This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Jan. 29, 2013 - With state and federal budgets at the forefront, St. Louis area labor groups and activists are registering their bipartisan concerns – particularly about the stances of Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, and U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin.
And state House Speaker Tim Jones, R-Eureka, is attracting his share of criticism as well.
Local 6355 of the Communication Workers of America is taking strong exception to provisions of Nixon’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year, which calls for a net loss of 60 jobs in the state’s Department of Social Services. Many of the department’s workers are members of the CWA.
The union says the proposed cuts make no sense because the cuts are expected to made in the department’s Family Support Division, which is “primarily responsible for implementing the Medicaid program” and the expansion proposed by the governor.
The governor’s budget staff has said the cuts will, if possible, be handled by attrition, or not filling vacancies. Since taking office, Nixon’s administration has trimmed more than 1,000 jobs from the Department of Social Services’ payroll.
In a statement, the CWA said its “disappointment in the governor’s half-hearted plan to expand Medicaid was only exceeded by Speaker of the House Tim Jones’ reality-light response. Jones attempted to invent truth with plainly false claims that the state’s Medicaid workforce is growing. It is shrinking, and Missouri families are the ones falling through the cracks.”
“Gov. Nixon speaks in lofty terms about their efficiency while preparing pink slips for 60 more of them,” the union said. “Not to be outdone, Speaker Jones shows that his extremist political loyalties trump Missouri kids and even basic truth.”
Wagner targeted over Social Security, Medicare
Meanwhile, other area labor groups and activists are participating in a national effort to target certain Republican members of Congress and new House members of both parties.
Locally, the House member to be singled out is U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, who is seen by labor activists as too amenable to proposals to trim Medicare and Social Security.
A group plans to show up at Wagner’s Ballwin office at noon Wednesday “to urge her to grow – not slow – the economy by investing in good jobs and closing corporate tax loopholes instead of cutting vital services and killing jobs.”
In particular, the labor supporters plan to signal their opposition to some budget proposals, generally advanced by Republicans, that would cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. Some Republicans say the changes need to be made to make Social Security and Medicare sustainable; advocates say other changes can be made that don't reduce benefits.
A spokeswoman said the activists will drop off a report that highlights “the importance of Social Security and Medicare to working families and retirees.”
Similar labor groups around the state are slated to show up outside the Kansas City office of U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and a regional office of U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville.
