Rallies For Fair State Budget |
COMMUNICATOR HOMEPAGE
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| Members build solid support
for Hutchings PEF Division 301 at Hutchings Psychiatric Center is getting very good at fighting to save jobs and services at the state facility in Syracuse. Division 301 members have successfully warded off state budget threats before, and they they were quick to mobilize and take the lead in building a rock-solid wall of community and legislative support this year when, once again, the proposed budget would send their patients and jobs to Utica. “We had great turnouts for our rallies in March,” said Division 301 steward Bob Hogle, “and we had a tremendous turnout of state legislators at our Region 4 reception in April. They are all very supportive.” The Onondaga County Legislature passed a resolution in early April calling on the state to restore the funding for Hutchings, and the Syracuse Common Council will take up a similar resolution in late April. Working with a coalition of patient advocates, other labor unions and community groups, PEF is taking every opportunity to plead Hutching’s case. “We even have a Web site at www.keephutchingsopen.com where you can find lots of information,” Hogle said. “Our members are sending letters and postcards to the governor and legislators and to the newspapers,” he said. “The Post-Standard has run every letter we have sent them and they just did an editorial on the need for a local task force to review the state of mental health services in Onondaga County. “No matter which way this budget fight goes, the people we have contacted have been just fabulous,” Hogle said. “Everyone is very aware that closing inpatient services at Hutchings is a terrible idea.” — Sherry Halbrook  PEF Ad
campaign blitz breaks statewide on March 30, 2003Closing Psych Centers and Research Institutes across New York State opens us all up to disaster Bronx News - Bronx Times - Elmira - Middletown - NY Times - Rockland - Staten Island - Syracuse See the TV Commercials - 2 meg. each download (requires Quicktime) NYC - Syracuse - Middletown - Elmira See the TV Commercials - 2 meg. each download (requires Windows Media Player 7) NYC - Syracuse - Middletown - Elmira Hear the Radio Commercials NYC - Syracuse - Middletown - Elmira - (requires some type of media player)    |
