UE Benefits are insurance...not welfare. Employers pay into the system and pay a penalty when they reduce forces. Layoffs are a fact of life for those of us who sign the books... and being able to "layoff" when a contract wraps up helps out contractors bid jobs a profit... and pay into pension funds, training, etc.
Going from 60 hours a week to $300 a week for unemployment is the only thing a Union hand gets... and that UE figure is less than that in some states. So much for your mis-information about "signing the books"... it's never "paid" for a union hand to sit home.
That 3% cut probably paid the fines and lawsuits if the truth was known.
I feel a lot better knowing that the wire that fell in OKC was "fixed" by a crew of guys to stupid to take in the rear without a reach around.