On April 1, 2003, nearly 40,000 health care workers and executives from every corner of New York State participated in a massive rally in Albany to protest the devastating health care cuts proposed in the State Budget. The rally, which the Albany Mayor's Office said was the largest in the city's history, was organized by the GNYHA/1199 SEIU Healthcare Education Project as part of its statewide advertising and grassroots advocacy campaign to fight the nearly $2 billion in health care cuts proposed in the budget.
The day began with a morning rally at the Pepsi Arena that was attended by both NYS Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and NYS Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. The crowd of health care workers, doctors, nurses, and administrators then marched to the State Capitol and joined thousands of other protestors for an afternoon rally at the Empire State Plaza. The day's other speakers included GNYHA President Kenneth E. Raske, 1199 SEIU President Dennis Rivera, and a variety of hospital and nursing home CEOs and union leaders.
The Healthcare Education Project is continuing its advocacy campaign to fight the cuts, which includes ads, a direct mail initiative, a statewide telephone-calling initiative, community forums, and other grassroots initiatives throughout the State.
Additional photographs viewable on the PDF version of this issue of Skyline News.
Nearly 40,000 health care workers protest the proposed cuts in the State Budget outside the Capitol building in Albany.
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