extension

Earlier today, members of the Chicago Jobs with Justice Unemployed Workers' Council and allies paid a visit to Representative (and Illinois Senate candidate) Mark Kirk's office in Northbrook, Illinois to protest his opposition to extending unemployment benefits.

Jorge Ramirez, President of the Chicago Federation of Labor, spoke to Rep. Kirk's staff, "that's the primary reason why a lot of these folks are here.  They're unemployed, their unemployment benefits are getting cut off... he needs to know that the votes he makes in Washington are directly accountable to the people you see in this room."

The House has already voted to extend unemployment benefits (without Rep. Kirk's support), but it has yet to pass the Senate.  A Senate vote is expected Tuesday.

On Wednesday, July 7th, as a prelude to our first big action following the US Social Forum (which will be on September 15th), Kentucky JwJ stood in solidarity with millions who have lost their jobs and face a desperate future.

Although this was a last minute call to action, at least 50 protesters showed up to march outside of the office of Senator Mitch McConnell in Louisville.  Our demand was an immediate extension of unemployment benefits and protection of Social Security and Medicare — our precious social safety net programs won by generations of struggle.

Several individuals on unemployment spoke, including longtime Kentucky Jobs with Justice activist Gail Helinger.  She has been laid off for over a year now, and her unemployment compensation will end soon unless Congress acts quickly!

Gail and several other unemployed workers marched into Senator McConnell’s office to speak with him about this issue but, of course, he was unavailable.  They were able to speak to an aide who informed them that the Senator will vote for extension of unemployment benefits that is fiscally responsible.

We then marched several blocks to the unemployment office to distribute leaflets with the following call to action:

Are you unemployed?  Are you receiving unemployment compensation?  Are you about to lose your unemployment benefits?  Do you care about people who are unemployed?

Fifteen million jobless are still waiting for our Senators to finish the job and pass unemployment insurance extension.   Millions more are waiting for COBRA health subsidies and aid to states.

CALL NOW: 1-888-854-1978

Tell your Senator to vote for the American Jobs & closing Tax Loopholes Act:

• extend unemployment insurance benefits through November 2010
• extend State Fiscal relief (FMAP) for 6 months
• fund the emergency TANF fund through 2011
• vote YES on the amendment to reinstate the COBRA subsidy that the House stripped from the bill

This jobs crisis is deeper and longer-lasting than even the Reagan recession of the 1980s.  State and local governments are starting to lay off thousands of teachers, and experts predict a loss of nearly one million jobs in the coming months if Congress fails to help the states now.

So what's the hold up?