Congress just doesn’t get it.  Joblessness is an emergency, and requires bold, emergency action.  Tell Congress they must ACT NOW to create jobs and protect jobless benefits!

This jobs crisis is deeper and longer-lasting than even the Reagan recession of the 1980s, but many Democrats seem to be falling for right-wing scare tactics about the budget deficit and buying into the ridiculous argument that getting jobless benefits keeps the unemployment rate higher. 

Wall Street has recovered.  Corporate CEOs are back to their greedy ways.  Meanwhile, even if trends reverse today, workers will have to wait four to six years to close this job gap.  The House voted last week to extend unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed, but only through November, and they removed money to help people keep their health care coverage. 

No matter what the conservative number crunchers say:  there’s no such thing as a jobless recovery!  Congress must act now to save and create jobs, starting with

Continue reading They Still Don’t Get It

Leroy Smith leads chants at a Chicago JwJ Unemployed Workers Council action outside the unemployment office on June 1. Jobless activists and JwJ member groups rallied and collected "applications" for the 1 million jobs that would be created by the Local Jobs for America Act.

Congress still doesn’t get it.  During the Congressional recess this week, Jobs with Justice coalitions across the country are sending them a message:  There is no such thing as a “Jobless Recovery”.

America is 28 months and 8 million fewer jobs into a major jobs crisis — caused by Wall Street recklessness and corporate greed.  Unemployment levels are deeper and longer-lasting that any post-war recession, there are nearly six people looking for every job opening, yet Congress has yet to enact a serious job-creation program, like the “Local Jobs for America Act”.  And pundits are telling us we should just wait a few more years til we can put America back to work.

The House of Representatives even stripped health care benefits for the jobless from its recent unemployment extension bill, passed on Friday.  Efforts to restore the jobless benefits for long-term unemployed will be

Continue reading Ramping Up the Pressure for Jobs and Benefits

Tell Congress this has to stop – NOW!

We knew it was coming. That’s why JwJ coalitions have been mobilizing for an economic recovery and working with partners to develop a national jobs plan. While the big banks took their bailouts and spend millions lobbying against a recovery for the rest of us, unemployment has officially topped 10%.

The intense struggle over health insurance reform is coming to a head (call your Rep. at 202-224-3121), and legislation to reform the big banks has been introduced. Extending unemployment for people that have already been out of work for many months is a necessary step, but we need good jobs – both public and private sector.

Despite what the big banks might say, there is no such thing as a ‘jobless recovery.’ Tell Congress the next big agenda item has to be creating millions of good jobs — and to get started now.

TAKE ACTION.

As the House of Representatives moves to finalize its health reform legislation this week, immigrants continue to be left out.  As it stands now, most recent legal immigrants are forced to wait 5 years to use Medicaid, Medicare, and CHIP, even though they pay the same taxes as citizens to support these programs.

Your voice is needed to urge the House of Representatives to act right now to give immigrants a fair opportunity for affordable health insurance. 

TAKE ACTION NOW!