During National Nurses Week, let’s get organized to stand with these health care heroes

Nurses are the backbone of our nation’s health care system. On National Nurses Week, which begins today and runs through May 12, let’s call on our government to put public health before billionaire wealth.

To pay for tax cuts for billionaires, the new administration is threatening to gut Medicaid.

Cuts to this government health insurance program would put at risk the lives of millions of people. That includes low-income families, children and the elderly, who may be unable to access the health care they need any other way. It would also lead to job losses health care workers, including nurses, and close down hospitals, clinics and nursing homes.

“If these devastating cuts pass, nurses will lose jobs, emergency rooms will be overwhelmed, hospitals and clinics will close, lives will be lost, and everyone will suffer from poorer care,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders said in a statement recognizing Nurses Week. “All to pay for billionaire tax cuts.”

The theme for this year’s Nurses Week is “The Power of Nurses,” to recognize the vital role nurses play in health care and the challenges they face. More than 60,000 nurses across the country have a voice on the job through AFSCME.

On Nurses Week, let’s honor these life-saving public service heroes. Let’s thank them for the services they bring to our communities that make us all healthier. Let’s also Get Organized to protect their jobs and stop cuts to Medicaid.

“This week, as we recognize nurses for their compassion, hard work, and sacrifice, we must stand up to the billionaires and anti-union extremists who want to roll back their rights, freedoms and workplace safety,” Saunders said. “Nurses go the extra mile for their patients, and they understand better than anyone that Congress’ plan to gut Medicaid will throw our health care system into disarray.”

It’s not only nurses who are under attack. The federal budget cuts the new administration is pursuing to pay for tax cuts for billionaires threatens the jobs of all public service workers and the public services our communities rely on.

That’s why AFSCME has launched the Get Organized (GO) campaign, to educate everyone about what’s at stake in this fight. We’re standing up to the billionaires and anti-union extremists trying to steal our power. We oppose any efforts to slash public services and gut key programs like Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.