Decatur Herald & Review: Durbin Hears Unemployment Hardship Stories During Decatur Stop

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Durbin Hears Unemployment Hardship Stories During Decatur Stop

Decatur Herald & Review

by Kenneth Lowe

At a roundtable discussion with several people who have found themselves receiving unemployment benefits after being laid off, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin talked about federal efforts to extend unemployment benefits.

"Decatur always seems like it gets hit harder than most," said Durbin, D-Ill. "We're finding, as we get into this, that there are common elements throughout."

President Obama last week signed into law a plan to extend unemployment benefits up to 20 weeks for states with high un employment numbers. Durbin asked people gathered at the Decatur Area Technical Academy on Friday about how they are coping after being laid off.

"I really believe in extending these unemployment benefits," Durbin said. "We have six people unemployed for every available job in this country."

Several local Democratic officials attended the discussion, including Macon County Sheriff Thomas Schneider and Macon County Board member Tim Dudley. Afterward, Durbin toured the school.

Lydia Walker, 46, spoke about the challenges she has faced as a mother of seven after being laid off from Caterpillar Inc. last year after working there for three years. She has begun studying for an associate degree at Richland Community College, hoping to finish by 2011 and search for new employment.

Walker said it was not the first time her family has been affected by the economy. Her husband was laid off from Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., leaving them and their children without health insurance.

Walker said she has insurance through her husband's current employment but knows the burden those without it face.

Darrin Bateson, 38, of Clinton found himself laid off from his job of 18 years. Like Walker, he is attending school again. He and his wife also are trying to support three children.

Bateson said without unemployment benefits, he isn't sure if he could continue going to school.

"With the program, you have to go to school full time," Bateson said. "In order to support my family, I need to work full time."

Bateson said the method for applying for jobs has changed since he was younger. Now, Bateson said, showing up in person to apply is less effective than going online and bombarding job search sites with resumés. Unfortunately, he said, that rarely results in any callbacks.

Durbin said many have an unrealistic view of who the unemployed in the country really are.

"The interesting thing about the people who show up here and who I've had a chance to meet is, they're not taking this sitting down," Durbin said. "They're working to find a new job and they're doing the hard work of preparing themselves so they can get a better job. It isn't as if folks out there are enjoying themselves, eating chocolate-covered cherries, waiting for the next check."

Speaking on the health care debate in Washington, Durbin said the three major points of contention between the U.S. House and U.S. Senate bills are likely to be the inclusion of a public option, the funding method and whether abortions are funded with public money.

Several of those at the roundtable discussion expressed anxieties about insurance for their families.

"We have to get to a point in this nation where losing your job doesn't mean losing health care," Durbin said.

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