January 22, 2010

Honorable Dick Durbin

309 Hart Senate Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Durbin:

I have read with great interest an article in the Wall Street Journal titled “In Senate 59 Voters Can Still Deliver.” You were quoted in the article as saying “We need to move as quickly as we can to the job issues and the economic issues. That turned out to be a dominant issue among independent voters who voted Republican last night in Massachusetts.”  This was in reference to a Jobs Bill the Senate plans to consider in the next few weeks. 

There has been legislation introduced in the House (HR 1194, the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2009) that could provide many jobs for the 1700 members of Sprinkler Fitters Local 281, U.A.  A similar Bill will be introduced in the Senate by Senators Carper and Collins.

I am asking you, as a constituent, and as the Business Manager of  Sprinkler Fitters Local 281, U.A. Chicago,  to please consider our high unemployment (over 36%) and our under employment, when HR 1194 and the soon to be introduced similar Senate Bill from Senators Carper and Collins come up for vote. 

Senator, we have struggled as an industry for over 8 years to get this Bill passed.  My members want to work; they are honest, hardworking, productive people who feel let down and betrayed by a government who can bail out big businesses and Wall Street and then they ignore the very people who put them into office.  I implore you, my members implore you, and our industry implores you to please place a priority on this legislation.  This legislation will stimulate jobs not only in Illinois, but every state of our Nation. 

We need jobs, and we need them now.

Sincerely yours,

John Zubricks

Business Manager

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