Hear From AFSCME Members

 Tawanda Ciccone

"We are facing a shortage of 911 dispatchers. We’ve adjusted to ensure the people of Rochester are not met with a hold tone – but we need help. If you apply for a job in public service, you won’t regret it. There is no work that is more rewarding or valuable.”

- Tawanda Ciccone 911 Dispatcher City of Rochester Council 66, Local 1635
Jacob Brown

“The truth is we need more workers to ensure that our environment remains pristine. These are good union jobs that you will fall in love with. Imagine watching the sun set over Lake Michigan at the end of every shift. No other job compares to this.”

- Jacob Brown Lead Worker 9 Michigan Department of Natural Resources MSEA
Sue Bosco

“The beautiful thing about public service is that it doesn’t matter how old or how young you are or where you come from. If you have a passion to serve your community, you can do this work. That is why public service often reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.”

- Sue Bosco Medical Assistance Program Technician Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Council 13

About Staff the Front Lines

Across the country, states, cities, towns and schools face severe staffing shortages. Public service workers are on the job around the clock, caring for our communities and responding to emergencies. But they need help.

Through important legislation like the American Rescue Plan, the Biden Administration provided direct relief to working families and secured historic investments for our communities that brought our economy back from the brink and kept essential workers on the job.

But this legislation was only the first step on our path to recovery.

For decades, public services have been understaffed. To address this crisis, AFSCME members are organizing together to Staff the Front Lines. We are working with governors, mayors, city council members and other leaders to urge them to invest in public service workers and recruit qualified and passionate people to work in public service. Our communities are counting on us.

Stories from the Front Lines