Chicago Federation of Labor

-467,000

The U.S. economy shed 467,000 jobs last month as unemployment ticked up one tenth of a percentage point to 9.5 percent. Since the recession began in December 2007, payroll employment has dropped by 6.5 million, and the unemployment rate has increased by 4.6 percentage points.

Everywhere you look, employers are laying off workers as we struggle to get through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression:

557 CPS administrators were given pink slips this week
Caterpillar announced 2,200 layoffs recently with 1,500 coming in Illinois
Both the state and city are threatening massive layoffs as they struggle to balance their budgets
John Deere announced 800 workers have accepted buyouts as part of a cost-saving measure after laying off nearly 500 production workers

The Economic Policy Institute says the job growth of the last nine years has now been completely wiped out.

Promising future for Hartmarx

The creditors holding the fate of troubled suit-maker Hart Shaffner & Marx have agreed to a sale that will likely keep the company in business.

London-based Emerisque emerged several months ago with a bid for the bankrupt company that would keep the operations here in Chicago up and running, and employing roughly 1,000 workers.

After Wells Fargo, pushed for liquidation of the parent company Hartmarx's holdings, the workers represented by Workers United and community allies demanded a fair shake, particularly in light of Wells Fargo receiving $25 billion in federal bailout money. The workers pledged to conduct a sit-in strike if the company was to be shut down.

UPDATE: Workers react to Hartmarx victory

"Who will care for my child if I die?"

More Than Half in Huge Survey Say They Cannot Get the Health Care They Need At a Price They Can Afford

23,460 Respond To AFL-CIO, Working America Health Care Survey 6,400 Tell Personal Stories

Over half of the 23,460 people who responded online to a health care survey sponsored by the AFL-CIO and Working America say they cannot get the health care they need at a price they can afford, and the problem is even more acute among people who buy their own insurance, Hispanics and young adults. A third of respondents report that they forgo basic medical care because of costs, including skipping doctor recommended tests and treatments and not visiting a doctor when they are sick.