AFSCME's Saunders: 911 dispatchers deserve respect, not defunding

https://www.afscme.org/press/releases/2025/afscmes-saunders-911-dispatchers-deserve-respect-not-defunding


For Immediate Release
Monday, April 14, 2025
Contact: Nick Voutsinos
Email: nvoutsinos@afscme.org
AFSCME’s Saunders: 911 dispatchers deserve respect, not defunding

WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement recognizing National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, which runs from April 13-19:


“AFSCME members do lifesaving work every single day as 911 dispatchers and emergency phone operators. They run command centers around the clock, fielding thousands of calls, helping first responders get where they need to go and keeping people calm in the face of life-threatening emergencies.

“This Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, we can thank them for all they do by fighting to protect their work. Congress is pursuing damaging budget cuts that would slash federal funding to states, cities, and towns, leaving 911 dispatchers with fewer resources and staff to respond to emergencies. If this extremist plan passes, it could mean longer wait times — or worse, unanswered calls from the public — in situations where every second counts.

“AFSCME members nationwide are getting organized to protect federal funding for public safety and stand in solidarity with our nation’s 911 dispatchers. We're sending a clear message to Congress: We won’t allow you to gut public services to pay for billionaire tax cuts.”

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AFSCME's 1.4 million members provide the vital services that make America happen. With members in communities across the nation, serving in hundreds of different occupations — from nurses to corrections officers, child care providers to sanitation workers — AFSCME advocates for fairness in the workplace, excellence in public services and freedom and opportunity for all working families.

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American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO
1625 L Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036-5687
Telephone: (202) 429-1145
Fax: (202) 429-1120