Dear I.B.E.W. Member:

The current Unemployment Insurance (UI) extension of 99 weeks will end on December 31st of this year. Without Congressional action, 2 million Americans will lose their UI benefits on January 1st. An additional 6 million Americans will lose their UI benefits later in 2012. With the holidays right around the corner, it is crucial that Congress act to ensure that Americans who are unemployed through no fault of their own do not lose their benefits.

The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2011 (H.R. 3346, S. 1804) has been introduced and if passed would renew the current 99 week extension. H.R. 3346 and S. 1804 would ensure that millions of Americans do not stop receiving UI benefits during the holiday season. If an individual has already received 99 weeks of benefits, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2011 would not give them any additional weeks. The renewal would simply allow those who have not received 99 weeks of benefits to do so.

Above all, what the IBEW needs is jobs for its members. However, with the current state of the economy, UI benefits are vital for our members’ financial survival. That is why I am asking you to participate in an electronic letter campaign to urge your representatives to support H.R. 3346 and S. 1804. Please take a few moments to visit the following web page http://action.ibew.org/c/543/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3184 where after inserting your address, letters will be sent to your representatives in the House and Senate asking them to support H.R. 3346 and S. 1804.

As members of the IBEW we owe it to our unemployed sisters and brothers to do everything we can to ensure they do not lose their UI benefits on January 1, 2012. Thank you in advance for your hard work on this important issue.

In Solidarity,
Edwin D. Hill
International President, IBEW

If Congress doesn’t act to ensure 6 million longtime jobless workers don’t lose unemployment insurance (UI) next year, 2 million people desperately seeking work will lose the lifeline that’s helping them and their families get by on Jan. 1. Another 4 million will run out of help week by week next year.

Yet House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) would rather spend the limited amount of time Congress has left this year to attack workers’ rights and workplace safety and health laws than exetend UI for workers struggling in an economy where there are more than four workers for every available job.

Tell Boehner and Congress it’s time to stop playing partisan politics. Click here to sign a petition to Congress demanding it act now to extend the emergency UI benefits program.

Tomorrow, a coalition of workers groups will deliver the petition to Congress during a rally where jobless workers will urge Congress to act before it’s too late for millions of working families.

Join the IBEW 4th District E-Activist Network.

As an activist you will receive e-alerts

on issues of importance to working families

in the 4th District when your voice is needed.