| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 12, 2001 |
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ECONOMIC CASUALTIES OF TERRORIST ATTACK GET LITTLE RELIEF UNDER BUSH PLAN Casualties from the September 11 terrorist attack continue to increase as hundreds of thousands of working families are losing their livelihoods as a direct result of terrorism's economic impact. Almost a half million workers have lost their jobs since September 11. Mostly lower wage workers in the service, tourism and travel industries, these economic casualties have no financial cushion to carry them and their families through the crisis. Unlike stock market losses that can be recovered as the market bounces back, lost wages can never be recouped, and working families will suffer a long term reduction in living standards. The 1.4 million member United Food Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) is calling for an immediate relief program to protect the economic well-being of displaced working families, and a comprehensive recovery program to short circuit both a recession and the economic impact of terrorism. Despite the White House's public relations fanfare, President Bush's economic relief proposal leaves many of the economic casualties behind and the rest with too little to care for their families.
"Congressional actions on the relief and recovery programs are a test of national unity. Will working Americans be left behind? Will the Republican congressional leadership abandon working America in the rush to serve the interests of corporate America? Working Americans stood up for their country in this time of crisis, now their government should stand up for working Americans in their time of crisis," said Doug Dority, UFCW President. The union has launched a grassroots lobbying effort to make sure working America is heard, on the economic recover program. The UFCW represents 1.4 million members in the retail food, meatpacking, poultry, health care, textile, chemical and other industries. |
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