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Free Press
July 2, 2008 |
Dan Cortez
Staff Writer |
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Jobless Michiganders Tell of Fight for Survival |
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A typical day for Jim Stoner might go something like this:
Wake up early and head to a local library to search for jobs online. Send out a couple of résumés and maybe hear from a possible employer who says, once again, that the company has decided to hire someone else.
Dinner might be oatmeal because of tight finances. Then, the evening is spent worrying about paying the mortgage, health insurance and dwindling savings.
"You have your good days and your bad days," said Stoner, 57, of Mt. Clemens, who has been out of work since November. "Some days you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders and it's hard to get out of bed."
Twelve unemployed southeast Michigan residents painted a similar picture for U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, at a roundtable Tuesday in Roseville. They discussed their need for the 13-week extension of unemployment benefits that President George W. Bush approved Monday -- about 200,000 Michiganders will qualify -- and said that while they appreciate it, the benefits will do little more than cover the bills.
They were among the more than 200 people who wrote to Levin's office during the past several months to voice unemployment concerns.
Levin told them that he pushed to add 26 weeks to the benefits but settled for a compromise of 13 weeks. He plans to seek 13 more weeks in the coming months and will use the stories told Tuesday to show the impact of unemployment on everyday Michiganders.
"It was quite unusual, and we were struck by the number of letters," Levin said.
Talking over coffee and doughnuts, the roundtable at the Roseville Parks and Recreation Department erupted when Levin quoted a pundit who said the extension would mean less incentive to look for a job.
"That comment is obviously from someone who hasn't been in this position before," Stoner said. "That's ignorant. That person has never had to live on $300 a week."
Stoner, who has worked at a number of plastic molding companies for 30 years, said those on unemployment are fighting to survive. He has taken to selling old toys, books and other collectibles on eBay. He said he'll even go to garage sales to find something cheap that he might be able to sell for a profit. He also planted a bigger vegetable garden in the summer to save money on groceries.
Levin was regaled with stories of people -- one said she has applied to as many as 400 jobs without any luck -- draining their savings to pay for necessities and, in some cases, falling into foreclosure. Elaine Stachowiak, 53, of Clinton Township has been unemployed for nearly two years but is hopeful about an accounting job at Wayne State University.
She said she is constantly looking for jobs, although the rejection can be disheartening. She recalled a clerk's job that drew 1,800 applications. She made the cut to the final three but wasn't hired.
"It affects your self-esteem," said Stachowiak, who formerly worked at Kmart. "My full-time job right now is to look for a job."
Russell Holzen, 46, of Eastpointe said anyone who thinks being on unemployment is easy doesn't know the reality. Holzen said his family of five receives a little more than $700 every two weeks.
"We live a humble life," said Holzen, who used to build assembly lines for auto companies before he lost his job in 2006. "It takes forever to save a little bit of money. The expenses are just continuing to rise."
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