CA Alliance for Jobs Organizes Massive Statewide Rallies to Pressure Lawmakers to Close the Budget Deal
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From Fresno, KMPH-TV26 (FOX)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Construction Workers Rally Against Layoffs
By Ariana Duarte and Kyra J. Neyland
Fresno, Ca.-Dozens of out-of-work construction workers picketed outside the offices of state Senator Dave Cogdill and Assemblyman Mike Villines to encourage them and other California lawmakers to resolve the budget crisis before its too late.
"It's a good thing my wife works or else I might be out on the street panhandling," said Curtis Sewell.
Sewell has been a construction worker all his life, and out of work for the last four months; he's one of many who's life has been put on hold by the long-running budget deadlock at the state's capital.
"The infighting has got to stop and they've got to get something done. They should've had a budget last June, they had one in October, they cancelled it and the fighting continues and the only people that are suffering are the people that you see out here today," said Steve Harris, a California construction worker.
The budget impasse has already suspended several projects and cancelled countless others.
Protesters say if a deal doesn't strike soon more trouble may be on the way.
"In the next few days, if they don't get it done some of these projects that you see going on in this area and all over the state of California are going to be shut down because the funding is just not there," said Harris.
Already about 20% of the state's construction industry is unemployed and Sewell says, he believes as long as the budget standoff is costing him his paycheck, California lawmakers should be forced to pay the same price.
"They can quit taking their $200 a day per diem and quit taking their dang paycheck and get something done... and then they shouldn't get reimbursed for not doing anything they're sitting on their rears," said Sewell.
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