Page 7 - Work Force July-August 2025

July-August 2025 7 7
The Work Force
CSEA activists recently traveled
to Washington D.C. on separate
trips to urge Congress to protect
federal Medicaid funding.
The legislation, which had passed
the House of Representatives
and was pending in the Senate as
this edition went to press, would
devastate patients, the public
workers who serve them and the
communities they live in. The cuts
would also harm the ability of health
care facilities, including safety-net
hospitals, to provide services.
Rural health care at stake
SUNY Fredonia Local President
Stephanie Teachman recently joined
our AFSCME family in Washington to
urge for support for rural health care
services.
“Hospitals in rural
areas are already
heavily reliant on
Medicaid funding,”
said Teachman. “We
don’t have a lot of
urgent cares; our
hospitals are very
spaced out. Brooks
[Memorial Hospital]
is the closest to me,
and it’s 20 minutes away; the next
closest is 40 minutes away. If you live
in a community where it takes more
than an hour for help to reach you,
that’s not ideal.”
As part of the lobbying effort,
Teachman met with many House
members of the New York
Delegation, who she said were aware
of the stakes for her district, NY-23.
“One congressional staffer said
they saw the coverage from our
rally in Corning outside [U.S. Rep.
Nick] Langworthy’s office and asked
me about it,” Teachman said. “It
was nice to know they’re paying
attention.”
But not every member of
Congress was as receptive.
Teachman expressed frustration that
her own representative, Langworthy,
declined to meet with her.
“He claimed we didn’t give enough
notice, which I don’t think is true,”
said Teachman. “Even if he didn’t
agree with what I was saying, it
would’ve been nice if could’ve taken
the time to listen or sent one of his
staff to speak with me, as one of his
constituents.”
Personal reasons
Westchester Medical Center
Unit Vice President Ruben Bastell,
a senior medical lab technician,
recently also traveled to Washington
D.C. to lobby alongside fellow
AFSCME-represented health care
workers to protect federal Medicaid
funding.
For Bastell, the chance to fight for
Medicaid is both professional and
personal.
Nearly half of Westchester
Medical Center (WMC) patients are
on Medicaid, according to recent
media reports, so cuts would deal
a devastating blow to the hospital
and impact the services provided
there, which include a trauma center,
burn unit, transplant services and a
children’s hospital.
Outside of work, Bastell has
witnessed how Medicaid is literally
lifesaving.
“My little brother was born with
chronic kidney disease in 2000, and
without Medicaid, he wouldn’t be
alive today,” said Bastell. “He’s 24
years old, he’s had two transplants,
and years of dialysis treatment. It’s
what keeps him alive. He relies on
Medicaid for his care and that’s
made this fight personal for me.”
Bastell joined a group of AFSCME-
represented nurses from Michigan
in making the rounds through
the U.S. Senate and House of
CSEA members lobby
to protect Medicaid,
union jobs
Representatives. He met with U.S.
Rep. George Latimer, a longtime
friend of CSEA, who assured Bastell
he is fighting to preserve Medicaid.
Fight continues
Teachman, who had lobbied
before the House had passed the
bill, called the passage of the bill
disappointing, particularly since
amendments had been
proposed that could
have reduced the
damage.
“It was more
disappointing to
know they chose not
to do anything.” said
Teachman.
Still, Teachman
came away from
the experience with
renewed energy and
perspective.
“On the Democratic
side, they used a lot
of personal stories, so
you can tell that they
reached out to [their
constituents] and so
that shows that your voice actually
does matter,” said Teachman. “CSEA
members need to know that these
cuts don’t just impact people on
Medicaid. They impact the people
who process claims, who work in
DSS offices, psychiatric centers, and
nursing homes. These are our union
members. These are our jobs.”
While Bastell has been a union
activist for much of his 22 years
working at WMC, this was his first
time advocating at the federal level.
His experience gave him a greater
picture of our union strength on the
national level.
“It was a great experience,”
Bastell said. “I spoke with ABC News,
which was a first for me. I was able
to see all the different people and
groups lobbying on different issues.
I was even able to see a vote on
the House floor. The
AFSCME team was
amazing, and it was
pretty cool to see all the
resources and staffing
they have and how they
work to make sure our
voices are heard.”
Teachman said
she sees it as her
responsibility to keep
members informed and
motivated.
“I think it’s important
to get the right
information out, to
help people understand
and be informed,” said
Teachman. “There’s
more to fight. Hopefully,
people learn from these decisions
and hold politicians accountable at
midterms.”
For those feeling discouraged, she
offers a clear message.
“Just hang in there,” said
Teachman. “Keep doing what we
know is right and know that we have
power in elections.”
— Sara McNicholas and
Jessica Ladlee
“I think it’s
important to
get the right
information out,
to help people
understand and be
informed. There’s
more to fight.
Hopefully, people
learn from these
decisions and
hold politicians
accountable at
midterms.”
Teachman
From left,
Westchester
Medical
Center Unit
Vice President
Ruben Bastell
meets with
U.S. Rep.
George
Latimer.