Two More Labor Councils Endorse HR 676. Total Now 130

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Unions for Single Payer HR676" <Editor@unionsforsinglepayerhr676.org>

Date: July 19, 2009 8:16:35 PM PDT

To: singlepayercentral@gmail.com

Cc: News about union support for single-payer health care and HR 676 <singlepayernews@UnionsForSinglePayerHealthCare.org>

Subject: Two More Labor Councils Endorse HR 676. Total Now 130

Two More Labor Councils Endorse HR 676. Total Now 130

In Grand Forks, North Dakota, the Northern Valley Labor Council AFL-CIO of
Western Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota has endorsed HR 676, single
payer health care legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers
(D-MI), reports Mark Froemke, President of the West Minnesota Area Labor
Council.  The Council voted at its June 9th meeting.

In Portland, Oregon, the Northwest Oregon Labor Council voted June 22nd to
endorse HR 676 and to submit a resolution to the National AFL-CIO
Convention calling for an endorsement of HR 676.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 Secretary-Treasurer Jeff
Anderson, a member of the Executive Board of the Northwest Oregon Council,
helped in bringing forward the resolution to the Executive Board and to
the Council.  Other supporting unions included IBEW Local 48, the
Machinists, and CWA, reports Margaret Butler, CWA Local 7901 council
delegate.

One hundred and thirty Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations have now
endorsed HR 676.
     

HR 676 would institute a single payer health care system by expanding a
greatly improved Medicare system to everyone residing in the U. S.

HR 676 would cover every person for all necessary medical care including
prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services, primary and
preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental health, home health,
physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for substance abuse), vision
care, hearing services including hearing aids, chiropractic, durable
medical equipment, palliative care, and long term care.

HR 676 ends deductibles and co-payments.  HR 676 would save hundreds of
billions annually by eliminating the high overhead and profits of the
private health insurance industry and HMOs.

In the current Congress, HR 676 has 85 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced SB 703, a single payer bill
in the Senate.

HR 676 has been endorsed by 554 union organizations in 49 states including
130 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 state
AFL-CIO's (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).

For further information, a list of union endorsers, or a sample
endorsement resolution, contact:

Kay Tillow
All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care--HR 676
c/o Nurses Professional Organization (NPO)
1169 Eastern Parkway, Suite 2218
Louisville, KY 40217
(502) 636 1551
Email: nursenpo@aol.com
http://unionsforsinglepayerHR676.org
07/19/09