May 2, 2025 — PEF Vice President Bruce Giddings spoke at a multi-union May Day rally outside Albany Medical Center (AMC) on May 1, representing PEF and standing in solidarity with members of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), United University Professions, the Capital District Area Labor Federation (CDALF), and other labor organizations and community members. More than 1,000 people were in attendance for a speak out and march from AMC to the Veterans’ Affairs hospital down the street.
“As we gather here today, Republicans in Congress are working behind closed doors to cut $1.5 trillion from the $6.7 trillion federal budget over the next 10 years, including around $880 billion in Medicaid spending,” Giddings said. “These budget cuts are being advanced so that wealthy Americans – those earning more than $400,000 a year – can get a tax break that will cost more than $4.5 trillion over the next decade.”
Giddings noted that of New York’s $254 billion budget, around $90 billion comes from federal support for various programs, such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the school breakfast and lunch programs, and other funding for schools and the environment.
“Sixty-four billion dollars of that $90 billion is used to support and administer Medicaid, which provides access to basic healthcare services for approximately 7 million low-income New Yorkers,” he said. “PEF members administer this program and they work every day to provide those benefits, while also eliminating waste, fraud and abuse.”
Over the last few months, more than 10,000 jobs have been cut from the federal Department of Health and Human Services and billions of dollars have been pulled from the research of infectious disease, maternal health and mental health services.
“The hardworking healthcare workers of New York deserve better than to have their rights as union members and their jobs threatened by cuts to health programs, Medicaid and more,” said PEF President Wayne Spence in a press release NYSNA sent out after the rally. “The working people of New York deserve quality services that we know our members can provide. With so many of us throughout all sectors of work—private and public—at risk of losing our jobs and with so many more New Yorkers at risk of losing their healthcare, we must take action to ensure that our rights, our health and our livelihoods are protected.”
Albany was not the only city that held a rally on International Workers’ Day. PEF leaders and members also participated in events in New York City and Rochester.
