Workers Can Go to www.unemploymentlifeline.com for Assistance 

The alarming news that unemployment has hit double digits should be a wake-up call to sleepy politicians.  The nation's jobless rate worsened yet again last month, with 190,000 jobs lost and the unemployment rate climbing to 10.2 percent.  A total of nearly 16 million can't find work.

It is of great concern that there is still little sign of a sustainable private sector recovery, Even more jobs will be lost in the coming months.  Despite Wall Street celebrations of what they see as a recovery based on GDP growth of 3.5 percent in the third quarter, American workers know there can be no recovery unless everyone who wants to work can find a good job.

The nation's jobs situation would be even worse without the Obama administration's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Nearly one million jobs have been saved or created because of the stimulus plan and the White House says the nation is on track to meet the president's goal of 3.5 million by the end of next year.  Additionally, the extension of unemployment benefits by Congress is an essential and welcome step.

Every day, it becomes more urgent that the federal government step up to the plate with bold actions to boost job creation.  Those actions should include urgently needed fiscal relief to state and local governments, community jobs programs, additional investments in infrastructure and green jobs and credit relief to small and medium-sized businesses.  Failing to act puts us at very real risk of a lost generation -- of hard-working Americans who can't put food on the table and bright young people who never realize their potential.

We must do better.

Contact: Eddie Vale (202) 637-5018