Remarks made by National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka at the Save Our Jobs/Save Our Communities Rally Held at the Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida:

I want to say Thank You to everyone in this community who has worked so hard to make the Miracle of Titusville a reality - the women and men of our Union Movement, leaders from Labor, government, business, education, politics, the community - all working unselfishly together for 40 years to make this a great place to live and work and keep America in first place in the space race. 

When you take over first place and stay there, you usually win.  Now they want to tell us that for the Working Families of Titusville, winning is losing.  Brothers and sisters, that is one giant step backwards for mankind.   

You've heard today from all the speakers about the incredible work on the ground - and one thing should be clear.  This is no time to tear out the foundation of this community and destroy funding for the space program in Florida.   At a time when so many Florida breadwinners are out of work, or working only part time, or have given up looking for work, when the number of people in Florida without health insurance has spiked up to four million, when over half a million in Florida have lost their homes, and when so many others are dangerously close to losing hope - does it really make sense to pile on more misery? 

At a time when our Great Recession has left us short 11 million jobs, does it make any sense to kill off another 7,000 and endanger tens of thousands more? 

At a time when so many American voters think government is broken, does it make any sense to cut off a magnificent, efficient, effective arm of government that is working incredibly well? 

The answer is, "No," it makes no sense. 

But our message to Congress makes perfect sense: If it isn't broken, don't try to fix it.   

For nearly half a century, NASA has been pumping research, innovation and new technology into the private sector of our economy helping us create new jobs and compete in the global marketplace.  We don't need a jobs destruction program here in Florida, or anywhere in our country.  We need a National Jobs Creation Program that keeps people working, and puts people back to work. 

The AFL-CIO has made jobs our top priority because what's happening here in Titusville is happening all across our country.  I was speaking at a giant rally like this one in Evansville, Indiana where Whirlpool has announced it wants to close a plant that will put 1,100 people out of work and decimate their community. 

We have to take the fight into communities all across our country because these aren't just JOBS that are being destroyed.  These are the dreams of moms and dads and grandparents, the hopes of millions of Working Families, the promise of a good life for our children and grandchildren. 

In Washington, we're lobbying hard for all the things that create and protect jobs - incentives for small businesses to grow and hire, investments in our crumbling schools and roads and bridges, more economic recovery spending on technology and Green Jobs, more aid to states and local communities so they can maintain vital services instead of jettisoning teachers and cops and firefighters and other public servants. 

But we can only do so much in Washington. 

What we have to do is exactly what our Union Movement and this entire community is doing here in Florida - taking the initiative, building a broad coalition of workers, business people, elected and community leaders - fighting back with everything we've got. 

All across our country, we're seeing an uprising that is bringing entire communities together. 

Millions of Working Families are fed up with handouts to Wall Street and not even a hand-up for Main Street.  We're fed up with mega bonuses for big bankers and tax breaks for the rich, while Working People and our families get hit with layoffs and mangled dreams.  We've had it with politicians who think government should work for the wealthy but not for the people who do the work.   

We believe anyone who wants to work in America should have a job - a good job with good benefits. We think every man, woman and child in our country should be able to get the Health Care they need at a price they can afford.  We want everyone who works hard and contributes to our communities to know they can retire in dignity.  And we think every worker should have the freedom to join a Union without facing employer retaliation, because a Union card is still the best ticket to a good job, stronger communities, and a better life for all of us. 

Brothers and sisters, there's no shortage of solutions in our country, just a shortage of commitment to use them.  There's no shortage of work ethic in our country, just a shortage of jobs. 

When we keep people working and put people back to work, we put America back to work. 

That's what we're fighting for in Florida. 

That's what we're fighting for in Washington. 

That's what we're fighting for in America!   

And when we fight together, we will win.