Purple hats and gold thunder sticks carrying the message, "Enough is Enough", filled Albany's West Capitol Park on Thursday as some 5,000 1199SEIU caregivers rallied to protest another round of healthcare budget cuts proposed by New York's Governor David Paterson.
The Governor's proposed $278 million in Medicaid cuts would cause the state to lose a total of $746 million, when federal matching funds are figured in. For every dollar cut in state Medicaid funding, New York loses $2.60 from Washington.
In the past two years, healthcare funding has already been cut six times by the legislature, with a combined loss of over $2.2 billion, resulting in the loss of several hospitals and nursing homes in distressed areas.
Ros Hampton, an LPN and longtime 1199SEIU Delegate in Buffalo, rally inspired the crowd when she asked, "Governor Paterson, is this any way to treat the most vulnerable members of our society that have paid their dues? Our elderly need to be treated like the kings and queens they are, but how can we do that with these outrageous budget cuts?"
Paulette Abrams, an 1199SEIU homecare worker with the Social Concern Homecare Agency, told the rally, "I've been a homecare worker for 19 years and I'm here to tell Governor Paterson that our patients and all of our families cannot survive any more cuts to homecare. Our clients won't be able to get the care they need and we won't be able to pay our bills."
1199SEIU caregivers came to Albany from as far away as the tip of Long Island and up to the Canadian borders of Western and Northern New York. They were joined by hospital and nursing home executives, who understand the devastating impact of these cuts.
1199SEIU President George Gresham told the rally that the union members would use their political power to punish elected officials who harmed patient care and the living standards of our families.
"We have a four-letter word for our elected officials," Gresham said. "That word is 'vote'. If they vote for the governor's budget, we're going to vote them out of office."
He led the crown in chanting, "Enough is enough!. No more cuts!"
Ken Raske, President of the Greater New York Hospital Association told the crowd, "No industry has sacrificed more to ease New York's fiscal woes and no industry has worked harder to be a part of the solution. Make no mistake - any more cuts to the healthcare industry mean that access to healthcare will be severely threatened."
Rachel Kleinbart, a Columbia Presbyterian Hospital social worker in Manhattan, agreed. "We're already suffering the effects of the former cuts," she said. "We've lost positions in our department. We're understaffed."
Sacia Cann, a certified nursing assistant at River Valley Care Center in Poughkeepsie, where her brother is also a caregiver, said, "Not only do we work here, but our mother lives here. We want her to get the best care possible and we are already short-staffed. What if the nursing home has to close? What will happen to our entire family?"
