Hogan must “Do the right thing”

“Despite spin and gaslighting from businesses and corporate interests, there is no labor shortage in Maryland,” said labor leaders Donna Edwards and Dyana Forester yesterday as they applauded the Maryland Court of Appeals’ decision to uphold a ten day temporary restraining order allowing unemployed residents to continue receiving federal supplemental unemployment benefits through at least July 13. “Gov. Hogan was never justified in his decision to end these benefits early,” added Edwards, president of the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO and Forester, president of the Metro Washington Labor Council. “In light of the deep loss and death in our state, when this case is heard again in two weeks, it would stand to reason that our state leaders will do right by our communities to back workers--their constituents--and keep Maryland’s federal supplemental unemployment benefits through early September. Unemployment benefits are not keeping employees from going back to work--unsustainable poverty wages are.”