Roxanne Conlin: Laid off Wells Fargo workers may be forced off unemployment, too
Democrat Roxanne Conlin is worried Iowans laid off from Wells Fargo may eventually forced off unemployment.
Democrat Roxanne Conlin
The bank announced Wednesday that the Des Moines-based Wells Fargo Financial is being eliminated, along with 3,800 positions nationwide. Wells Fargo also will eliminate an additional 1,000 positions in the next 12 months, most of those positions in Des Moines.
Conlin, a Des Moines lawyer who is seeking to oust long-time Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, said in a statement late last night that her opponent's refusal to extend financial benefits to out-of-work Iowans is "cruel."
"It is outrageous that many of these jobless may face the same circumstances nearly 60,000 Iowans face today as they are being forced off unemployment because Chuck Grassley refuses to extend this benefit to them," Conlin said in the news release at 8 p.m. Wednesday. "This limitation on benefits is cruel and unnecessary."
Conlin said the blame lies at Grassley's feet.
It was his decision, she said, "to ignore the men and women of Iowa who are now struggling to provide food for their families, keep a roof over their heads, and provide medical care."
She added: "What is even more shameful is that Senator Grassley had no problem supporting the bailout for banks like Wells Fargo and other banks, which enriched their executives. The federal debt was not important to him then, when Wall Street was in trouble. But when average Iowans are hurting, the senator has turned his back on them not once, not twice, but three times in recent weeks."
Source: Des Moines Register
