State & Local Budgets | Page 4 | American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

August 28, 2020

Voters in another state – Ohio – strongly support federal aid to states, cities, towns, schools

Ohio voters of all political stripes overwhelmingly want Congress to provide federal aid to struggling states, cities, towns and schools, according to a new poll.

August 06, 2020

Labor leaders join their voices together to call on Senate to pass Heroes Act

Labor leaders jointly called on the Senate to pass the House-approved Heroes Act, which includes nearly $1 trillion in federal aid to states, cities and towns.

July 29, 2020

Voters in seven key states express strong support for $1 trillion in state and local aid

In new polls, voters in seven states express strong support for $1 trillion in state and local aid. And the support cuts across partisan lines.

July 28, 2020

AFSCME President: GOP coronavirus relief bill ‘spectacularly fails to meet the moment’

The Republican coronavirus relief bill introduced this week “spectacularly fails to meet the moment,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders says.

July 27, 2020

New national ads urge Senate to prevent ‘painful cuts to essential public services’

New AFSCME ads urging the Senate to provide federal aid are going national today.

July 24, 2020

The power of a union: Nevada state worker mobilization makes the difference

AFSCME members in Nevada mobilized against Gov. Steve Sisolak proposed furloughs, merit pay freezes and layoffs – and won. That’s the power of a union.

July 24, 2020

Arizona poll shows overwhelming support for federal aid to states, cities, towns, schools

A new poll of Arizona voters shows overwhelming, bipartisan support – 75% – for federal aid to struggling states, cities, towns and school districts.

July 23, 2020

Retirees urged to call the Senate demanding federal aid to states, localities

A former Ohio governor and AFSCME President Lee Saunders asked AFSCME Retirees to call the Senate and demand aid for states and localities.

July 22, 2020

AFSCME joins Pennsylvania Sen. Casey in calling for federal aid to states, cities and towns

AFSCME joined Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey today to push Senate Republicans to approve at least $1 trillion in federal aid to states, cities and towns.

July 17, 2020

Schumer joins AFSCME in calling for at least $1 trillion in federal aid to states, cities and towns

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer joined AFSCME President Lee Saunders and AFSCME members in calling on Republicans in the Senate to agree to at least $1 trillion in federal aid to states, cities and towns.

July 17, 2020

Bold Federal Aid Needed Now, Says Former Fed Chair Bernanke

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says that bold federal aid is urgently needed to save the economy and fight the pandemic.

July 14, 2020

Will Washington invest in billionaires or the rest of us?

The president of an AFSCME affiliate explains why cutting public services and the workers that provide them in a bad idea, especially during a pandemic.

July 14, 2020

Vast majority of Republicans in swing states support the virus aid McConnell is blocking

Even Republicans agree that the Senate should help struggling states and localities. Why doesn’t Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell?

July 10, 2020

AFSCME Maryland prevails in fight against governor’s public service cuts

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan proposed cutting public service jobs and pay using the pandemic as a pretext. But AFSCME members were having none of it.

July 09, 2020

Pelosi joins AFSCME in calling for state, local aid amid soaring virus cases

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined AFSCME President Lee Saunders and front-line public service workers in calling on the Senate to approve at least $1 trillion in flexible aid to states, cities and towns.

July 08, 2020

AFSCME members pressure Senate to act on aid to states, cities and towns

During an AFSCME tele-town hall, President Lee Saunders and AFSCME members called on their union family to pressure their U.S. senators to approve aid to states, cities and towns.

July 07, 2020

State workers in Florida get first raise in 12 years

The public service workers who are keeping Florida running during this global pandemic finally got a 3% raise – their first in a dozen years.

July 01, 2020

176 groups to the U.S. Senate: Pass state, local aid to ‘maintain essential services’

It’s not just AFSCME saying it. A coalition of 176 groups – including our union – has written to the Senate, urgently seeking state and local aid.

July 01, 2020

The Senate should not kick unemployed workers when they are down

Unless the U.S. Senate extends a $600 weekly unemployment supplement, workers who lost their jobs in the COVID-19 pandemic will see a sharp drop in benefits come Aug. 1.

June 29, 2020

AFSCME Local 4041 members file unfair labor practice complaint against State of Nevada

Nevada’s governor is unilaterally trying to lay off state workers and AFSCME Local 4041 members are having none of it.

June 24, 2020

‘The anger is blinding’

DC 37 member and New York paramedic discusses fighting the coronavirus pandemic in a powerful first-person account published by the Washington Post.

June 24, 2020

KY poll shows overwhelming support for federal aid to states, cities, towns

A new AFSCME poll shows Kentucky voters overwhelmingly want Congress to provide aid to Kentucky’s state and local governments and maintain public services.

June 23, 2020

Alaska public service workers call for federal aid to keep communities safe

The U.S. Senate is getting an urgent, bipartisan request from state workers and lawmakers in Alaska – please provide state and local aid like the House has.

June 17, 2020

Workers caravan brings together thousands to demand bold action from Congress

More than a thousand union members traveled to the nation’s capital to demand bold action resolve the crises facing our nation. Similar rallies were held nationwide.

June 16, 2020

Nevada AFSCME members speak out on budget changes

AFSCME Local 4041 members are speaking out against the governor’s plan to furlough Nevada state employees.

June 16, 2020

MN Behavioral Health Members Find Community Online, Build Union Strength

Rather than feeling isolated during the coronavirus pandemic., Minnesota’s behavioral health workers are strengthening their union bonds online.

June 12, 2020

Biden: ‘AFSCME workers are holding this country together right now’

During a tele-town hall, Vice President Joe Biden joined AFSCME President Lee Saunders and AFSCME members to discuss recovery amid the pandemic and ways to tackle longstanding institutional racism.

June 11, 2020

Continuing to protect Hawaii from invasive pests during the coronavirus pandemic

Hawaii’s plant quarantine inspectors safeguard the state’s unique ecology. Laying them off because of COVID-related funding shortages would harm the environment and the economy.

June 09, 2020

HOPE members avert layoffs, seek Houston leaders’ support for state, local aid request

HOPE Local 123 members have averted thousands of layoffs in Houston and got some support from the Houston City Council to get state, local aid from Congress.

June 08, 2020

Saunders joins AFSCME Maryland caravan to call on state leaders for justice, action

Honoring George Floyd and holding Gov. Larry Hogan accountable were the aims of a car caravan organized by AFSCME Maryland at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore.

State & Local Budgets Archive

Voters in another state – Ohio – strongly support federal aid to states, cities, towns, schools

Labor leaders join their voices together to call on Senate to pass Heroes Act

Voters in seven key states express strong support for $1 trillion in state and local aid

AFSCME President: GOP coronavirus relief bill ‘spectacularly fails to meet the moment’

New national ads urge Senate to prevent ‘painful cuts to essential public services’

The power of a union: Nevada state worker mobilization makes the difference

Arizona poll shows overwhelming support for federal aid to states, cities, towns, schools

Retirees urged to call the Senate demanding federal aid to states, localities

AFSCME joins Pennsylvania Sen. Casey in calling for federal aid to states, cities and towns

Schumer joins AFSCME in calling for at least $1 trillion in federal aid to states, cities and towns

Bold Federal Aid Needed Now, Says Former Fed Chair Bernanke

Will Washington invest in billionaires or the rest of us?

Vast majority of Republicans in swing states support the virus aid McConnell is blocking

AFSCME Maryland prevails in fight against governor’s public service cuts

Pelosi joins AFSCME in calling for state, local aid amid soaring virus cases

AFSCME members pressure Senate to act on aid to states, cities and towns

State workers in Florida get first raise in 12 years

176 groups to the U.S. Senate: Pass state, local aid to ‘maintain essential services’

The Senate should not kick unemployed workers when they are down

AFSCME Local 4041 members file unfair labor practice complaint against State of Nevada

‘The anger is blinding’

KY poll shows overwhelming support for federal aid to states, cities, towns

Alaska public service workers call for federal aid to keep communities safe

Workers caravan brings together thousands to demand bold action from Congress

Nevada AFSCME members speak out on budget changes

MN Behavioral Health Members Find Community Online, Build Union Strength

Biden: ‘AFSCME workers are holding this country together right now’

Continuing to protect Hawaii from invasive pests during the coronavirus pandemic

HOPE members avert layoffs, seek Houston leaders’ support for state, local aid request

Saunders joins AFSCME Maryland caravan to call on state leaders for justice, action