U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko and Capital District DDSO Local 3rd Vice President Zakiya Rhymer. (Photo by Nicholas Newcomb)
ALBANY — CSEA members joined other health care workers from across the Capital Region, including nurses, medical researchers and direct care workers, for a forum to share their personal stories and voice growing concerns over the Trump administration’s health care policies and proposed funding cuts.
During the forum, sponsored by the New York State AFL-CIO and the Capital District Area Labor Federation, union members discussed how federal cuts are straining health care services, threatening jobs and jeopardizing patient care.
Capital District DDSO Local 3rd Vice President Zakiya Rhymer, a direct support assistant, participated on the forum’s panel.
“I urge federal lawmakers to look beyond the numbers and see the human faces behind these services,” said Rhymer. “Medicaid cuts would hurt people with disabilities, people with mental illness and the dedicated staff who support them every day. We should invest more, not less, in the services that allow our communities to thrive.”
Rhymer also noted how these cuts to funding seriously hinder the department’s ability to recruit new employees and retain seasoned staff.
U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20), a longtime advocate for working people and quality health care, was a featured guest at the forum. A strong supporter of labor, Tonko listened to front-line workers’ firsthand accounts.
“I’m proud to stand with the workers of our Capital Region in fierce opposition to these devastating cuts to earned benefits like Medicaid and Medicare,” said Tonko. “Today, we heard directly from healthcare workers about how these reckless proposals would strip millions of Americans of a vital lifeline – all while putting good-paying jobs at risk and threating the quality care our communities rely on. I will always continue to fight in Washington to protect these critical programs and support the hardworking people who deliver care with dignity and compassion every day.”
— New York State AFL-CIO
