After years of confronting a rigged system and a brutal pandemic, working people are finally catching a break. But now, all our progress – and even our very rights and freedoms – are under attack. This November, the choice is clear.
Roman Arizona AFSCME Retiree Chapter 97, AZI truly believe these last two years with the president in the White House has been the rescue years.
Vanessa Philadelphia Retiree Chapter 47, PA"Who you put in office does have an impact on your every day life."
Laura District Council 37, NY"I feel like I can finally breathe."
Craig Illinois AFSCME Retiree Chapter 31, IL"This is going to be a game-changer."
Kanika Local 2960, AZ"I think me and my family have been more hopeful for the future."
Shirley AFSCME Florida, FL"The $1,400 helped me put everything back in the black."
Miren UDW, CA"I was able to keep the doors open."
Wilfredo Philadelphia Retiree Chapter 47, PA"The unemployment rate has gone down. Medical care is much better."
Winstan PEU Local 1, CA"We have a White House that isn’t afraid to invest in ... public services."
Aaron Local 2773, Council 8, OH"We have so many more opportunities and ways to care and support our family."
Sonja Local 4041, NV"Investments in infrastructure are long overdue."
Noah Local 4041, NV"Student loan forgiveness means I can pursue college again."
Ahead of this November’s midterm elections, public service workers are mobilizing up and down the ballot to continue the progress made for working people over the past two years.
"I can’t begin to explain what this meant for me and my family,” she said I thought I was going to die with the debt."
Laura Morand
District Council 37, Local 2627
New York, NY
For far too long, too many families have barely kept their heads above water, struggling to pay the bills each month because of a rigged system that favors the wealthy. The pandemic made it worse, especially for public service workers fighting a brutal battle on the front lines of our communities.
But now, under the leadership of the Biden administration, we are turning a corner. Gas prices are falling, costs are coming down across the board, and unemployment is at historic lows. Working people are finally catching a break, and the wealthy are finally starting to pay their fair share.
There is more work to be done, but there are many more reasons to be optimistic about the future.
Over the past two years, landmark legislation has passed, and unprecedented investments have been made that will strengthen public services, rebuild infrastructure, and create good union jobs for years to come. These wins will also lower the cost of health care and prescription drugs, combat climate change and deliver student debt relief to tens of millions of Americans.
"This year alone, my wife and I have paid over seven thousand dollars for our deductibles and our out of pocket for those medications. The Inflation Reduction Act is going to be a game-changer for my household and millions of other retirees like me.”
Craig Missel
AFSCME Retiree Chapter 31
Springfield, IL
For the first time in ages, we have elected leaders in Washington who understand the challenges facing working families and are committed to making things better.
That is why this November, we must protect the progress we have made. Political extremists, and the same group of politicians who have spent decades rigging the system against working people, are teaming up to reverse all that we have accomplished. And to do it, they are hell-bent on taking away our rights and freedoms, putting our very democracy at risk.
As we get ready to vote, the choice is clear.
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Two years of progress
The American Rescue Plan saved public services and public service jobs
American Rescue Plan (ARP) was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021. It brought the economy back from the brink. It put money directly in the pockets of working families, with payments of $1,400 to tens of millions of people. And the centerpiece of the bill was $350 billion in aid to states, cities, towns and schools – a huge investment that saved AFSCME jobs and restored public services that were on the chopping block.
Strong Union Contracts
The American Rescue Plan and pro-worker momentum coming from the Biden administration are helping public service workers negotiate some of the strongest contracts in years, winning better pay, safer working conditions and protecting pensions for retirees.
Landmark infrastructure investment is strengthening communities and creating good jobs
The historic bipartisan infrastructure bill is creating good union jobs while improving quality of life for all of us – everyone who drives on our roads, rides public transit, buys goods that pass through our ports, and who depends on clean drinking water broadband and a reliable power grid. A historic bill will bring down costs, fight climate change and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share.
The Inflation Reduction Act is also the law of the land, making a powerful difference in family budgets across the country. We have been fighting for this kind of change for decades. The new law will dramatically lower health care and prescription drug costs. For years, the big pharmaceutical companies have used their power in Washington to rake in more profits while gouging seniors and working families. But now, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, the federal government can now negotiate lower prices and provide badly needed relief to folks on Medicare, such as Craig Missel.
The wealthiest families and the biggest corporations will start paying their fair share, while no one making less than $400,000 a year will pay a penny more. Finally, this law represents the nation’s biggest commitment ever to tackling climate change.
Relief from a never-ending spiral of student debt
President Biden took a bold step to help working families breathe a little easier. He delivered on a promise to ease the burden of crushing student debt. Up to 43 million people will get relief under the president’s plan, with about 20 million borrowers seeing their entire balance canceled.
In addition to debt cancellation, the president’s administration has overhauled the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF), making it easier for millions of dedicated public service workers to get student loan forgiveness.
Our Stories
"Reducing the cost of prescriptions drugs is a life and death situation for myself and for my family. What President Biden is doing with the Congress in helping to negotiate fair prices with drug companies so that we don’t have to cut our pills in half, we don’t have to skip our medications, we can take them when we need to take them… We can live a better and more productive life."
Tom
"I think it's time for working people to be rescued. And if it weren't for our president being there in the White House, there's no way we could have made it. And that's why I really, really, really am thankful for the fact that this family got rescued."
Roman
"There was a time, I can remember a couple of years ago, when people had to go to Canada to get their meds. Now hopefully things are a little bit better."
Adele
"I can't begin to explain what this meant for me and my family" she said. I thought I was going to die with the debt. Now I can plan for things I never thought I could plan for. I can live a life I never thought I'd live. I feel like I can finally breath."
Laura
"This year alone, my wife and I have paid over seven thousand dollars for our deductibles and our out of pocket for those medications. The Inflation Reduction Act is going to be a game-changer for my household and millions of other retirees like me."
Craig
"The funding that Nevada got, almost $3 billion from the American Rescue Plan, was critical to help the state recover from the pandemic."
Sonja
“I think it's important to continue the work that has happened in the last two years. And so by electing continuing to elect these candidates who are pro workers, pro-union, pro people, it's just going to continue to do the work. It's going to continue and build upon what we have.”
Stephanie