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Unemployed Fight Extension Cuts

By VVAW

On January 20, 1977, a contingent of veterans organized by VVAW joined with a march and rally of 300 unemployed workers and youth in Washington DC during Jimmy Carter's Inaugural Ball.

This militant demonstration was called by the Unemployed Workers Organizing Committee (UWOC), a national organization of unemployed workers, in response to the cutoff of the last 26 weeks of unemployment compensation.

On March 31, 1977, the last 26 weeks of unemployment benefits will be cut off unless Congress passes a bill to extend the federal extension. It's estimated that between 2.5 to 4 million people will be affected by the cutoff--left with no money to live on, or forced to go on welfare.

UWOC chose January 20th, during the Inaugural Ball to demonstrate against this cutoff because, as the poster calling for the demonstration read, while they--the rich--are partying, they are planning our starvation. It went on to say, "Let them party because as they party we will be organizing to right against every one of their attacks."

A car convoy left Boston, Massachusetts, in the early morning, highly decorated with signs and slogans demanding Jobs or Income Now, No Cut-off in the Federal Extensions, and On to Washington! The convoy met up with more cars in Hartford, New York City, Jersey City, and then headed to Philadelphia where is joined with the Philly UWOC chapter in a rally and press conference outside City Hall.

All the way from Boston to Washington the car convoy was met by a great response from passing cars and trucks. Over CB radio there was a lot of struggle with truck drivers and other CB operators about unemployment, its cause, and what to do about it. Most everyone cheered and honked their horns in support of the convoy.

In Washington the convoy met up with the Baltimore chapter and representatives of UWOC chapters from the Middle West.

In a park six blocks from the railroad station where one of the six inaugural balls was being held unemployed workers, youth and vets assembled into a torch light march. Three hundred strong they started to march to the inaugural site to make sure Jimmy Carter and his like were not going to party in peace. Before they could get to the site, however, the coops forced them to put out the torches, scared that the demonstrators would ruin Jimmy's party.

Opposite the inaugural site there was a rally with speeches from UWOC representatives, a speech from the Revolutionary communist Party, and songs from a Philly Singing Group. Speakers talked about how the rich are attempting to do away with unemployment benefits. As one speaker put it, "Unemployment benefits are a luxury the rich cannot afford. A high rate of unemployment keeps the wages of all workers down." The speakers also talked about how the rich are in a serious crisis and how are forced to try to back away from benefits which were won in order to try to keep their profits up and save their sinking system. They need the unemployment funds to prop up failing industries and banks. To them, what are the lives of a few million unemployed? The way they see it, they could save money by cutting unemployment benefits, then jack up profits by forcing workers to slave in their factories at minimum wage or less.

UWOC vowed to fight against this attack by organizing a nationwide struggle against the cutoff. UWOC chapters are taking out petitions and informing thousands of people. As the March 31st deadlines comes closer there will be increasingly sharper struggle involving thousands of employed and unemployed workers throughout the country.

The vets contingent which marched with UWOC in Washington as well as vets and VVAW members all over the United States stand shoulder to shoulder with unemployed workers in the fight. Many vets know about unemployment--vets' unemployment rates are even higher than the already high national average. With UWOC we demand Jobs or Income Now and No Cutoff in the Federal Extensions.