Troy Area Labor Council
The letter below was sent to the 491 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations of the AFL-CIO
Cover Letter in Adobe
Suggested Resolution
April 2009 SinglePayerNY Newsletter
May 1, 2009
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Beside the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, there is no issue more important to the labor movement than health care reform. We all know the havoc this issue causes at the bargaining table and the suffering millions of our fellow citizens are forced to endure because they lack insurance or are forced to file for bankruptcy because of medical bills.
While the discussion of health care reform goes on in the White House and in the Congress, unfortunately, what we are hearing from the media are mostly the voices of the insurance industry and pharmaceutical lobbies; and misguided politicians who think that the healthcare crisis can be solved by either taxing healthcare benefits or mandating that we purchase health insurance.
The labor movement is critical to rallying progressive forces in our country in order to win health care as a human right not tied to one’s economic status. Over 125 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations, 39 State AFL-CIOs, 20 International Unions and over 500 local unions have all endorsed HR 676, the “United States National Health Care Act”. This single payer healthcare legislation was re-introduced by Congressman Conyers and already has 74 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.
The Troy Area Labor Council adopted the enclosed resolution at our April meeting for submission to the AFL-CIO September Convention in Pittsburgh. Also, enclosed is a SinglePayerNewYork newsletter that includes Congressman John Conyers’ Frequently Asked Questions about HR 676.
We ask that your Labor Council join with us in submitting this or a similar resolution to this year’s AFL-CIO Convention. Please place the issue of single payer healthcare on the agenda of an upcoming meeting for consideration by your delegate body. The enclosed resolution has the requisite information for submission of a resolution by your Central Labor Council to the AFL-CIO.
In Solidarity,
Mike Keenan, President
Resolution for Single Payer Health Care (HR676)
Whereas the cost and coverage of health insurance has become a major stumbling block in union contract negotiations, causing strikes, lock-outs, protracted deliberations and lower monetary offers by management.
Whereas the United States spends approximately twice as much of our gross domestic product as other developed nations on health care, yet remains the only industrialized country without universal coverage.
Whereas the U. S. health system continues to treat health care as a commodity distributed according to the ability to pay, rather than as a human right to be dispersed according to medical need.
Whereas the complex bureaucracy arising from our fragmented, for-profit, multi-payer system of healthcare financing consumes approximately 30 percent of the United States` healthcare spending.
Whereas the myriad of insurance companies and their different forms and coverage criteria force healthcare providers to hire staff solely to deal with the paperwork, further driving up costs.
Whereas more than 47 million people in the U. S. are currently without health insurance, another 40 million have inadequate coverage with high co-pays and deductibles, and many others are at risk of losing coverage.
Whereas even those insured often experience unacceptable medical debt including personal bankruptcies and sometimes life-threatening delays in obtaining health care due to coverage denials.
Whereas proposals for “consumer directed health care” would worsen this situation by penalizing the sick, discouraging prevention, and burdening many working families with huge medical bills.
Whereas managed care and other market based reforms have failed to contain health care costs, which now threaten the international competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers.
Whereas we should oppose the inclusion of private insurance companies in our health care system as their interests are counter to and often destructive of ours.
Whereas a single-payer health care program would provide an effective mechanism for controlling skyrocketing health costs while covering all Americans.
Whereas HR676 meets or exceeds the AFL-CIO Health Care for America Campaign Principles.
Whereas HR676 would end deductibles and co-payments, and provide free choice of healthcare providers to patients as well as comprehensive prescription drug coverage to all.
Whereas HR676 would save billions annually by eliminating the administrative burdens, overhead and profits of the private health insurance industry and apply those savings to expanded and improved coverage for all.
Whereas HR676 would cover every person in the U. S. for all necessary medical care including prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services, primary and preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental health, home health care, physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for substance abuse), vision care, chiropractic and long term care.
Whereas, a January 2009 study by the California Nurses Association, AFL-CIO, showed that passage of HR676 would provide a major stimulus to the economy, create over 2.6 million new permanent good-paying jobs, boost the economy with $317 billion in increased business and public revenues, add $100 billion in employee compensation and infuse public budgets with $44 billion in new tax revenues; and concluded that the broadest economic benefits directly accrue from the actual delivery and provision of health care, not the purchase of insurance.
Whereas, HR676 has been endorsed by over 500 union organizations in 49 states including 125 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 State AFL-CIOs (KY, PA, CT, OH, DE, ND, WA, SC, WY, VT, FL, WI, WV, SD, NC, MO, MN, ME, AR, MD-DC, TX, IA, AZ, TN, OR, GA, OK, KS, CO, IN, AL, CA, AK, MI, MT, NE, NY, NV & MA).
Therefore be it resolved that the AFL-CIO endorses HR676, the “United States National Health Care Act”; and
Be it further resolved, that the AFL-CIO join with and support other concerned organizations in educating and mobilizing broad public and political support for single payer health care; and
Be it further resolved, that the AFL-CIO persevere for passage of single payer health care to meet the needs of our members, our families, and all America, and not endorse or support any fallback program of mandated insurance or public option plans which include the wasteful, for-profit insurance industry; and
Be it further resolved, that the AFL-CIO actively lobby the White House and Congress for passage of single payer health care; and
Be it further resolved, that the AFL-CIO help organize and financially support a “Healthcare is a Human Right” Solidarity March and Rally in Washington, DC.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
On ________________________, 2009, the delegates of __________________________________________
___________________________ approved the above resolution for submission to the AFL-CIO Convention
and is respectfully submitted to:
Secretary-Treasurer Richard L. Trumka
AFL-CIO
815 16th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
Name and Title: _______________________________________________________________
Signature: _______________________________________________________________
Date: _____________________, 2009
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