AFSCME President Lee Saunders has expressed strong opposition to the recent budget reconciliation bill passed by Congress. The legislation, according to Saunders, significantly reduces funding for public services while granting substantial tax cuts to billionaires.
Saunders criticized the bill as a betrayal of working families across the nation. He emphasized its adverse effects on various public service workers, including nurses, care providers, school bus drivers, and special needs educators. “The passage of this bill is a betrayal of working families nationwide,” Saunders stated. “It is a slap in the face to nurses, care providers, school bus drivers, special needs educators and other public service workers who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities.”
He further highlighted the potential consequences of the bill: “Because of this bill, children will go hungry. Seniors will lose access to long-term care. 17 million people, including veterans and their families, will lose their health care.”
Saunders also warned about broader economic impacts such as job losses and increased healthcare costs for families with employer coverage. He noted that states and local governments could face fiscal crises due to extreme cuts in public services. “Let’s be clear: this debt-exploding budget will wreak havoc,” he added.
In response to these developments, Saunders urged collective action among working people to challenge income inequality and hold elected officials accountable. “We will not sit back while Congress sells our futures to billionaires,” he declared.
He called for continued organization among workers to defend jobs and essential services: “We face tough times ahead, but when working people stand together, we have the power to reclaim what was stolen and build a better future for our families.”
