Texas IAM Local is 500th Union to Endorse HR 676

Texas IAM Local is 500th Union to Endorse HR 676

Houston, Texas. IAMAW Local Lodge 2339H in Houston, representing 5,000
flight attendants at Continental and Express Jet Airlines, is the 500th
union organization to endorse HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation
introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI).

Christine Diaz, the Local’s Legislative Committee Chairperson, said: “It
was important for our local to stand in solidarity with the hundreds of
other labor organizations who have already endorsed HR 676. We are going
to win this fight at the grass roots level, and it is going to take
educating not only our members, but the general public, on the truth about
single payer health care.”

Rosalie Canton, President of Local Lodge 2339H, said: “When our
membership has to stop work for whatever reason, it is not uncommon to
hear, ‘Well, I will just have to risk not having health insurance for
three months. I cannot afford to pay for COBRA.’ The system must change
so that your health insurance is not tied to your employer. It just
doesn’t work anymore.”

The Legislative Committee has met with Rep. Gene Green but has not yet
secured his agreement to sign on as a co-sponsor of HR 676. #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 72 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers.

HR 676 has been endorsed by 500 union organizations in 49 states including
123 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
03/30/09

HELP NEEDED TODAY, SAT. 3/21 Single Payer ACTION

From SinglePayerNow.net:


Help Collect Single Payer Letters to Speaker Nancy Pelosi
At SF Anti-war March and Rally

Sat. Mar. 21 10am at Embarcadero – 12:45 at Civic Center

Dear Healthcare Tabling Specialist,

We need your help collecting letters at this Saturday’s SF anti-war march. 12 days ago after a massive phone campaign to the White House, President Obama invited two single payer supporters to his Healthcare Summit. Lobbying politicians does work.

Speaker Pelosi needs encouragement to include single payer healthcare in Washington’s discussions.

At 10am Saturday, we will set up a table at Justin Herman Plaza (Embarcadero BART) and ask participants to send their Congress Member a letter in support in HR 676, the national single payer legislation. We will be on Market at the corner of Stuart about 30 feet from the Subway Sandwich shop.
Around 12:30 we will set up a table at the SW corner of Larkin and Fulton at Civic Center. We will be coming from the Embacader.. My cell on Sat. is 415-810-5826.

Letters are the most effective method of lobbying a legislator. They are 50 times more effective than an email.
We also ask demonstrators if they can go to rally in LA on April 6 at the Whitle House Health Summitt, Go to Sacramento on April 15 for a health hearing on SB 810, and if they can attend a SF healthcare rally on May 7. Yes, more monied healthcare fakers are coming to SF.

Please let us know if you can help on Saturday.

__ I can help table at the Justin Herman Plaza and Civic Center.
__ I can help table only at Justin Herman Plaza. We always do best at the assembly point.
__ I can help table at Civic Center.
Other tabling opportunities.
__ On Thurs., Mar. 26, at 5pm, I can table at a budget cuts rally at Market & Powell in SF.
__ On Fri., Mar 27, at 5:30, I can distribute single payer postcards at a healthcare violence forum at Grace Cathedral in SF.
__ On Tues., Mar 31, at 6:30 I can distribute postcards at a Progressive campaigns forum featuring William Greidner
__ On Sat., April 4, I can help table at the SF Cesar Chavez Celebration.

Thank you.

Don Bechler
Chair – Single Payer Now
415-695-7891
www/singlepayernow.net

Fox news even reporting SEIU/CNA alliance...

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/seiu-cnannoc-announce-major-accord/

"...What is very significant is where this story appeared. In the business section of their website. Class analysis still exists in this country but only at very elite levels. When an earth shaking event takes place at the level of the masses the Power Structure is very careful to disemminate it in a way that does not feed the phenomenon. As such media accounts of the story are restricted to those outlets that are accessed by only elite readers/viewers. Expect to see this story in the pages of the Wall Street Journal but don't hold your breath waiting to see it on CNN..."

Bob Barston (of SinglePayerNow.net)

HUGE news-SEIU & CNA stand united!

OAKLAND, Calif. and WASHINGTON, March 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a dramatic agreement likely to accelerate the drive to pass the Employee Free Choice Act and rapidly promote unionization in the healthcare sector, the Service Employees International Union and the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee today announced the signing of a transformative cooperation agreement.

Under the pact SEIU and CNA/NNOC, the largest unions in the nation representing healthcare workers and registered nurses, respectively, will work together to bring union representation to all non-union RNs and other healthcare employees and step up efforts to enact Employee Free Choice.

Increased union representation in healthcare, say the unions, would play a huge role in strengthening the ability of nurses and other employees to fight for improved patient care standards, promote economic recovery through improved economic standards and sharply assist efforts to enact genuine healthcare reform nationally and in state capitols.

Concurrently, SEIU and CNA/NNOC jointly endorsed measures to allow states to adopt single-payer, or an expanded and updated Medicare for all, as a comprehensive, cost-effective healthcare reform.

"Read all about it...": http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/03-19-2009/0004991205&EDATE=

NEWS FROM VERMONT Single Payer-Definitely rising up!!!

From Vermont comes this:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/03/18/ap6182321.html (Notice the very good analogy re coal/politicians at the end.)

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090318/NEWS03/90318001

http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=10023498&nav=menu183_9_4

TO THOSE READING THIS TODAY WED. AM - PLEASE... your help needed TODAY: Please pick up phone and take 15 sec. to make a call to YOUR congressperson/s re supporting the stimulus package. That package will help make single payer possible. 15 sec. of your time - not calling or writing is part of the problem.

SF SUPERVISORS URGE SUPPORT of CA HCARE ACT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

San Francisco Supervisors urge support for Senate Bill 810,
Single Payer Healthcare Legislation for California

SF District 11 Supervisor John Avalos has introduced a resolution before the SF Board of Supervisors to show San Francisco’s support for Senate Bill 810, the California Universal Healthcare Act, which was introduced by San Francisco State Senator Mark Leno last week in Sacramento. SF Supervisors Ross Mirkarimi, Eric Mar, and others will express their support for SB 810 today, March 17, 2009 at 12 Noon on the Polk Street steps of San Francisco’s City Hall. A hearing with public comment before the SF Board of Supervisors will follow the press conference this afternoon at 1:30 inside City Hall.

Senator Leno is the author of SB 810, the California Universal Healthcare Act, which was previously numbered SB 840 and authored by termed-out Senator Sheila Kuehl.

SB 840 was passed by both houses of the California legislature in 2006, but Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed it; and his alternative compromise health reform legislation that retained the role of the insurance industry was rejected by the California legislature in 2008.

Press conference speakers include:
Beverly Ng, Senior District Representative for Senator Leno
Supervisor John Avalos, District 11
Supervisor Eric Mar, District 1
Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, District 5
Kelenia Olsen representing Assembly Member Fiona Ma
James Keys, Senior Action Network
Hene Kelly, California Association of Retired Americans
Chris Jackson, San Francisco Labor Council
Martha Kuhl, RN California Nurses Association
Richard Quint, MD, California Physicians Alliance
Ellen Shaffer, PhD MPH, Co-Director, Center for Policy Analysis
Michael Lyon, Gray Panthers
Don Bechler, Chair, Single Payer Now

For more information, contact Don Bechler of Single Payer Now
415-810-5826
dbechler@value.net
www.singlepayernow.net

Obama taking comments RIGHT NOW re Health Care

View the clip of Obama re health care reform sent out today by the US Dept. of HHS and then go here to comment.

Tell him you want a single payer PUBLICLY FUNDED system and tell him what you think about further subsidizing the private insurance industry.

Alabama Labor Council and Kentucky CWA Local Endorse HR 676

Alabama Labor Council and Kentucky CWA Local Endorse HR 676

Mobile, Alabama. The Southwest Alabama Labor Council has endorsed HR 676,
single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers
(D-MI).

The Alabama Labor Council is the one hundred-and-twenty-first labor
council to endorse the Conyers legislation. The resolution was forwarded
to the members of congress who represent Mobile and surrounding areas.

In Lexington, Kentucky, CWA Local 3372 has also endorsed the Conyers
legislation, reports Local President Joseph McCarty. The resolution was
sent to Representative Ben Chandler.

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 64 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers.

HR 676 has been endorsed by 491 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).

The Economy & Health Care

The lack of healthcare and coverage for so many Americans is a major contributor to the sinking economy. Just about EVERY single labor dispute over the last 5 years or so has seen healthcare benefits at the core of the dispute. In Japan, there is no privatized healthcare and thus overhead for labor is much lower. Lee Iaccocca talked about this.

Also, if you don't already know this, know that the private health insurance industry and insurance industry as a whole is second ONLY to big oil. 

WELCOME Single Payer Activists & Supporters

The single payer healthcare system is the only viable solution to the critical healthcare problem in the USA. Please post what's going on in your area right now, what you are focussing on right now, pending legislative updates we should know about, etc. - Looking forward to hearing from you.

Note that this site should be fully functional in a few days. Please send updated info regarding what is posted for the different states here as far as legislation and activist organizations.

Thank you all for all of your fantastic work. Single Payer Universal Healthcare - YES WE CAN!!!