UNIVERSAL JOBS GUARANTEE: 21st century full employment
In this episode:
What if government promised a job to anyone who needed one at any time? That’s the principle behind an idea gaining traction in the US: the universal jobs guarantee. Economic historian Lord Robert Skidelsky explains how governments have approached full employment in the past and why a jobs guarantee is now the best way to achieve it. Then US expert Pavlina Tcherneva talks about how the policy could work in practice.
And we talk to period poverty activist Amika George. Amika tells us about setting up the Free Periods campaign, how they achieved a shift in government policy, and where it goes next.
Guests
Pavlina Tcherneva (@ptcherneva), associate professor of economics at Bard College in New York
Lord Skidelsky (@RSkidelsky), emeritus professor of political economy at Warwick University and crossbench peer
Amika George (@AmikaGeorge), founder of the Free Periods campaign
More info
Jobs guarantee
Lord Skidelsky: The Case for a Guaranteed Job (Aug 2019)
Lord Skidelsky: How to achieve shorter working hours – report for Labour (2019)
Pavlina Tcherneva: The Job Guarantee: Design, Jobs, and Implementation (Apr 2018)
Vox: Why politicians should promise every American a job (Apr 2018)
Free Periods
BBC: Periods: Can women sharing stories break down taboos? (Oct 2019)
The Guardian: Hammond to promise funds to end period poverty in English schools (Mar 2019)