AFSCME’s Saunders Urges Swift Passage of State and Local Aid: ‘We Can Only Beat COVID and Restore the Economy if We Save Vital Public Services’

WASHINGTON — In response to congressional leaders unveiling the HEROES Act, AFSCME President Lee Saunders issued the following statement:

“A crisis of this magnitude demands the boldest possible response, and this bill meets the moment.

“Public service workers are on the job around the clock, doing everything in their power to beat this pandemic, risking their lives to save others. But with the economy in a state of collapse and state and local governments rapidly going broke, the only thanks they’re getting so far is a pink slip. The nation shed an unprecedented 1 million public sector jobs in April. If that trend continues, it will absolutely shatter our communities.

“The only way to beat COVID and reopen the economy is to save vital public services and the public service workers who provide them – and this bill from the House of Representatives does exactly that. This legislation, instead of bailing out wealthy corporations, invests in the services and the people who make our communities strong: people who provide clean water, safe roads, strong schools, fully staffed hospitals and much more.

“I urge the House to move quickly on this legislation, and the Senate to follow suit immediately. The need is urgent and the stakes are high. We need to fund the front lines now.”