With the Lame Duck session beginning, the fight for jobs, extending unemployment benefits and protecting Social Security has begun. We're seeing the masses of unemployed beginning to organize in this fightback - and we all need to with the prescription from the federal budge deficit commission telling us to "Drop Dead."

 

Extensions for unemployment insurance is due to expire November 30th. Thanks to the AFL-CIO, there is an online petition to extend unemployment insurance you can participate in to help assure millions of unemployed workers do not lose this vital life-line.  The IBEW also has a petition on extending the benefits, and Chicago JWJ has a toll-free number to call today with the message, "extend unemployment benefits and save jobs!" 1-866-606-1189

Also, Strengthening Social Security is an organization supported by AFSCME, NOW and the Economic Policy Institute. Their petition is to stop the raising of retirement age as well as any cuts to our most important social safety net.

 

• Union leaders are stepping up their call on Congress and the Obama administration to push through, quickly, legislation to create millions of jobs in construction and manufacturing.
• The Chicago Unemployed Workers Council, a project of Chicago Jobs with Justice, staged a jobs demonstration last Friday to coincide with the release of unemployed figures for October. See the article and video here.
• The November 10 preliminary report from the federal budget deficit commission " tells working Americans to 'Drop Dead,'" according to Richard Trumka.
• Working America Tells Boehner: Stop Stringing Us Along on unemployment insurance extension.