Chicago Teamsters Local 705 Endorses HR 676

> Chicago Teamsters Local 705 Endorses HR 676
>
> Teamsters Local 705 of Chicago has endorsed HR 676, the national
> single
> payer health care legislation introduced by Congressman John
> Conyers. The
> local is among the largest representing over 15,000 members who work
> in
> the trucking, moving and shipping industries including United Parcel
> Services (UPS) in the Chicago area.
>
> The bill is still on the table in the 111th Congress with 87 co-
> sponsors
> in addition to Congressman Conyers.
>
> UPS Steward Joe Balkis made the motion to endorse HR 676, David Bernt
> seconded it, and it was approved by the membership.
>
> Joe Balkis commented "UPS raised the health and welfare payments for
> our
> retirees from $50 for a single to over $157 monthly, over $315 for a
> member and spouse, and over $400 for a family plan. This was a
> violation
> of our contract and of ERISA laws. We filed a class action lawsuit
> and
> beat them."
>
> Balkis continued, "But we can see by this where they are going to be
> going
> in the next contract negotiations. UPS pulled this jack move and in
> the
> next contract the company will want to put us in a lesser plan or
> raise
> the payments. That's why we should pass single payer health care,
> and the
> international unions should support single payer health care and take
> industrial action to press for it."
>
> A total of 14 Teamster locals or other IBT bodies have endorsed HR
> 676.
> In addition to Local 705, they include Local 619 GCC/IBT in
> Louisville;
> Division 4 of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers BLET/IBT in
> Toledo;
> Local 4N in San Francisco; Ohio State Legislative Board BLET/IBT in
> Columbus, Ohio; Lithographers Local 1L in New Jersey; Local 546M in
> Cleveland; Local 559 in South Windsor, Connecticut; Local 31-N in
> Baltimore; Local 805 in Long Island City; Local 612M in West
> Caldwell,
> New Jersey; Local 767M in Kent, Washington; Local 6-505M in Maryland
> Heights, Missouri; and Local 206 of Portland, Oregon.
>
> -30-
>
> 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 87 co-sponsors in addition to
> Conyers.
>
> HR 676 has been endorsed by 581 union organizations in 49 states
> including
> 135 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
> 04/08/10