CARSON CITY, Nev. – Cedric Williams, Latasha Hill Burrell and Patricia Wright have three things in common.
They all work for the state of Nevada.
They are all members of AFSCME Local 4041.
And they all want state lawmakers to invest in public services that Nevada communities need and deserve.
Those three workers were among the many AFSCME members who took part in a rally Wednesday in Carson City for state workers. Nevada Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager and state Sen. Rochelle Nguyen also joined.
The rally comes as anti-union extremists in Congress push through reckless federal budget cuts that would hurt Nevadans and gouge a huge hole in the state’s budget. Nearly 30% of Nevada’s budget comes from Washington.
Through our union’s Get Organized campaign, AFSCME members are sounding the alarm on how federal cuts — particularly to Medicaid — will hurt our communities just so billionaires can enjoy bigger tax breaks.
The impact of federal budget cuts on Nevada is a big worry for Nevadans. Yeager said the federal cuts would threaten “programs and services that working families in the Silver State rely on” and that “balancing the budget on the backs of state workers is unacceptable. Full stop.”
Nguyen punctuated this point in her remarks as well.
“Who is this economy really for? It’s not about cutting waste; it’s about a set of priorities that puts the interest of the privileged few over the well-being of the many,” she said.
The rally took place days before the Economic Forum is scheduled to unveil its fiscal forecast. The May 1 forecast is the final official revenue estimate that the legislature uses to balance the state’s books.
AFSCME members are working to prevent lawmakers from slashing public services to make up for the drastic federal budget cuts.
Nevada’s state workers usually end up bearing the brunt of each economic downturn. Though they provide vital public services that millions of Nevadans depend on every day, state workers have been forced to accept furloughs, and pay and benefit cuts.
To safeguard state workers, AFSCME members are urging the legislature to pass two bills. One would reinstate health benefits for retired state employees. The other seeks to expand paid family medical leave.
“As state workers, we do the work we do because we care about Nevadans everywhere and care about our communities. These bills are ways that Nevada can invest in us and make sure that Nevada is a strong state people can live and thrive in for years to come,” said Williams, a family services specialist.
Burrell, also a family services specialist, asked the legislature to fund the Local 4041 contract when the time comes.
“We are asking for the bare minimum in a time when it is growing more and more expensive to just survive,” Burrell said. “We do critical work for Nevadans, making sure that our families are supported when they need it most, that our roads are safe, that everyone gets the care they need. That work deserves respect, and fully funding this contract is the way to do it.”
Wright, a developmental support tech, said state workers demand and deserve dignity and respect. And the two bills — which she called “life-changing for state workers and retirees” — would give them those things.
She urged lawmakers to fund the Local 4041 contract.
“We keep Nevada running, we make sure your families are happy and healthy, we make sure our state is a place that people want to visit and to live,” Wright reminded Nevadans. “We are there for you in your most difficult times, and there for you in the best of times too.”