For Immediate Release
Thursday, May 02, 1996
AFSCME President Denounces Wisconsin Welfare Reform
Washington, DC —Gerald W. McEntee, president of the 1.3 million member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, today sharply criticized Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson for implementing one of the most devastating welfare reform programs ever proposed. Called "Wisconsin Works," or "W-2," the reform package would abolish the state's Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program and end entitlements to services and benefits for low-income families.
McEntee said the W-2 would eviscerate key provisions in the current federal/state welfare system, and would make it impossible for low-income families to become self-sufficient. The AFSCME president also outlined fundamental areas of concern with the W-2 program, including:
- Entitlement to benefits for low-income and disadvantaged families. By enacting W-2, Wisconsin has rejected entitlements to services and benefits for low income families.
- Public administration of the program. W-2 would allow counties to "opt out" of administering the program after two years. McEntee said that by opting out, counties would "throw open the door to patronage in awarding contracts, lack of public accountability and a greater potential for unfair and arbitrary treatment of program participants."
- Medicaid coverage. W-2, according to McEntee, would "strip W-2 participants of Medicaid coverage and move them into a managed care system in which they will have to pay a portion of the premiums."
- Child care coverage. W-2 proposes instituting sliding scale fees for individuals in the program, and would eliminate a guarantee of child care. "We oppose the effort to abolish the guarantee of child care for all those who need it in order to participate in work-program activities," McEntee said.
"Wisconsin is only the tip of the iceberg of states whose only goal is to cut costs, and not to truly reform the system. We support making positive changes to the current welfare system that will help low-income families become self sufficient. Let's not punish disadvantaged children for being poor," McEntee said.
AFSCME represents 100,000 social service workers around the country, and has been a leading critic of conservative efforts to reform welfare without including vital safeguards for families with children.
