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CHARLOTTE – Thousands of out-of-work men and women are desperately calling on state lawmakers to extend their unemployment benefits.

For the past month, they say they've been caught in the middle of a political standoff between Republican legislators and Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue all while they struggle to provide their families with the basic necessities.

Armed with giant signs reading “37,000” and demanding action, more than a dozen people stood outside the Employment Security Commission on Monday calling on lawmakers to do what they feel is the right thing.

"Instead of taking the high road, they've chosen to take the low road. Instead of extending benefits, they are extending the pain for families that are already experiencing hard times," said MaryBe McMillan, of the AFL-CIO.

Organizers say their signs represent the 37,000 North Carolinians who lost their extended unemployment benefits. The checks have been held for about a month after Perdue vetoed a Republican proposal that would have kept the checks coming but cut the state budget by 13 percent.

"If you want to play politics, play politics with things that affect you,"said Keith Fountain. The 48-year-old was laid off in July 2009 and in that time says he's applied for at least 400 jobs.

Fountain said his ongoing search has been made even more difficult without his benefits check.

"Right now I'm working part time at a grocery store but the problem with that is the hours fluctuate -- sometimes you get 10 hours a week, sometimes you get 28," he said.

Representatives from the governor's and speaker's offices agree this is a big problem but lay blame on their opponent's failure to compromise.

"These benefits have nothing to do with our state budget -- they're totally federally funded, won't cost our state a single penny – but legislators still refuse to pass legislation that would allow the checks to start flowing again to these families," said McMillan.

North Carolina's unemployment rate currently sits at 9.7 percent.