AFSCME Rallies Nationwide Against Cuts to Research and Education

AFSCME Members Rally Against Funding Cuts in Vital Sectors

Amidst mounting concerns, AFSCME members have mobilized nationwide to contest recent significant funding cuts that threaten critical sectors such as health care, research, and education. These protests, known as "Kill the Cuts" rallies, highlight the adverse effects of the current administration's budgetary decisions on communities and professionals dedicated to these fields.

Research initiatives targeting diseases including cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's are among those severely impacted, according to AFSCME representatives. The repercussions extend beyond health care to affect entire communities hosting research centers and the researchers themselves. For more details, see the impact on local communities here.

At a prominent gathering in Washington, DC, Amanda Dykema, a proposal development manager at the University of Maryland, shared her personal experiences. Dykema, an AFSCME Local 1072 member, emphasized the unprecedented funding challenges now facing academic research due to indiscriminate cuts by the administration.

She highlighted the disappearance of crucial funding programs that once facilitated significant research progress. "The administration cancelled an NIH program called Maximizing Access to Research Careers, which expands research opportunities to students that have been historically excluded from the scientific community," Dykema explained. This cancellation signifies a setback for efforts to cultivate a robust STEM workforce.

The U.S. Department of Education is also experiencing massive layoffs, jeopardizing future grants and ongoing programs. The department’s Institute for Education Sciences has ceased convening review panels, with no plans to resume, which Dykema described as "a tragic loss." Further insights into these developments can be found here.

By the end of March, the administration had reportedly terminated over 2,000 active NIH awards nationwide. Dykema described these terminations as "arbitrary and capricious," lamenting the potential loss of valuable scientific knowledge and breakthroughs.

In response, AFSCME has initiated the Get Organized campaign, aimed at protecting jobs and public services from what they perceive as attacks by wealthy interests seeking to capitalize at the expense of public welfare. "It's time to stand up for our communities. It's time to GO," the campaign urges.