Philly unions worry about Social Security and ‘fiscal cliff’

Several dozen union workers rallied outside the Social Security Administration building in Philadelphia today to send a message to Washington.

With a “lame duck” session of congress poised to begin, union workers are afraid of what kind of bargains might be struck to avoid going over the so-called “fiscal cliff.”

At the rally outside the Philadelphia Social Security office, AFL-CIO head Pat Eiding called on people to pressure their members of congress not to tamper with Social Security as part of the deal.

“We need to send a message to all the people in Washington to get together in the next couple of weeks, find a way to fix things without taking away our Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid,” said Eiding.

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Philadelphia Congressman Bob Brady says he doesn’t need a reminder.

“My Mom’s on Social Security, 90 years old, I don’t need to go to a demonstration I just need to go to my mother to put some fire in me, to put some fire in me to make sure they don’t touch her Social Security,” said Brady.

The unions say they have not yet reached out to area Republican members of congress, but plan to do so.

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