Unemployed workers in Minnesota gave Rep. Michele Bachmann her pink slip Thursday at an event at Bachmann’s Waite Park office. Just last week, Rep. Bachmann voted against extending unemployment benefits and health care assistance to long-term jobless workers.
Workers first went into the office to follow up on a letter they sent requesting a meeting with Bachmann. No one was available in the office to answer their request. The event culminated in a brief program followed by chants of “Hey hey, ho ho, Michele Bachmann’s got to go! and ‘Bachmann and CEOS are joined at the hip, workers will give them a pink slip!”
Almost half of America’s 15 million jobless workers have been without work for six months or more. Working families are being crushed. Small businesses are closing down. St. Cloud’s streets are a mirror image of what is happening all across America, littered with empty buildings with ‘For Lease’ signs.
Workers’ disappointment with the Congresswoman has been constant as she continues to vote to protect CEOs instead of the people in her district. Unemployment and health care aid are lifelines for families, and they pump money into our desperate economy by giving unemployed workers a little money to pay for necessities. While belts have been tightened and shoestrings have been worn thin, tough decisions continue to be made in middle class households. Some of St. Cloud’s unemployed workers shared their stories with us.
Jeff Orth, an I.B.E.W. 292 member, hasn’t worked in Minnesota for more than two years. In fact, he just returned from Milwaukee yesterday looking for work with his brother and fellow I.B.E.W. member, Jerry Orth. They grew up in St. Cloud and live in nearby communities, and note, “We’ve been all over the Midwest looking for work.” Jeff doesn’t understand why Rep. Bachmann continues to vote against working families in her district. He asks of Bachmann, “Why do you want to vote against working families? How does that help communities?”
Steve Raatikka of Sheetmetal workers Local 10, echoes the above sentiments. He adds, “Communities work when we are working.” Mike Spaude, Sheetmetal worker, has been unemployed for more than a year. His unemployment benefits are due to expire in December. He asks, “What are people like me going to do when unemployment benefits run out? When we can’t make our mortgage payments? With nothing left, we are faced with the decisions like do I buy groceries or health care?” Mike’s activism is strong and has called his elected officials to tell them to support the unemployment extension every time it appears before Congress.
It’s clear that since Michele Bachmann won’t help constituents who have lost their jobs, it’s time she lose her’s.