Philadelphia Live Event Workers Call For More Financial Support As Weekly Federal Unemployment Benefits Expire
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- On Friday, $600 in weekly federal unemployment benefits ends for many Americans. In Philadelphia, those who used to work live events rallied for more financial support.
The show has not gone on for concerts, festivals and other live events in Philadelphia since March. Many behind-the-scenes workers say they need government assistance to pay their bills.
Dozens of members of the Live Events Coalition of Philadelphia gathered outside of Philadelphia's City Hall on Friday. They're calling on Congress to do more to help them because $600 of weekly federal unemployment is expiring.
These stagehands, sound techs, lighting designers, tour managers and so many others who put together shows in the city have no idea when they might be able to return to work.
"It's very challenging," Danielle Lewis, of Mount Airy, said.
Lewis was a production manager. Now she's among more than three million unemployed Pennsylvanians who are anticipating tough times ahead because federal unemployment is ending and state unemployment is just not enough.
"Anything helps, but at the end of the day, it's not your salary," Lewis said. "We actually want to work. We don't want to sit at home and collect a check. We want to be servicing people, we want to provide service to the industry and do what we do best."
Christine Volpe, of Gloucester County, New Jersey, says on top of losing federal unemployment Friday, her state unemployment ends in October.
"After that, I have no income that I know of coming in because I can't work until groups of people can gather," Volpe said.
To apply for extended unemployment in Pennsylvania, people can click here.
