Cuts = Death. CWA 1180 Members at the Trevor Project Rally to Protect Life-Saving Services

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CWA Local 1180 members working at non-profit organization The Trevor Project provide life-saving support to at-risk LGBTQ+ youth—but now their jobs and the vital services they provide are being cut.

On June 17th, the Trump administration announced that it would be dismantling the 988 crisis hotline—a crisis hotline that receives more than 400,000 calls per year from LGBTQ+ youth who need care and support. These cuts will eliminate more than 220 jobs held by CWA Local 1180 members, as well as others from crisis workers at other organizations, putting thousands of lives at risk. On July 12 hundreds of people, led by CWA Local 1180 and CWA District 1, turned out in New York City to protest in front of Trump Tower and tell our elected leaders that they must stand with workers and with our LGBTQ+ community.

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"I got a notice from The Trevor Project saying that as of July 17th 200 workers would be laid off," said Gloria Middleton, President of CWA Local 1180. "And they sent each name. And as I read each name, my heart broke for each one of those workers. This is unconscionable."

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"Not only did workers have to grapple with the fact that they will lose their jobs," said Billy Gallagher, CWA District 1 Assistant to the Vice President. "It was literally the same day that a devastating Supreme Court decision for the queer community was released​. So they also had to face one of the hardest days at work, talking to hundreds of suicidal teenagers . THAT’s what 'the cruelty is the point' means. It’s sick. It’s disgusting and it’s shameful. Let’s be clear: terminating the LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Lifeline isn’t just a policy decision—it’s an act of cruelty. It’s an act of violence."

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"Many of these youth will die from the challenges they unfairly face day-to-day," said Jack, a CWA Local 1180 member and Trevor Project 988 worker. "As a 988 Lifeline Counselor, I have heard many calls, whether they're in pure despair or actively killing themselves; the cries, the agony, and the eerie silence on the phone; not knowing if the caller is still alive are moments I will never forget for the rest of my life. With the suffering in mine, we must commit today to providing unconditional love and support to these youth, and all marginalized communities, now and forever."

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