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Home Care Workers Boo Rauner Over Proposed Cuts

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Unionized home care workers tried to confront Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday, outside a state agency they claim he is hurting.

Dozens of demonstrators booed as the governor made an unpublicized visit to the Department of Human Services office in the West Loop. The protesters were members of Service Employees International Union Healthcare Illinois, which represents 52,000 workers who have gone without a contract since last July.

"He wants to implement unfair policies that is going to hurt low-income families and their child-care providers, under the suspicion of fraud, and this is not fair. We are demanding action," said Carmen Macias, a child care worker.

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The union said Rauner's budget plan would cut $200 million from the state's community care program, which helps seniors and the disabled get services at home, so they don't have to go into nursing homes.

Home care worker Alantris Muhammad said people would be hurt by the governor's plan.

"My concern is that seniors and people with disabilities would not be able to get the quality care that they are so deserving of if these programs are cut. If he continues to hurt people with disabilities, they'll be forced out of their homes and into institutions," she said.

The governor ignored the protesters' shouts as he entered the building.

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