National Prayer Vigil Today for the Jobless and Jobs
Thursday, December 8, 2011
(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)“I am college educated and a military veteran as well but neither seems to
make a difference in today's depressed job market,” says Peter, from
Keysville, VA (pictured at right).
“There are fewer jobs to be had, and the few that are available are paying
less money than I made as a HS dropout in 1983.” Thousands of unemployed
workers like Peter will join with faith, labor and community activists at 11a
this morning for an interfaith
prayer vigil on Capitol Hill. Unless Congress acts, this lifeline for nearly
2 million jobless workers will be cut off on December 31 when extended
unemployment insurance benefits expire. Sandra, from the District, has been out
of work for over a year, as companies that want to hire her “go belly up in
this nightmarish economy.” Still, she keeps looking for work, and needs
extended unemployment as she continues “to try to make headway.” 6,200
District residents will lose emergency unemployment aid if Congress does not
act; 14,300 in Maryland, and 15,600 in Virginia. Unemployed union construction
worker Mary, from Columbia, MD, “went from visions of having my skills,
education, vocation, certifications, and ethics embraced… to receiving
foodstamps, a medical card, and watching my unemployment run out. I want to
work! I need to work! I am not a labor statistic, nor am I a human services
statistic, and neither are my children. WE ARE THE PEOPLE!” Click here for more real-life stories
about what unemployment insurance means to America. - image courtesy of AFL-CIO