True Solidarity

As we respond to the August 8 attack on our CDC campus, we are heartened by the kind words of support that we have received. These words show true solidarity, a unity of purpose that fuels us in our time of need.

NEARI Local #859, representing workers at the Rhode Island Department of Health, shared the following message with our Local:

To the Members and Leadership of AFGE Local 2883,

On behalf of NEARI’s Professional Staff Association of the Rhode Island Department of Health Local #859, we extend our deepest condolences and unwavering solidarity to you our colleagues at AFGE Local 2883 following the tragic shooting at CDC headquarters in Atlanta on Friday, August 8, 2025. We were heartbroken to learn of the loss of DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose—a former Marine and recent academy graduate—who bravely responded to the scene and gave his life in the line of duty. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the entire law enforcement community. The attack on the CDC was not random.

Your Local has rightly condemned the leadership of vaccine misinformation and called on federal leaders to take a “clear and unequivocal stance in condemning vaccine disinformation,” recognizing that such misinformation endangers not only scientists but our entire public health workforce.

We stand with you in demanding accountability, in urging improved security measures, and in affirming that staff should not be forced to return to unsafe environments or work amidst reminders of this trauma. 

Let us affirm in the strongest possible terms: We see you. We grieve with you. We commit to amplifying your call for a science-based, safe public health infrastructure. 

You are not alone. This attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. We stand shoulder to shoulder in demanding that our institutions protect, uplift, and respect public health professionals. We echo your call for secure, trusted, and well-resourced workplaces where the pursuit of scientific truth is not met with violence, vilification, or fear. 

Please accept our deepest sympathies and resolve to carry forward your advocacy. If there is any way our union or members can support your organizing, outreach, or healing efforts, we stand ready. 

In unity of purpose and solidarity, 

By and for our Union,

Peter DiPippo, President

Professional Staff Association
 of the 

State of Rhode Island Department of Health

NEARI, Local #859

Thank you. President DiPippo, for your support. We are honored to stand with you.