STEM and coding in K-12, and access to higher education, vo-tech and apprenticeships. That also means bringing the workplace into the 21st century, including paid family leave to make sure that parents don't have to choose between the child they love and the job they need. It also means a $15 minimum wage, responsibly and over time, so parents can afford to provide for their children without working three jobs. Source: 2019 State of the State address to Connecticut legislature , Jan 9, 2019

On way to $15 minimum wage, indexed for inflation

We promised three years ago that to attract a 21st century workforce, we needed a 21st century workplace that better meets the needs of the modern family. I always believed that working families deserved a raise. After two years of Covid I believe we all have a better appreciation of how essential our essential workers are. Connecticut is well on its way to a $15 minimum wage, which will continue to grow with inflation, plus an additional tax cut for working families worth up to $1,200 a year. Source: 2022 State of the State Address to Connecticut legislature , Feb 9, 2022

Medical leave & expanded childcare helps working people

We have 100,000 jobs going begging in our state. Why is that? A smaller share of our working age population is working. Many of these unfilled jobs require extra training. So, what are we doing about that? We're making it easier for people to get back to work. A workplace that meets the needs of a young family ? paid family and medical leave, expanded childcare, and paid sick days. These initiatives help young families to get back to work and stay at work. Source: 2023 State of the State Address to Connecticut legislature , Jan 4, 2023