Global oil markets are in turmoil, with crude prices at their lowest level in years, even going negative at one point in April. When the U.S. economy is in trouble, the default option for political leadership is to rescue big business. The current coronavirus-induced crisis is no exception. Even as health care workers and other front-line workers get sick and die amid a shortage of basic protective equipment, and the unemployment rate rises above 12%, the government appears to be more keen to bail out the oil and gas industry than to assist regular people.
People’s movements aren’t taking this lying down. They’re organizing in creative ways to pressure the government to put people over profits. They’re resisting this one-sided class war by making it two-sided. More than 300 organizations are calling for an end to fossil fuel bailouts while demanding alternatives such as rent cancellation, worker protections, and a people’s bailout.
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