Personal Testimony: Eric in Seattle, WA

Posted by: unemploy | Filed under: Personal Testimony

Apr 12 2012

Eric in Seattle, WA writes to us:

When you are unemployed, your whole life is put on hold: no entertainment, no socializing, no travel, if it costs money, you don't do it because you never know if you will ever get another job.

For me, the pain of this is something I don't talk to anyone about; if they have a job they don't understand, if they are retired they don't understand.

Finally, what makes me angriest is that the criminals on Wall St. still have their jobs, and are still getting bonuses! They should be put in jail for the crimes they have committed. Where's the justice?

Monday, July 23, 2012
Washington State Joint Senate and House Labor Committee
Olympia, WA

Saturday, March 31, 2012
Seattle City Hall

Friday, March 30, 2012
University of Washington, Seattle

Real Change News:
"The conversation will have to grow from the ground up, because politicians don't seem interested in collecting the voices of the unemployed, [David] Frieboth said. 'This is something Congress should be doing.'"

The Seattle Times:
"The Unemployed Nation project is ringing a bell, saying the impact of employment now and going forward is magnified by the numbers of unemployed and the lengths of time people are going without jobs."

Seattle Weekly:
"[One] witness, a woman who was laid off from her work at a vocational job-placement office, told those in attendance she once found herself in line with over 300 people, all applying for one position. "

Socialist Worker:
"[Panelists] talked about the psychological impacts of unemployment--the feelings of isolation, insecurity and doubts about self-worth. This compounds the economic deprivation unemployed people face."

The UW Daily:
"'If I don’t have any value to anyone else, what kind of value do I have to myself?' asked Colin McMullin, a Washington native and Boeing engineer who was laid off in 2009. 'The last three years have been the toughest years of my life.'"

Organized by

Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies
Promoting the study of working people and their organizations at the University of Washington and beyond.

Martin Luther King, Jr. County Labor Council, AFL-CIO
The central body of labor organizations in King County, Washington. Over 150 organizations belong, representing more than 75,000 working men and women.

Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
The largest labor organization in the Evergreen State, dedicated to protecting and strengthening the rights and conditions of working people and their families.

At the University of Washington

University of Washington Law, Societies & Justice
A program encouraging complex, critical assessments about the workings and implications of law and justice in different social contexts.

University of Washington School of Law
Aspiring to be the best public law school in the nation and one of the world’s most respected centers for interdisciplinary legal studies.

University of Washington School of Social Work
A recognized leader in solving the most demanding social issues of our day through rigorous research, academic innovation and public service.

West Coast Poverty Center
A hub for research, education, and policy analysis on poverty and effective approaches to reducing it.

Endorsed By

Asian Counseling and Referral Service

Casa Latina

Central Area Motivation Program

Evans School of Public Affairs

Office of MLKing County Executive Dow Constantine

Puget Sound Labor Agency

Puget Sound Sage

Seattle City Council & Mayor's Office

Seattle Women's Commission

Statewide Poverty Action Network

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Voices of the Unemployed
By Washington State Labor Council

Unemployed Workers Speak Out
By Washington State Labor Council

Wade Jackson speaks with the Washington State Labor Council

Mamie Menzies speaks with the Washington State Labor Council

Darrell Hunter speaks with the Washington State Labor Council

Istvan Szabo speaks with the Washington State Labor Council

Jodi Hodson speaks with the Washington State Labor Council

Kathleen Bavart speaks with the Washington State Labor Council

Doreen Frank speaks with the Washington State Labor Council

Terri Johnson speaks with the Washington State Labor Council

Tom in Seattle, WA

The personal testimonies, news, analysis and opinion posted on this website are provided for informational purposes only. The opinions expressed therein are of the individual alone, and do not reflect the opinions of the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies, the University of Washington or any employee thereof.

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