Republican governors, bankrolled by dark money and special interests—and
corporate lobbyists—want to put millions at risk by ending emergency
unemployment benefits that Americans need to survive. And they're already
succeeding in 25 states across the country. 

[ [link removed] ]Sign this petition calling upon President Biden to ensure that
unemployment benefits continue.

Dear fellow MoveOn member,

My name is ReVonda Bowen, and I am sharing my story as one of the over 20
million Americans who lost their jobs because of selfish corporations
putting profits over people during the pandemic and then who struggled to
survive because of broken unemployment systems.^1

I was so heartbroken and upset when I heard that Republican governors in
25 states across the country are ending federal unemployment benefits
early for no reason, leaving almost 4 million workers like me with no
support.^2 But President Biden and Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh can step
in and do something about it.

[ [link removed] ]Will you sign my petition asking President Biden to take action in
support of workers and against states trying to end federal unemployment
benefits early?

Governors are listening to the Chamber of Commerce and the restaurant
industry, lobbying groups who represent corporations, instead of listening
to working people. Corporations want to force us to take jobs with low pay
and no security. These jobs demand 24/7 availability but don't guarantee
full-time hours or benefits and are often unsafe. 

Ending federal unemployment benefits programs early will be absolutely
devastating for families across the country. Many will continue to suffer,
go hungry, or lose their homes as a result of these terrible decisions.

It's already bad enough that corporations and the ultra-rich in this
country have profited off of the backs of working people like me to get
over $1 trillion richer during the pandemic that has taken the lives of
almost 600,000 Americans and led to record unemployment, hunger, and
starvation; has overworked health care workers; and has sacrificed
essential workers to maintain the status quo.^3

It made me re-evaluate everything. I had two jobs and was laid off from
both of them. I showed up for work day after day, and when I needed them
to show up for me, they didn't. I felt like I was just a number. 

Then, while being the caretaker for my dad who has had seven surgeries in
the last year, I had to deal with a broken unemployment system. I still
am. I haven't received any unemployment benefits money since March, even
though I have spent so much time applying, calling, and emailing. And I
know I'm not alone. It's just wrong.

Instead of focusing on addressing the real problems that harm working
people and businesses every day—starvation wages, poor benefits that limit
access to health care, and union busting by large corporations—Republicans
are trying to take unemployment benefits (that are already low to begin
with) away from the people who need them. 

President Biden must fight for continued benefits for all working
people—and to overhaul the unemployment insurance system so we can all
count on it during a crisis, no matter where we live.

[3]Sign ReVonda's petition

I’ve heard so much about “going back to normal,” and we should ask
ourselves: normal for whom? Normal for me was having to work two jobs just
to survive. It’s messed up. 

The truth is that we need a new normal. A normal where employers start
paying workers a living wage, provide benefits like health care and paid
sick leave, allow workers to unionize their workplaces, and much, much
more. But instead, the right-wing GOP is now blaming working people for
demanding decent jobs that allow us to earn a living wage and be there for
our families. They say that unemployed people are lazy and that emergency
unemployment benefits are just an incentive for them to stay home, when,
in reality, our economy is still down millions of jobs.^4 It’s insulting.
People are desperately looking for work, and unemployment benefits are
helping families survive until the economy fully recovers. 

[ [link removed] ]Will you sign my petition asking President Biden to step in and support
the continuation of unemployment benefits for struggling Americans?

As a woman who is mixed-race, I have dealt with racism many times in my
life and know that these cuts to unemployment benefits are an attack on
workers of color and Black workers especially. Because of racism in the
job market, Black workers are the last ones to be hired when the economy
picks up.^5 That means Black workers like me are more likely to be on
unemployment insurance right now. 

It’s wrong. I believe that when we say “we’re all in this together,” it
should mean that if there are people who need food in their refrigerator,
who need their lights to stay on, who need a roof over their heads, our
leaders will take action to help them. Not cut off their benefits.

That’s why I started this petition and am sharing my story with you today.
Because I’m one of those people who want people to fight for me, and I
want to fight for everyone. I want to be able to show not just that I’m a
bartender but that I’m also a leader. 

[ [link removed] ]Will you join in solidarity with workers like me, add your name to my
petition, and then pass it along to your friends?

Thanks for all you do. 

–ReVonda Bowen, a MoveOn member and Center for Popular Democracy member

Sources: 

1. “Tracking the COVID-19 Recession’s Effects on Food, Housing, and
Employment Hardships,” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, accessed
June 28, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

2. “States will start cutting off federal unemployment benefits this week.
Here’s a map of where (and how soon) aid is ending,” CNBC, June 7, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

3. “Tracking the COVID-19 Recession’s Effects on Food, Housing, and
Employment Hardships,” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, accessed
June 28, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

4. “Jobs and unemployment,” Economic Policy Institute, accessed on June
28, 2021
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

5. “Laid Off More, Hired Less: Black Workers in the COVID-19 Recession,”
The RAND Blog, September 29, 2020
[ [link removed] ][link removed]

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It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online
petitions. You can [ [link removed] ]start your own petition here.


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