Sunday, May 3, 2015

Republicans To Go After Unemployment Insurance. Again.

Wisconsin Republicans love to kick people when they are down.

They have screwed around with food stamps, cutting back benefits and making it difficult for people in need to meet those needs.  They have also screwed with the unemployed, again, making it more difficult for people to get unemployment compensation and making it harder to keep it once they do jump through all the hoops.

In fact, the cuts to the unemployment insurance program is one of the biggest influences in the low unemployment percentage rate.  The rate isn't low because of all the jobs Walker created, because he hasn't created a whole helluva lot.  In fact, Walker's performance in job creation is worse than if he did nothing.  The rate is being artificially suppressed by Walker not allowing people on the system in the first place.

On Sunday afternoon, at the Bay View Tragedy Commemoration, State Representative Chris Sinicki told the crowd that the Republicans are gearing up for more attacks on the unemployment system, targeting the construction trades.

The first thing we had already heard about, which is that the Republicans want people receiving unemployment compensation to have to take drug tests.  Sinicki pointed out that this would effect almost all construction workers, who are generally laid off in the winters.

The other thing was that the Republicans are planning on trying to make construction work be considered seasonal employment.  This means that the construction workers would not be eligible for any unemployment compensation during the winter.

The Republicans are pretending that this will save the taxpayers money.  This is rubbish.  Taxpayer money isn't used for unemployment insurance.  It comes from the workers.

Think about the long term ramifications of these moves, especially when they are compiled with the already ruinous wage theft bill and the ongoing attack on prevailing wages.

It means that all our local construction workers will be forced out of jobs and the roads and bridges we drive on, the buildings we work in and the rest of our infrastructure will be built by people with insufficient training and without sufficient safety practices.

I hope that those that have supported the Republicans are willing to put their lives on the line for it, because they just did - and all of our lives as well.

5 comments:

  1. It is a common misconception that workers pay into unemployment insurance, they do not. Unemployment Insurance is paid for by a payroll tax on employers only.

    It actually benefits employers by keeping skilled workers from jumping to other employers when work is scarce. UI insurance originated in Wisconsin and it's main purpose was to help local retail businesses such as grocers, drug stores, barbershops, etc. by keeping money flowing during slow economic periods.

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  2. Yes, UI is an ER tax, not an EE tax.

    Also, the proposed changes mostly concern making concealment into strict liability for mistakes. See these posts: https://wisconsinui.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/lirc-responds-to-dwds-concealment-agenda/, https://wisconsinui.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/concealment-problems-for-employers-too/, and https://wisconsinui.wordpress.com/2015/04/14/ui-claimants-to-be-strictly-liable-for-their-mistakes/

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  3. Walker can really get out there, and campaign about having the lowest on unemployment insurance if they do this.

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  4. "It means that all our local construction workers will be forced out of jobs and the roads and bridges we drive on, the buildings we work in and the rest of our infrastructure will be built by people with insufficient training and without sufficient safety practices."

    Remind you of Milwaukee County's budget for infrastructure inspection and maintenance while Walker was County Executive, winding up with a county-owned parking garage's wall slab falling off and killing a pedestrian? Seems he's really (not) learned a lot more concern for the effects of his actions on public safety since then.

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  5. It becomes more and more obvious that if you are not a contributor to the Walker/Vos/ Fitzgerald/ Republican coffers you are of absolutely no concern nor worth to them. Your status as a constituent only allows them to manipulate you at election time but other wise you serve no purpose for them and they will cut programs and benefits that you receive regardless of there benefit to you or any other citizen. Their goal is to create political talking points that defends their ideology that government only exists for their well being and that of their donors!

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