News

Biden forgives student loans for an additional 78,000 public service workers

AFSCME President Lee Saunders praised the White House’s announcement Thursday that the Biden administration will forgive student loans for an additional 78,000 borrowers — including many AFSCME mem

Saunders to Congress: Helping States, Localities Must Be Next on Your Agenda

Congress has passed – and the president on Friday quickly signed – a $484 billion relief bill for small businesses and hospitals hurting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ramp up coronavirus testing. But the measure fails to provide another critical piece of aid – assistance to state and local governments whose ability to provide basic services will collapse absent federal intervention.

Local 387 Member Alert: Sign Our Petition to the DOC!

The CT Department of Correction's failure to plan for the COVID-19 pandemic has not only exposed all of its employees, hazardous duty and non-hazardous duty, to illness, but also created volatile conditions within the state prison system.

That's why the unions representing front line DOC employees, including AFSCME Local 1565, created a petition urging the agency to do take better and faster steps to protect us:

Click here to sign our petition.

‘Our Work is Essential to Keep Kids Safe’

Editor’s note: The following is a story from the front lines of the fight against COVID-19, as told by a member in Washington state:

“My name is Kristina Johnson-Short and I am a social services specialist with the Division of Children, Youth and Families in Washington state. I’m a proud AFSCME member, a shop steward and president of AFSCME Local 1054 (WFSE). I am also a domestic violence survivor.

AFSCME Urgently Demands More Aid from Congress for States, Localities

It’s become clear that relief bills Congress has approved thus far, including the record $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, won’t be enough to quell the health and economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

What other aid should Congress provide? AFSCME has recommendations.

Attention Council 4 members: Take our COVID-19 Member Survey

While most people are taking steps to limit contact with others, the vital job duties of AFSCME members require that they do just the opposite. Council 4 members are, and will continue to be, on the front lines providing the vital public services that individuals and families of Connecticut need during this unprecedented global health crisis.

Their Lives Are On The Line. Yet, ‘Public Service Workers Still Answer the Call’

Updating wills before heading into work. Extending the lives of single-use masks. Self-isolating from their own families. These are just some of the shameful realities and conditions health care workers on the front lines of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic are facing each day.

Corrections, EMS Workers Stress Need for Resources in COVID-19 Fight

Before the announcement early Wednesday of an unprecedented $2 trillion deal to combat the coronavirus pandemic, AFSCME President Lee Saunders and three front-line workers put pressure on federal lawmakers to come through with a robust aid package for state and local governments so they can rebuild decimated public services.

Coronavirus Aid Package Falls Short. Workers Need More from Congress.

The coronavirus aid package that cleared Congress is just not good enough for public service workers. That’s the takeaway message from AFSCME President Lee Saunders.