AFL-CIO Ad: ‘Auto Loans About All of Us’
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The economy is in a free fall and failure to help the nation’s automakers could be devastating, economists say. Nearly 2 million jobs have been lost this year—more than half a million last month alone—and there is a possibility that another 3.3 million jobs could be gone if Congress does not pass an emergency bridge loan for the Big Three automakers. Some 10 million U.S. workers were looking for a job in October. That’s why union members are pushing for Congress to quickly approve the auto industry loans.
In full-page ads today in The Hill, Roll Call and Politico newspapers, which reach decision makers in the nation’s capital, the AFL-CIO says the auto industry crisis does not just affect autoworkers, its impact stretches across the economy in a big way.
The House may act as early as today to pass a $15 billion bridge loan package, but a small minority of Republican senators are threatening to filibuster against the bill and stop it from being approved in the upper chamber. If lawmakers do not act this week, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said, one or more automakers will be forced to liquidate operations.
