Statement on precarious work at the Good Jobs Summit

After cancelling my trip, I sent this statement to be read at the Good Jobs Summit, in the session on new models of organizing.

Sorry for not being able to join you. My son was admitted to hospital on Thursday and it has forced me to cancel my travel plans.

I write this because I think it's the perfect example of the trouble with precarious, especially freelance work. When a child is sick, the world stops.

For folks with a "good job," the world can stop. You don't lose your pay. You don't risk being fired. You can sit in the children's ward of the hospital, respond to emails and know that, whenever he's better, your job will be waiting.