(Denver, January 28, 2025) The union that represents the 27,000 state workers who serve Colorado is vowing to fight federal cuts that threaten to decimate critical state programs and services that people depend on.
“This news is already causing chaos, and if these cuts go ahead, they will be devastating for the people of Colorado including our veterans, seniors, people in long-term care, families with disabled kids, parents who rely on childcare, and anyone who depends on Medicaid,” said Hilary Glasgow, Executive Director of Colorado WINS.
“These cuts aren’t about making groceries or gas prices cheaper, they’re about stealing taxpayer dollars from services everyday people rely on to pay for tax cuts for the richest of the rich,” she added.
Glasgow said she is working with the State to fully understand which services are being targeted. She says that according to numbers provided by the state, 3,674 full time positions are under threat because they are funded by federal dollars. The departments that stand to be hit hardest include:
- 784 or 72% of 1,091 full time positions at the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing which administers medicaid for nearly 1.4 million people across Colorado;
- 149 or 49% of 304 full time positions at the Department of Early Childhood which ensures parents have child care they can depend on;
- 1,054 or 46% of 2,298 full time positions at the Department of Labor and Employment which helps keep people working and provides temporary support to those who lose their jobs;
- 680 or 26% of 2,596 full time positions at the Department of Public Health and the Environment which improves overall health outcomes for Coloradans with services that ensure equitable access to the health services, improving air quality, and overdose and gun violence prevention; and
- 686 or 9% of 7,474 full time positions at the Department of Human Services, which provides care for veterans, youth, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations.
“Unless you’re Elon Musk or another one of Trump’s billionaire bros, these cuts are going to hurt you or someone you care about, and it won’t matter who you voted for,” said Glasgow.
“We’re going to make sure that everyone in Colorado knows exactly what is being cut and why. And we aren’t alone: we are part of a bigger fight uniting workers and organizations that serve every community across this country, and together we will demand the Trump administration reverse course. And we will not back down until it does,” she added.
Colorado WINS won collective bargaining rights in 2020 and negotiates better wages, benefits, and working conditions for more than 27,000 Colorado state employees in all four corners of Colorado. Colorado WINS is an affiliate of SEIU and AFT, representing more than 2 million workers nationwide.
