East Providence Unemployment Activists Send Message to Governor

Orange signs reading "A Better Deal for RI" flooded the back half of the East Providence's council chambers during Tuesday's. Local activists demonstrated support for the passing of a resolution that would urge Gov. Lincoln Chafee to openly bid for companies providing debit card services relating to the distribution of unemployment benefits.

The resolution specifically took aim at financial powerhouse JP Morgan Chase's current hold on unemployment fund debit cards. The resolution contained language that decried the use of fees associated with the use of the company's debit cards, along with support for using local financial businesses to potentially bid for the contract in the hopes of internally bolstering the state's economy. The resolution referred to JP Morgan Chase as a "multi-national corporation with no branches in Rhode Island."

After public comment on the matter, the resolution passed the council unanimously to loud cheers from its proponents.

Rumford resident and volunteer for Rhode Island Jobs with Justice spoke and delivered pointed commentary with a fiscally-sound edge on the fees she says are being charged to those who would use JP Morgan Chase's debit cards for their unemployment benefits.

"For people already struggling, any additional cost can have a huge impact for our brothers and sisters scraping to get by and trying to keep their homes ... Every penny counts," Fernandes said at the podium. "We must make sure that every precious penny of our tax money, provided for crucial assistance, is carefully cared for to assure that [banks] don't eat money meant to help those in need."

Virginia Gonsalves also spoke in favor of the resolution, citing those close to her who are struggling economically, along with her involvement with her church.

"I've never been unemployed," Gonsalves said. "I'm a retired senior citizen. I don't have a lot of the problems that many of the people in my family, and in my community, have of being unemployed and being under-employed and being under financial stress."

Gonsalves added that she "did not know about [the] fee" until receiving a call on Sunday about the resolution. Gonsalves said she was "flabbergasted."

"How can people who are suffering so many difficulties, including the stress of being unemployed, have to pay fees just to find out what they have on their account?" asked Gonsalves. "I think it's sinful."

The city will forward the resolution "urging" Governor Chafee to pursue a vendor that would potentially use a local bank.