9to5 members and friends – Now is time to take action! Congress is voting this week and next on a bill that threatens to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA – Obamacare) and slash Medicaid, which together have reduced the number of uninsured Americans by many, many millions. Since the ACA became law on March 23, 2010, over 30 million have enrolled and more people in our country have health care coverage than ever.
International Women’s Day is getting more attention than usual in the U.S. this year. You can see it in the marches, rallies and strikes today, in the numbers of women at work wearing red, and in the diverse actions being taken nationwide for dignity, equality and respect.
Historically, this day was called International Working Women’s Day. Whether we balance two jobs just to (try to) pay the bills, take care of a sick parent, work a 9 to 5 job, or hold it down some other way, there are a million and one ways to be a working woman. Just as there are a million and one ways to fight what’s happening to all of us and move forward together toward justice.
As we face a new national political landscape, 9to5 remains committed to bringing our communities together to organize for the real changes we need to achieve justice and equality for working women – and for our broader communities. 9to5 is a place of progress and hope, where people can get involved in building a better world together. We are strong and principled; we will continue to lift up women’s voices and engage women to take action. Read our full statement of principles and action.
This week, 9to5 and others who believe in common-sense solutions to personal medical and family care needs are celebrating the 24th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). FMLA ensures that eligible employees may use up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year to care for the birth or adoption of a new child or for their own or a family member’s serious illness, while retaining access to their health care. FMLA was a great starting point, and it’s been used more than 200 million times to benefit U. S. families.
Just a week into his term of office, President Trump signed an executive order ending our country’s Syrian refugee program, suspending visas from seven majority-Muslim countries, and temporarily halting refugee resettlement.
We have news we would like to share with you. Linda Meric will be moving out of her role as 9to5’s Executive Director this summer as she transitions into the next chapter of her life. Over the past dozen years, Linda has led 9to5 with vision, dedication and commitment to our members and mission. She has had a tremendous impact on 9to5 as well as on the broader social justice movement.
While we have a lot more to do to achieve full equity and economic security, Trump’s pick for Secretary of Labor, Andrew Puzder, will only take us backwards, something none of our families can afford.
Congressional leaders are lining up to destroy family-supporting health care programs like Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act and Medicare as fast as possible — launching their attack as early as January. Call the toll-free Healthcare Protection Hotline, to say “NO!”
I still keep my EBT card with my other sentimental items like movie tickets and family photos. As a new mom struggling to make ends meet while in school and working 20-30 hours a week, government assistance programs helped keep my family afloat. These programs allowed me to be a mom, finish school, and create the life I wanted.
I work two part-time jobs. I have student loan debt that I fear I will never be able to pay off. I can’t save for my future retirement, much less put money aside for an emergency. I stay with my parents who don’t charge me rent or expect money for groceries. Some weeks I work 50 hours or more.
