The extra $600 a week in unemployment benefits expires at the end of July—and as June begins, many workers haven’t even started getting it yet. With more than one in five workers on unemployment or waiting for approval, Heidi Shierholz writes, Congress needs to do more. It should start with extending the extra $600, help states process unemployment claims more efficiently, and send the funding to state and local governments that they need to prevent a “prolonged depression.”
But unfortunately, Mike Konczal points out, when it comes to that extra $600 a week, “Republicans understand the stakes involved, even if many liberals do not. Increasing unemployment insurance not only moves money to the lowest-wage workers, who need it the most, but it also empowers employees and builds the case for social insurance.” That’s one more reason Republicans are pushing so hard to reopen before it’s safe—to push workers off unemployment insurance.
● Many Instacart workers haven't received safety kits promised eight weeks ago:
Motherboard received messages from 13 Instacart workers around the country in recent days who say they placed orders for Instacart’s safety and health kits when they were first available in April and are still waiting to receive them. On social media, countless Instacart workers have echoed these experiences. In numerous instances, Instacart has sent out notifications that health and safety kits have shipped, but weeks later, workers have received nothing in the mail.
● Workers will take the brunt of this recession—just like the last one—unless we say no.
According to mainstream economists, the 2020 economy, pre-pandemic, was in great shape. But the millions of Americans working two or three part-time jobs with no benefits, sometimes at less than $10 an hour, never saw a recovery from 2008.
Wall Street got bailed out, of course—even though it had caused the crisis with its predatory lending and with the aid of deregulation. But in the decade to come, all economic ills were blamed on homeowners themselves and on public sector workers, especially on teachers—and don’t forget their unions.
● Orlando Sentinel workers won a new union while working from home.
● Before COVID-19, corporate America shortchanged Black women $50 billion annually—Why all women should care.
● Criminalization of black and brown communities in the Midwest adds to public health crisis during COVID-19 pandemic.
● Uber and Lyft drivers sue for New York unemployment benefits.
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● Minneapolis bus drivers refuse to transport George Floyd protesters to jail.
● Teen essential workers juggle labor, fear, stress—and remote learning—to help support their families amid coronavirus job losses.
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● Bosses are committing wage theft during COVID-19.
● Major public defense nonprofit in New York is unionizing.
