BOSTON —
Thousands are expected for a rally on Nov. 9, 11 a.m. at the Wang Theatre in Boston where thousands of seniors and workers will voice their opposition to proposed Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid cuts.
As a congressional Supercommittee readies its recommendations on reducing the federal deficit, the Nov. 9 event is expected to draw the largest senior turnout in Boston of any community rally in decades. The rally at the Wang Theatre will be followed by a march and caravan towards the offices of Sen. John Kerry and Sen. Scott Brown.
Seniors and workers say the proposed cuts will not only jeopardize benefits and retirement security for today’s seniors and the seniors of tomorrow – they warn the proposed cuts are job killers that will undermine the nation’s economic recovery and will immediately thrust more families and seniors into poverty.
The Supercommittee — a 12 member bipartisan group, including Sen. Kerry — is considering potential cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security that would harm today’s seniors and workers — including: a $112 billion cut to Social Security by changing how the Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) is calculated and reducing benefits; raising the age of Medicare eligibility from 65 to 67; and, increasing out-of-pocket costs for seniors in Medicare.
There is a broadly-held concern among those slated to participate in the rally that Congress is not heeding the growing level of constituent frustration over the attacks on these hard-earned benefits that workers have paid into for years. Rally organizers say these benefits represent an intergenerational commitment — and that cuts of the magnitude being considered by the Supercommittee would constitute a betrayal of the seniors, veterans, and workers who have paid into the safety net and retirement systems for years.
The rally to defend retirement security and jobs will begin at 11 a.m., with seniors and workers uniting from across the state and region to speak out and share their concerns at the Wang Theatre, 270 Tremont Street.
Following the program at the Wang Theatre at approximately 12:15 p.m., the group will then march and board buses heading towards the offices of Sen. John Kerry and Sen. Scott Brown to again raise their voices in defense of retirement security and jobs. The group is expected to arrive at City Hall Plaza, and rally facing the offices of Sen. Kerry and Sen. Brown beginning at approximately 1:00 p.m.
Supported by: 1199SEIU ▪AARP ▪AFGE District 2 ▪Association for Behavioral Healthcare ▪Boston Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO ▪Boston Center for Independent Living ▪Boston Workers Alliance ▪City of Boston, Elderly Commission ▪Coalition for Human Needs ▪Community Catalyst ▪Community Labor United ▪Chinese Progressive Association ▪City Life/Vida Urbana ▪CSJ/CAP ▪Chelsea Collaborative ▪Disability Policy Consortium ▪Dorchester People for Peace ▪Eastern Mass OWL ▪GALLAN ▪Greater Boston Labor Council ▪Health Care for All ▪IBEW Local 103 ▪IBEW Local 2222 ▪IUE-CWA Local 201 ▪Jobs with Justice ▪Latinos for a Secure Retirement ▪MA AFL-CIO ▪Mass Association Older Americans ▪Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants ▪Massachusetts Building Trades Council, AFL-CIO ▪Mass Council on Aging ▪Mass Coalition for a Working Economy ▪Mass Peace Action ▪MassUniting ▪Mass Nurses Association ▪Mass Senior Action Council ▪Mass Home Care ▪Mass Teachers Association ▪ Move On ▪NAGE ▪NASW ▪National Committee Preserve Social Security and Medicare ▪Neighbor to Neighbor ▪New England United for Justice ▪North Shore Labor Council ▪Neighbors United Better East Boston ▪Progressive Democrats of America ▪Providers’ Council ▪SEIU Massachusetts State Council ▪SEIU 509 ▪SEIU 615 ▪SEIU 888 ▪Social Security Works ▪Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts ▪Union of Minority Neighborhoods ▪USW Local 4-366 ▪Western MA Jobs with Justice.
