Lynne Swarbrick is a member of Oregon AFSCME who has been doing tuberculosis research for 23 years. Before the new administration assumed power in Washington, she felt secure in her job. Now, as she told an Oregon television station, Swarbrick isn’t sure what lies ahead.
That’s because the administration and billionaire Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are making huge cuts to federal health departments and personnel.
Indiscriminate funding cuts will slash National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants that pay a big chunk of Swarbrick’s salary at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).
AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride alluded to Swarbrick’s story Tuesday during a labor union rally at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
She and other speakers highlighted how DOGE’s cuts to federal health agencies would harm university-based research programs and activities.
The speakers warned that the cuts will result in layoffs, close key programs and severely hurt college and university faculty, staff, researchers and students. That, in turn, would harm local economies and halt research on ailments like cancer, viral pandemics, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
At OHSU, “some of the nation’s brightest minds are working on putting an end to Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and opioid addiction. Sixty percent of OHSU’s biomedical research funding comes from the NIH. That funding — that progress — is on the table because of Musk and his billionaire friends,” McBride said.
As the administration and DOGE recklessly slash federal programs, “more Americans will get sick. More infectious disease will spread. More medical progress will grind to a halt. More of our neighbors will be put in harm’s way,” McBride said. “AFSCME members prevent death, disease, disaster, disinformation. It is our work that keeps our communities safe.”
Speakers said the attacks on HHS programs and personnel and higher education funding are hurting public health and siphoning off public resources for private gain. Their message: Hands off our health care, research, jobs and education.
McBride called on rallygoers to get organized and reminded them that worker power is the strongest force we have against billionaire attacks.
“Let’s commit right here, right now to get organized and to stay connected to our co-workers. To share information about how to protect ourselves and the services we provide. And to build our power by asking others to join our movement,” she said. “Because working people are the only force that can stand up to these attacks.”