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MaryBe McMillan Calls Out Governor, Legislature for Bullying Jobless Workers

Jeremy Sprinkle
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 19, 2013

Contact: Jeremy Sprinkle, Communications Director, 336-255-2711, [email protected]

STATEMENT BY STATE AFL-CIO SECRETARY-TREASURER MARYBE MCMILLAN ON GOV. MCCRORY SIGNING UNEMPLOYMENT CUTS INTO LAW

“Only bullies kick people while they are down.”

Last night in his State of the State speech, Gov. McCrory acknowledged that “too many are hurting” in North Carolina. Yet today Gov. McCrory added to the hurt by signing into law the most drastic cuts to unemployment benefits that any state has ever enacted. The permanent cuts in benefits in this law are bad enough, but to turn down $780 million in federal funds and cause 170,000 families to lose extended benefits is just plain cruel. With the stroke of his pen, Gov. McCrory severed the lifeline for thousands of unemployed North Carolinians, and he made clear that his allegiance lies with his corporate donors rather than his constituents. As one of the first laws under his tenure, these cruel cuts will forever mar any legacy that Gov. McCrory hopes to leave behind. Only bullies kick people while they are down. Shame on our Governor and our legislature for turning their backs on unemployed workers.

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The North Carolina State AFL-CIO is the largest association of local unions and union councils in North Carolina, representing over one-hundred thousand union members, fighting for good jobs, safe workplaces, workers’ rights, consumer protections, and quality public services on behalf of ALL working families. PO Box 10805, Raleigh, NC 27605.

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