Thousands Of Caregivers To Tell Albany November 12: “Protect Our Patients, NY Healthcare From Draconian Cuts!”
New York’s frontline caregivers are mobilizing by the thousands to go to Albany on Thursday, November 12, to tell the Legislature and Governor that enough is enough: the state’s healthcare industry has already been hit by six rounds of budget cuts, totaling $2.2 billion in the past two years. Now Gov. David Paterson is calling for another $746 million in cuts for the current fiscal year, ending next April. With matching federal funds, the proposed cuts in fact amount to $1.5 billion.
The cuts are aimed at New York’s hospitals, nursing homes and homecare providers. Several hospitals, most notably in central Queens, have already had to close their doors, depriving hundreds of thousands of New Yorker nearby care. Other hospitals, homes and homecare agencies are barely surviving under the assault from Albany.
“The abrupt Queens hospital closures left middle-class and working families struggling for access to quality care," 1199SEIU President George Gresham told the Legislature last month. "These cuts have real consequences. Just this past year, we have seen the rate of hospital layoffs more than double from previous years. Additional cuts will bring more closings that would leave communities reeling from a loss of healthcare services." Greater New York Hospital Association President Kenneth Raske echoed Gresham. “Only in newspaper editorials are New York’s health care providers fiscally sound enough to have their funding slashed without compromising access to care. In the real world, they are reeling from an avalanche of funding cuts, bleeding red ink, and heading towards layoffs, reduced services, and more closures.”
Caregivers from every part of the state will gather in Albany at 12 Noon on Thursday to demand that the Legislature stop the cuts.
Buses will leave New York City at 8 am that day. Here is the schedule.
Manhattan: 310 West 43rd St. (1199SEIU HQ)
Bronx: Fordham Plaza
Queens: 179th St. and Hillside Ave.
Brooklyn: Utica Ave. & Eastern Parkway
For alternative bus departure points, more information and to reserve seats on the bus, 1199SEIU members are urged to please contact your delegate or organizer.