More than 1500 rally in Springfield to stop budget cuts
SEIU Healthcare members fight back to protect vital care, jobs
SPRINGFIELD-- More than 1500 people—including hundreds of SEIU Healthcare Illinois
members—rallied for a fair budget outside the State Capitol in
Springfield on April 22nd.
With $50 million in cuts to the Child Care Assistance Program and more than $65 million in cuts to home care for seniors and people with disabilities on the table, SEIU Healthcare members are fighting to protect our jobs, the care we provide and the people we care for from devastating cuts.
Telisa Richards
Child Care Provider
It’s time for our elected officials to stop giving us lip service and show some courage. Budget cuts will have a devastating impact on thousands of working parents and thousands more of our precious children. We can’t let that happen.
“We cannot turn our backs on our senior citizens at a time when they need us most,” said Tonya Isett, a home care aide in Mt. Vernon who cares for two seniors, ages 85 and 100. “I call on our politicians to look deeply inside their hearts and preserve the funding that our parents and grandparents desperately need for their care.”
Joined by community, advocacy and labor allies, SEIU Healthcare members made our voices heard for a budget that protects the vital programs and services that families count on.
“A $50 million cut to the child care program is a disaster for Illinois families. Many parents would have to quit their jobs. Child care providers will close down,” said Tiara Howell, a single mother from Markham who joined her child care provider in Springfield. “It is not a hard decision that our political leaders have to make. Our babies are our most valuable resource. We’re not just talking about dollars -- we’re talking about the future of our country. We must not turn our backs on our children.”
With so much at stake, SEIU Healthcare Illinois members are all doing our part to ensure that the vital care and services we provide-- and the families that we care for-- are protected from devastating cuts now and for years to come.
What you can do:
- Don't miss our next Lobby Day-- Thursday, May 13th. Call the Member Resource Center today at 866-933-SEIU to reserve your seat.
- Send a message to your elected officials to protect home care and child care.