Time Running Out for Millions of Jobless Workers

by   |  June 11, 2008

After seven years of upside-down economic priorities, like tax breaks for millionaires and corporate interests, President Bush has driven us into a recession. On Friday we learned that the national unemployment rate jumped to 5.5 percent in May from five percent in April. This is the largest spike in unemployment in a single month since 1986. In response, the U.S. House of Representatives is moving quickly to enact up to 13 weeks of additional unemployment benefits for people who have lost their jobs. The vote could happen as soon as tomorrow, or on Thursday, June 12. This legislation is urgently needed.

• Nearly 325,000 Americans have lost jobs since the beginning of the year.
• 49,000 more jobs were lost in May -- this is the fifth consecutive month where employers have cut jobs.
• The proposed unemployment benefits bill [HR5749] will provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in states where workers exhaust the 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits.
• The number of long-term unemployed workers is substantially higher than when President Bush last signed legislation providing extended benefits for workers exhausting their state unemployment benefits before finding work.

Yet, the Bush White House says extending unemployment benefits would mean workers would just end up lollygagging about, watching TV and not looking for work. Really, this is what the May 20 Bush administration’s veto threat—also called a Statement of Administration Policy—said.

“Increasing and extending unemployment insurance benefits when unemployment is this low would be unprecedented and counterproductive because it would reduce the incentive for workers to find new employment.”

Today—even with Friday’s stunning jump in unemployment—there are strong indications that some in Congress will continue to tow the Bush Administration line and will strip the UI extension from the supplemental war funding bill. Seven years of upside-down economic priorities have left us with a slowing economy, loss of jobs, and an ever-worsening mortgage crisis at a time when the cost of health care, food and gas continues to rise. It’s going to take a lot to get our country back on track, but we can start by extending unemployment benefits for the increasing number of Americans who have lost their jobs. Congress needs to stand up for working people who can’t find work and stand up to Bush. Read more at AFL-CIO Now Blog.