Work injury means piling bills
by Marcella Drennan—Virginia
Last week I met a 32-year-old gentleman who had been injured at work. He had fallen at a construction site and broke his leg. He had not worked for his company long enough to have benefits. He is trying to apply for worker's compensation, but his boss wasn't trying to give it to him. He'd filed for unemployment, which he said was "a joke." So the bills are piling up and he said he now needs surgery on the leg. Even though he was unemployed, he still gave a $5 dues payment. He also let me use the bathroom and gave me some Sunny Delight.
Concerned about education
by Tim Robertson—Virginia
Last week, in an apartment complex in Herndon, I spoke with a gentleman who was a naturalized U.S. citizen from India. We engaged in a rather broad conversation about the issues as he became a Working America member, but he was constantly lamenting a problem he'd seen since moving to the U.S...
A job just to pay for health care
by Matthew Fitting—Virginia
As soon as I said that we were organizing in his neighborhood for better health care, the man at the door raised his eyebrows. Turns out, the issue had been constantly on his mind because of his family. The way he said it, I figured we were talking about two or even three kids, but he and his wife had only recently had their first son...
Thirty-one years, 5 months and 24 days
by Carissa Lovelace—Virginia
As I talk to people in Manassas, Virginia it is becoming clear to me that everyone, no matter what state they live in, is deeply affected by the issues that we fight for...
