Labor & Employment Law

Tell Republican Senators: ?Lift the Jobless Aid Blockade?

By Mike Hall

It?s time to tell Republican senators we?ve had it with their jobless aid blockade. So far this month, their refusal to extend unemployment insurance (UI) has cost nearly 1 million jobless workers to lose the little they have to survive on.

Last week, the ?Party of No” roadblocked legislation?as it has twice before this year?that would have kept alive the extended UI program for long-term jobless workers. The bill also would provide money for states facing huge budget shortfalls to keep 900,000 people on the job.

Republican lawmakers even admit partisan politics are more important than helping people who can?t find work in an economy where there are five or six jobless workers for every job opening and nearly 7 million people out of work for more than 27 months. The extended UI program expired last month and every week since, some 250,000 workers lose their benefits.

Because Democrats are backing the bill, Republicans just won?t vote for it, says Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.).

We are just in a mode where there is a lot of Republican resistance to voting for anything the Democrats are for or the White House is for….It?s an election year.

So if  you live in a state with a Republican senator?or, heaven forbid, two?call 1-877-442-6801 and tell them that with long-term joblessness at its highest levels since the 1930s, it?s irresponsible to play politics with aid for the jobless and help for the states to avert 900,000  layoffs. Tell them that we also know it?s an election year and voters will judge lawmakers on what they?ve done for jobs and the economy?not how well they’ve played  partisan politics.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on June 23, 2010 (boomark / email).