It keeps coming...Two UFCW Locals Voice Support for HR 676

Two UFCW Locals Voice Support for HR 676

Two United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) local unions have joined the
growing list of labor organizations voicing support for HR 676, single
payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers
(D-MI).

In South St. Paul, Minnesota, the Executive Board of UFCW Local 789
overwhelmingly endorsed HR 676 on March 10. The 7,000 member local
represents workers in retail, grocery, long term care and meat packing.

Bernie Hesse, Local 789 Director of Special Projects, spoke of the
endorsement: “Healthcare is a right not a privilege, and Medicare for all
is the right direction for us to follow. We call upon elected officials
to move legislation which will benefit all workers and strengthen our
economy. We stand ready to educate, agitate, and build power to pass
healthcare for all.”

In Tigard, Oregon, the Active Ballot Club (ABC) of UFCW Local 555 voted to
recommend to the UFCW International Union that it endorse HR 676. The
Active Ballot Club is the political arm of the 18,000 member UFCW Local.

In a letter to UFCW International President Joseph Hansen, UFCW Local 555
President Dan Clay wrote: “We would like to take this opportunity to
encourage you to review, and if possible, to endorse HR 676 on a national
level.” The letter continued: “Health care, as you are well aware, is on
the verge of bankrupting this country. In its current form, if allowed to
continue, it will decimate people’s lives and make annual budgets a
nightmare for anyone to allocate for.” In concluding his letter asking
for the International Union to endorse HR 676, President Clay said that HR
676 “…will also provide the best benefit to a system that is exhausted and
on the verge of collapse.” #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 66 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers..

HR 676 has been endorsed by 493 union organizations in 49 states including
121 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
03/19/09