California Loses 68,000 Jobs in the Month of May

Statement by California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski

 

“While the rest the country is beginning to emerge from this deep recession, California remains stuck in the mud under Gov. Schwarzenegger's failed leadership.

“If ever there was time to sound the alarm, it's now. The staggering loss of 68,000 jobs in May means more families are teetering on the edge of financial calamity. Instead of throwing families in need a lifeline, the governor threatens to push them over the cliff with his ill-conceived budget proposal.

“The catastrophic cuts the governor has proposed to vital services will shred the safety net that so many families depend upon for survival in these difficult times. Budget cuts will also lead to additional job cuts, exacerbating unemployment.

“Behind every unemployment number is a heartbreaking story of a family in distress. Unless legislators and the governor reach a quick and fair solution to the state budget, we can expect job loss to accelerate and the pain families are feeling to intensify in the months to come.

“We can’t afford more Republican grandstanding. It’s time for a real budget that’s not balanced on the backs of working families.”
 

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