‘American people were forced to suffer through another month of dismal job growth because right-wing Republicans and the top 1% continue to block every effort to put America back to work,’ says SEIU’s Henry

WASHINGTON, DC- Service Employees International Union (SEIU) International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement in response to the October jobs report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

“Let's be clear. The American people were forced to suffer through another month of dismal job growth because right-wing Republicans and the top 1% continue to block every effort to put America back to work.

“By passing the American Jobs Act, we could have started to put millions of Americans back to work rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, caring for our communities and educating our children.

“Today’s job numbers should also call into serious question the right-wing Republican obsession with cutting Medicare and Medicaid. The healthcare industry continues to be one of the only industries driving job growth in our country. Cutting these essential healthcare services would not only endanger the health of seniors and families, it would also drive more job losses our country cannot afford.

“Over the past months, we’ve watched thousands of Americans take to the streets, occupy financial centers and send a clear message to their member of Congress that the American people are fed up with an economy that only caters to the top 1%. It’s time Congress listened to the demands of the 99% of Americans and put America back to work.”

With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy. www.seiu.org

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