Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Joe the "Plumber" Shills Against the Employee Free Choice Act in PA
Joe the “Plumber” doesn’t know that card check is already the law. Video of Joe in Harrisburg, PA today. Prior to this video, off camera, he admits he hasn’t read the Employee Free Choice bill, yet he comes to Pennsylvania to fight against workers’ rights:
Friday, March 27, 2009
Specter took $235,350 from union busters in 2008
From Talking Union: http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/specter-took-250k-from-union-buster-in-2008-then-turned-back-on-workers
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) has spent a career crafting an image of independence and integrity. On March 24 he sacrificed both when he turned his back on the working people in his state. Specter announced that he would not vote to allow the Employee Free Choice Act to receive an up or down vote on the Senate floor; a move that some consider fatal to the legislation. In a statement on the Senate floor he waxed eloquent about his belief that a difficult economic climate is no time for workers to receive a living wage.
Specter received $235,350 in 2008 from Blank Rome LLP a self described “union avoidance” law firm.
Read the whole article here: http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/specter-took-250k-from-union-buster-in-2008-then-turned-back-on-workers
Tip of the hat to Alan Hart from UE News for pointing us to this article.- MM
Thursday, March 26, 2009
N.H. House backs single-payer health plan
N.H. Business Review: http://nhbr.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090325/NEWS06/903259997
N.H. House backs single-payer health plan
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
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The New Hampshire House went on record in favor of a single-payer national health-care system Tuesday, in a last minute, 192-150 roll call vote.
Rep. Jill Shaffer Hammond, D-Peterborough, spoke for the resolution, HCR2, which supports the federal National Health Insurance Act and calls for similar coverage offered in other industrialized nations. The federal act, currently languishing in Congress, goes far beyond what President Obama, and most Democratic candidates running to the left of him, proposed in the last campaign. The act would increase the Medicaid payroll tax to 4.5 percent from 1.2 percent, allowing the federal government to insure everyone not currently insured, said Shaffer Hammond – an amount, she contended, that is far lower than the amount most people currently pay for health insurance.
Already, she said, the government pays for veterans, elderly and the poor, and all high-risk groups with expensive coverage.
Add on government workers, and “we are more than 60 percent there already,” she said.
“No more would the small-business owner faced with a 23 percent increase in insurance premiums have to negotiate a 16 percent increase and then talk to their employees about doubling their deductible,” she said. “No more would a family have to face medical bankruptcy. Let’s liberate our small business to compete locally, nationally and globally.”
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tell Specter: Let the Senate Vote on Employee Free Choice
Allow the Senate to vote on the Employee Free Choice Act
Last month we sent an email asking whether Senator Specter was on the side of Rush Limbaugh or on the side of working families. Yesterday he answered the question. Specter came down solidly on the side of Limbaugh and the CEOs of Citigroup, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs.
Specter said he will not allow a Senate vote on the Employee Free Choice Act. In a textbook example of irony, Specter said his reason was his belief in the sanctity of majority voting as a cornerstone of our democracy.
Specter said he will impose his will and refuse to allow the Senate to vote on the Employee Free Choice Act, despite the fact that it is favored by a majority of his fellow Senators, a majority in the House of Representatives, and most importantly, a majority of the American people. Specter said he will use an antiquated Senate rule that allows a minority to block votes to keep this popular bill from passing.
That's not the way the system is supposed to work. And it belies the hypocrisy of Specter's decision.
Click here to tell Senator Specter to let the Senate vote on Employee Free Choice. http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/s/specterEFCA
If he opposes the bill, he can vote against it, but he should not singlehandedly impose his will on the Senate and working families across the nation.
In Solidarity,
Michael Morrill
Keystone Progress
www.keystoneprogress.org
Follow Keystone Progress on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/keystoneprogres
More on Employee Free Choice:
When workers are free to choose to join a union, our economy can work for everyone again. That's why we need the Employee Free Choice Act-a bill in Congress that would help to level the playing field and give workers the freedom to choose a union.
Employee Free Choice will allow workers to determine whether or not they want a union, without undue intimidation and interference from the employer. It will let workers decide whether they want to hold an election or simply have a majority sign a petition to determine whether or not they can have a union. Both options exist now, but instead of letting the workers decide, current law allows the employer to decide which method is used.
According to American Rights at Work, the Employee Free Choice Act would:
· Help America's working families improve their standard of living. Workers in unions earn 30 percent higher wages and are 59 percent more likely to have employer-provided health insurance.
· Fix a broken system that gives corporations far too much power. When workers try to organize unions, they are often harassed and intimidated; 25 percent of companies unlawfully fire pro-union workers.
· Restore fairness and the promise of the American Dream, with a robust middle class, economic growth, and shared prosperity.
Tell Specter to let the Senate vote on Employee Free Choice:http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/s/specterEFCA
Thursday, March 19, 2009
SEIU/ CNA Announce Comity Agreement- Huge Victory for Workers!
SEIU, CNA/NNOC Announce Major Accord
Expected to Spur Campaign for Employee Free Choice Act, Spark Major Drive for Healthcare Union Organizing, and Boost RN Standards and Power for Healthcare Workers
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.
"This marks the beginning of a new future for nurses and other healthcare workers and their patients throughout this nation," said Andy Stern, president of SEIU, the nation's largest healthcare union. "We are lining up to make sweeping changes to this country's broken healthcare system, and as we wait for the starting gun it is imperative that we put the past behind us and move forward by putting all healthcare workers in the strongest possible position to define reform, move legislation and make the new healthcare system operational. Is this accord surprising? Perhaps, but those who recognize our shared value of making sure registered nurses and other healthcare workers have not only a say but a critical role in helping reshape a failed system into something that actually helps people know that this is the right step to help us meet the challenge and the call of this moment."
"This is an exciting new day for nurses and patients across the nation," said CNA/NNOC Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro. "This agreement provides a huge spark for the emergence of a more powerful, unified national movement that is needed to more effectively challenge healthcare industry layoffs and attacks on RN economic and professional standards and patient care conditions. It will also strengthen the ability of all direct care RNs to fight for real healthcare reform and advocate for improved patient care conditions and stronger patient safety legislation from coast to coast."
Today's agreement comes just three weeks after the announcement that CNA/NNOC, with 85,000 current members, will be uniting with the United American Nurses and the Massachusetts Nurses Union to form the largest RN union ever in the U.S. with 150,000 members. Steps to complete that unification are continuing.
Now, augmented by the joint campaigns with SEIU and its 2 million members, the creation of a much larger, stronger, national nurses union and RN movement, with sweeping implications for improving RN standards and patient care protections, is greatly hastened, said CNA/NNOC and SEIU today.
Among key elements of the pact:
The two unions will work together to organize non-union hospital workers throughout the country, with CNA/NNOC as the leading voice for RNs, and SEIU as the leading voice for all other hospital workers.
The unions will launch an intensive national organizing campaign with an initial focus on the nation's largest hospital systems.
In addition to organizing, SEIU and CNA/NNOC will coordinate on a broad range of other issues from bargaining with common employers to the campaign to enact the Employee Free Choice Act.
SEIU and CNA/NNOC publicly endorse measures that allow states to adopt single-payer health care systems.
Both parties will refrain from "raiding," seeking to displace the existing members of the other's organization, or from interference in the other's internal affairs.
The two unions will create a new joint RN organization in Florida to represent current and future RNs of both unions. In all other states, SEIU will continue to represent their current RN members in collective bargaining.
With 2 million members, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in North America. Focused on uniting workers in three sectors to improve their lives and the services they provide, SEIU is the largest health care union, including hospitals, nursing homes, and home care; the largest property services union, including building cleaning and security; and the second largest public employee union.
CNA/NNOC is the nation's largest organization of direct care RNs with 85,000 members in all 50 states.
Expected to Spur Campaign for Employee Free Choice Act, Spark Major Drive for Healthcare Union Organizing, and Boost RN Standards and Power for Healthcare Workers
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.
"This marks the beginning of a new future for nurses and other healthcare workers and their patients throughout this nation," said Andy Stern, president of SEIU, the nation's largest healthcare union. "We are lining up to make sweeping changes to this country's broken healthcare system, and as we wait for the starting gun it is imperative that we put the past behind us and move forward by putting all healthcare workers in the strongest possible position to define reform, move legislation and make the new healthcare system operational. Is this accord surprising? Perhaps, but those who recognize our shared value of making sure registered nurses and other healthcare workers have not only a say but a critical role in helping reshape a failed system into something that actually helps people know that this is the right step to help us meet the challenge and the call of this moment."
"This is an exciting new day for nurses and patients across the nation," said CNA/NNOC Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro. "This agreement provides a huge spark for the emergence of a more powerful, unified national movement that is needed to more effectively challenge healthcare industry layoffs and attacks on RN economic and professional standards and patient care conditions. It will also strengthen the ability of all direct care RNs to fight for real healthcare reform and advocate for improved patient care conditions and stronger patient safety legislation from coast to coast."
Today's agreement comes just three weeks after the announcement that CNA/NNOC, with 85,000 current members, will be uniting with the United American Nurses and the Massachusetts Nurses Union to form the largest RN union ever in the U.S. with 150,000 members. Steps to complete that unification are continuing.
Now, augmented by the joint campaigns with SEIU and its 2 million members, the creation of a much larger, stronger, national nurses union and RN movement, with sweeping implications for improving RN standards and patient care protections, is greatly hastened, said CNA/NNOC and SEIU today.
Among key elements of the pact:
The two unions will work together to organize non-union hospital workers throughout the country, with CNA/NNOC as the leading voice for RNs, and SEIU as the leading voice for all other hospital workers.
The unions will launch an intensive national organizing campaign with an initial focus on the nation's largest hospital systems.
In addition to organizing, SEIU and CNA/NNOC will coordinate on a broad range of other issues from bargaining with common employers to the campaign to enact the Employee Free Choice Act.
SEIU and CNA/NNOC publicly endorse measures that allow states to adopt single-payer health care systems.
Both parties will refrain from "raiding," seeking to displace the existing members of the other's organization, or from interference in the other's internal affairs.
The two unions will create a new joint RN organization in Florida to represent current and future RNs of both unions. In all other states, SEIU will continue to represent their current RN members in collective bargaining.
With 2 million members, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in North America. Focused on uniting workers in three sectors to improve their lives and the services they provide, SEIU is the largest health care union, including hospitals, nursing homes, and home care; the largest property services union, including building cleaning and security; and the second largest public employee union.
CNA/NNOC is the nation's largest organization of direct care RNs with 85,000 members in all 50 states.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Stop Legal Discrimination in PA
Stop Legal Discrimination in Pennsylvania
The bad news:
There is no Pennsylvania law preventing discrimination in employment, housing or accommodations because of a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered, you can be fired from your job, refused service, or denied housing without any recourse under PA law.
The good news:
Pennsylvania took the first step today toward making that discrimination illegal.
HB 300, legislation prohibiting discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in housing, employment, and public accommodations passed the State Government Committee in the PA House of Representatives today. Current Pennsylvania law provides basic legal protection against discrimination on the bases of race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, handicap or disability, education and the use of a guide dog. HB 300 offers the same anti-discrimination protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people that are offered to other Pennsylvanians.
The work before us:
Governor Rendell has promised to sign anti-discrimination legislation if it reaches his desk, and a majority of the Senate and House will vote to pass it. We just need to get leadership to schedule a vote.
That’s where you come in. Take a moment to sign our e-petition to House and Senate Leadership asking them to schedule votes on this vital legislation as soon as possible.
Click here to take action, then forward this action to everyone you know. http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/s/paantidiscr1
Bigotry has no place in Pennsylvania. It’s time to end discrimination now!
Michael Morrill, Keystone Progress
Jake Kaskey, Equality Advocates Pennsylvania
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Casey on Employee Free Choice
| We don't usually post news releases from elected officials, but Casey's news release on the Employee Free Choice Act is unusual and remarkable in its characterization of workers' right as a simple matter of justice. -MM For Immediate Release March 10, 2009 |
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| Casey: Bill Protecting Worker Rights More Necessary in Recession “In my judgment, it is appropriate at this hearing to discuss the Employee Free Choice Act, but also the trauma that the American family is living through in this recession. We need to talk about helping to provide economic security for families who don’t have it. One of the best ways to ensure economic security for workers and their families is for that worker to be a member of a union. “The other side has done a good job of making their arguments. I give them credit for their political skill -- even if their arguments are not always accurate. “What you don’t hear is that the Employee Free Choice Act actually gives workers two different ways to choose whether to form a union: through an election process or through majority sign up. The choice is up to the workers. “I’m a Pennsylvanian. We have had a lot of tough years seeing people trampled by corporate power. These troubles marred the last century, but we still have problems today. I have seen anti-union intimidation when firms were brought in to discourage organizing by health care workers. This bill will help preserve the rights of workers. “Contrary to the rhetoric from the other side, the Employee Free Choice Act does not abolish the secret ballot election process. A secret ballot would still be available. If workers prefer to use majority sign up, they could do that as well. “We know from our history that if people collectively bargain and organize for wages and benefits, it is not only good for the workers and their families, but it is also good for the “Allowing people to organize and bargain for their rights and benefits is not just a labor issue; it is an issue of economic justice. “ “This bill can help in the pursuit of economic justice. If we don’t pursue justice, we will be nothing but a band of robbers.” ### | |
ACLU of PA State Conference, April 18
Join us for the 2009 ACLU of Pennsylvania State Conference!
We the People: Working Together to Restore Civil Liberties
Saturday, April 18th
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Harrisburg/Hershey Holiday
Now, more than ever, we civil libertarians must roll up our sleeves. In the weeks, months and years ahead, there is much work to be done. We have an extraordinary opportunity to make this country and this state a freer, fairer place. Come learn what you can do to advance civil liberties in Pennsylvania!
Conference Highlights
Keynote: Ending the War on Drugs
with Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired), Founding Member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), a drug-policy-reform organization consisting of current and former law enforcement officers
Plenary: A Civil Libertarian’s Perspective on Obama’s First 100 Days
with
Workshops
- An Activist Guide to Slowing the Growth of the Prison Industrial Complex
- Reproductive Rights 101: Everything Your Legislator Needs to Know but Is Afraid to Ask
- Challenging Police Misconduct: Community Responses
- The ADAAA: Undoing the Damage to the Major Civil Rights Act for People with Disabilities
- Freedom to Work: Ending LGBT Discrimination in
- Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Additional activities on Friday, April 17
We also invite you to attend a pre-conference reception at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. on April 17 at the conference hotel.
After-dinner entertainment provided by singer/songwriter Jefferson Pepper. Registration for dinner and reception required. Concert is free and does not require registration.
Registration Information
Register online at: www.aclupa.org/conference
Member registration: $65
Non-member registration: $85 (includes a free one-year ACLU membership)
Student/low-income registration: $20
Reception on April 17: Free
Dinner on April 17: $35
Hotel Information
Rooms are available at the conference hotel, the Holiday Inn Harrisburg/Hershey, for the conference rate of $99 plus tax. Reservations can be made by calling (717) 469-0661. Please mention the ACLU rate when making reservation. Conference rate is good until 3/31/2009.
Questions?
Contact us at 215-592-1513 x122 or aclupa@aclupa.org .
Thursday, March 5, 2009
LGBT Non-Discrimination Bill Introduced
This week Rep. Frankel introduced HB 300, legislation that would prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, and public accomodations because of one's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression with 78 other co-sponsors from across the state!
You can read more about the introduction here: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://equalitypa.org%2Fnews%2Fnews_view.php%3Fnews_id%3D75
Things are really coming together for the Lobby Day and Rally on Tuesday, March 17 at the statehouse in Harrisburg! Together we will really stand together and speak with one voice for LGBT equality across the state!
We have more information about the free buses from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The bus will be leaving Pittsburgh at 7:30am from the IBEW Local 5 Hall at 5 Hot Metal Street in Pittsburgh. The bus will leave from Center City, Philadelphia at 9:00am, with a specific location to be announced shortly.
To reserve a seat on the Pittsburgh bus, email pittsburghequalitybus@gmail.com, and for the Philly bus, phillyequalitybus@gmail.com.
For those not riding the buses, or coming from the center of the state, just meet at 11:30am at St. Michael's Lutheran Church at 118 State Street for complimentary lunch and lobby training!
You can read Rep. Dan Frankel's (D, Allegheny) news release here: http://www.pahouse.com/PR/023030409.asp
Maryland Insurance Companies Introduce Universal coverage Bill
This appears to be a trend, with Massachusetts already mandating health insurance coverage. Now Maryland wants to get into the act.
In related news, Hawaii's House Finance Committee passed a bill to set up Hawaii Health Authority to look at ways to provide universal health coverage.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Bush Considered Throwing Out First Amendment
Why isn't this front page news across the country?
-MM
From Newsweek:
In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the Justice Department secretly gave the green light for the U.S. military to attack apartment buildings and office complexes inside the United States, deploy high-tech surveillance against U.S. citizens and potentially suspend First Amendment freedom-of-the-press rights in order to combat the terror threat, according to a memo released Monday.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Support Aliquippa Caregivers who are standing up for justice for working families -- not just those at the top!
Hardworking hospital employees got a slap in the face when Bridge Finance Group reneged on a promise to pay approximately 200 laid-off hospital caregivers wages that have been owed to them since before Christmas.
This is part of a national trend of laid off workers being left with nothing when their workplace closes. Workers in Chicago at Republic Windows and Doors and in Rhode Island at Calibri jewelry manufacturers have stiffed their workers in recent weeks. We need to stop this trend before it becomes standard and legally acceptable
Help Aliquippa caregivers get justice. Send a message to Bridge..
In December, Aliquippa lost its community hospital and over 200 working families lost their jobs when Commonwealth Medical Center declared bankruptcy and closed its doors. Bridge Finance Group is Commonwealth's primary lender.
Caregivers who had dedicated their lives to serving patients in the community simply got a chilling letter from management saying the paychecks they were counting on weren't coming.
Tell Bridge to do what's right and pay caregivers what they're owed..
After rallies in Chicago, Aliquippa, and Pittsburgh, Bridge agreed to pay a portion of the unpaid wages and to work toward full payment -- a commitment that Bridge reneged on in court on Tuesday!
In these tough economic times, we need to hold corporate financiers accountable to their commitments to the working families in our communities.
Support the Aliquippa Caregivers. Take action and send a letter to Bridge demanding justice..
This is a joint campaign with Keystone Progress and SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania.Saturday, February 7, 2009
View the video that is making people cry coast to coast
From our California affiliate, the Courage Campaign. Fair warning: if you have a heart, you WILL cry.
Take action at http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/divorce
contributions to continue our work:
http://keystoneprogress.org/page/contribute/kspdonate
Take action at http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/divorce
contributions to continue our work:
http://keystoneprogress.org/page/contribute/kspdonate
Friday, February 6, 2009
Tell the Senate: Confirm Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor
Please take a minute to watch my video, then sign our petition to the Senate supporting Congresswoman Solis for Secretary of Labor.
Congresswoman Hilda Solis is the embodiment of the American Dream.
That conservative Republicans are choosing to obstruct her nomination is an insult to every working person in America.
Please watch my video message and sign our petition to make Hilda Solis our next Secretary of Labor.
Click here:http://www.seiu.org/solis
Thanks for all you do.
In Solidarity,
Andy Stern
President, Service Employees International Union
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Victory for Aliquippa Caregivers - And More to Come
Victory for Aliquippa Caregivers – And More to Come
(PITTSBURGH) -- In a victory for laid-off employees of Commonwealth Medical Center (formerly Aliquippa Hospital) who have been fighting for unpaid wages, the Medical Center and its chief lender, Bridge Finance Group, agreed to pay part of the wages owed immediately and to work toward full payment within three weeks.
The agreement reached on Tuesday provides that the former employees will receive a portion of the wages owed by 12:00 Noon on Wednesday, January 28, with a commitment to ensuring full compensation in the next few weeks.
“This is a tremendous first step, and we are going to keep fighting to make sure everyone is paid in full for our work on behalf of patients and our community,” said Kathie Marino, RN and former Commonwealth employee. “In this economic crisis, working people need to stick together so our voices are heard.”
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Bernard Markovitz signed the order releasing partial payment of employees’ unpaid wages at Tuesday’s hearing, and has scheduled a follow up hearing for Tuesday, February 17, at 11:00 A.M. to approve an agreement for full payment of wages owed.
Leading up to Tuesday’s hearing, Commonwealth Medical Center employees and community supporters held a week of rallies and public activities to draw attention to the need for fair treatment of working families during layoffs.
- On Monday before the hearing, a group of four nurses formerly employed by the hospital, two area clergy, and a union leader sat in at the closed hospital demanding fairness for working families, not just those at the top.
- On Friday, January 23, a group of former hospital employees traveled to Chicago for a rally at the Bridge Finance Group's headquarters at the Sears Tower joined by SEIU Healthcare Illinois members and former employees of Republic Windows and Doors.
- On Tuesday, January 27, in downtown Pittsburgh, over 100 supporters rallied with former hospital workers prior to the start of the Bankruptcy Court hearing.
“We are grateful for the support of our union and community and are very encouraged by today’s developments,” said Linda Karamarkovich, RN. “We intend to continue to stick together, and look forward to receiving part of what we are owed tomorrow and all of our unpaid wages very soon.”
Commonwealth Medical Center filed for bankruptcy last December 5th and closed abruptly about one week later. In December, the Medical Center and Bridge Finance Group agreed to pay wages for hospital executives but left frontline caregivers out in the cold, waiting for paychecks that were owed them before Christmas and New Years.
PA Hospital Workers Sit-in to Get Back Pay
Caregivers Sit-in at Community Hospital in Aliquippa, Demand Fairness for Working Families
(ALIQUIPPA, PA) -- Hospital caregivers from the former Aliquippa Hospital initiated a peaceful sit-in inside the closed medical facility to protest hospital management’s failure to pay employees’ unpaid wages that were due to them before Christmas.
Four Registered Nurses, former hospital employees, joined by SEIU Healthcare PA Secretary-Treasurer Kim Patterson, Father Jack O’Malley of Pittsburgh and Scott Fabean of the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network went into the building around noon to discuss the issue with hospital management. The delegation met with hospital officials for about an hour and a half. When discussions broke down, the delegation vowed to stay on the property until management agreed to pay them for the hours they worked.
Willie Felts (CFO) and John O’Donnell (CEO) from Commonwealth then called the Aliquippa police who removed the caregivers and their supporters from the hospital grounds.
The workers will continue to press their demands at a demonstration before the bankruptcy hearing scheduled for tomorrow at the US Steel Building in Pittsburgh.
“It’s unfortunate when workers have to stage sit-ins to get what they earned,” said Kathie Marino, RN. “But workers across the nation are saying ‘enough is enough’ of executives looking out for themselves and not working families.”
A deal made between the hospital and their primary lender, Bridge Finance Group, provided for executive salaries, but left frontline workers out in the cold. Workers are still waiting for wages they have been owed since before Christmas and New Years.
“When Commonwealth took over Aliquippa Hospital they promised us that they cared about our community,” said Linda Karamarkovich, who worked as a registered nurse before the closing. “If they really cared about the community they wouldn’t have closed the hospital just weeks before Christmas, leaving hundreds of families without a paycheck and thousands of families without a local hospital.”
“All we want is justice and our back pay,” added Michelle Batchelor, RN. “We earned it and they owe it.”
Some of the former Aliquippa workers took their case to
Among the supporters who joined them were former employees of Republic Windows and Doors who were also denied their back pay when their employer closed their plant. The Republic workers staged a five day long sit-in that resulted in the workers winning.
SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, the union representing the workers and the largest healthcare workers’ union in the state, has filed a complaint that will be heard at a bankruptcy court hearing on Tuesday.
###
SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania is the Commonwealth’s largest and fastest-growing union of nurses and other health care workers, representing over 20,000 members in hospitals, nursing homes, home care, and state health facilities. For more information go to: www.seiuhealthcarepa.org.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Join us at RootsCamp in Pittsburgh on Saturday
rootscampPittsburgh
Join the Fun! Join us for RootsCamp Pittsburgh this Saturday, January 24!
RootsCamp is a unique self organizing conference with no preset schedule--the interests of the attendees drive the agenda. It's also a lot of fun, and it's a great way to meet other progressives from across Pennsylvania and beyond.
Think of it as a cross between an election debrief and grassroots organizing skills share. The progressive community — everyone from the "netroots" to precinct captains to field organizers to national message consultants — come together to share successes, failures, impart old wisdom and new discoveries.
RootsCamp is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from participants. There are NO SPECTATORS. This open format never fails to yield an astounding exchange of information, spin-off projects, and cross-pollination among unexpected partners.
For more info and to RSVP, click on the following link:
http://rootscamppittsburgh2009.pbwiki.com
RootsCamps in other cities have been a huge success, and we're excited to make this RootsCamp even better. You'll meet great people, get energized for 2009 and enjoy some fantastic food! Best of all it only costs $10, thanks to our wonderful sponsors (SEIU PA State Council and United Steelworkers).
To get a taste of what RootsCamp is like, check out the video clips from the last year’s Rocky Mountain RootsCamp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZaM3CjVzPs
Don’t miss out. Register soon. Space is limited.
We look forward to seeing you on January 24 in Pittsburgh!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Economic impact study demonstrates that a single-payer system would be a huge economic stimulus to the U.S. economy
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Establishing a national single-payer style healthcare reform system would provide a major stimulus for the U.S. economy by creating 2.6 million new jobs, and infusing $317 billion in new business and public revenues, with another $100 billion in wages into the U.S. economy, according to the findings of a groundbreaking study released today. It may be viewed at www.CalNurses.org.
The number of jobs created by a single-payer system, expanding and upgrading Medicare to cover everyone, parallels almost exactly the total job loss in 2008.
"These dramatic new findings document for the first time that a single-payer system could not only solve our healthcare crisis, but also substantially contribute to putting America back to work and assisting the economic recovery," said Geri Jenkins, RN, co-president of the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association, which sponsored the study.
"Through direct and supplemental expenditures, healthcare is already a uniquely dominant force in the U.S. economy," said Don DeMoro, lead author of the study and director of the Institute for Health and Socio-Economic Policy, the NNOC/CNA research arm.
"However, so much more is possible. If we were to expand our present Medicare system to cover all Americans, the economic stimulus alone would create an immense engine that would help drive our national economy for decades to come," DeMoro said.
Expanding Medicare to include the uninsured, and these on Medicaid or employer-sponsored health plans, and expanding coverage for those with limited Medicare, would have the following immediate impacts:
Create 2,613,495 million new permanent good-paying jobs (slightly exceeding the number of jobs lost in 2008)
Boost the economy with $317 billion in increased business and public revenues
Add $100 billion in employee compensation
Infuse public budgets with $44 billion in new tax revenues
Further, moving to the new system comes with an unexpectedly low price tag, given the economic benefits and the far-reaching consequences of genuine healthcare reform, DeMoro noted.
Healthcare for all far less than the Wall Street bailouts
Adding all Americans to an expanded Medicare could be achieved for $63 billion beyond the current $2.1 trillion in direct healthcare spending. The $63 billion is six times less than the federal bailout for CitiGroup, and less than half the federal bailout for AIG. Solely expanding Medicare to cover the 47 million uninsured Americans (as of 2006 data on which the study is based) could be accomplished for $44 billion.
The IHSP projections build from an econometric model of the current face of healthcare - applying economic analysis to a wide array of publicly available data from Medicare, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and other sources.
It is the first known study to provide an econometric analysis of the economic benefits of healthcare to the overall economy, showing how changes in direct healthcare delivery affect all other significant sectors touched by healthcare, and how sweeping healthcare reform can help drive the nation's economic recovery.
Healthcare presently accounts for $2.105 trillion in direct expenditures. But healthcare spreads far beyond doctor's offices and hospitals. Adding in healthcare business purchases of services or supplies and spending by workers, the total impact of healthcare in the economy mushrooms to nearly $6 trillion.
Overall, every direct healthcare dollar creates nearly three additional dollars in the U.S. economy. Incurrent form, healthcare:
Generates 45 million jobs, directly and in other industries.
Accounts for 10.5 percent of all U.S. jobs and 12.1 percent of all U.S. wages.
Totals 9.2 percent of the nation's Gross National Product.
Contributes about 25 percent of all federal tax revenues. Federal, state, and local taxes from the healthcare sector in 2006 added up to $824 billion.
All those numbers would rise dramatically through comprehensive healthcare reform. But a single-payer system would produce the biggest increase in jobs and wages. The reason, DeMoro said, is that "the broadest economic benefits directly accrue from the actual delivery and provision of healthcare, not the purchase of insurance."
Medicare for all has numerous other benefits, of course, noted Jenkins, from a streamlined system with tens of billions less in private insurance administrative waste, guaranteed choice of physician and hospital, no loss of coverage when unemployed, and no one denied coverage due to age or health status.
"Only a single-payer, expanded Medicare-for-all approach ends the current disgraceful practice of insurance companies refusing to pay for medical treatment or engaging in rampant price gouging that discourages patients from going to the doctor, seeing specialists, or getting diagnostic procedures in a timely manner," said Jenkins.
The IHSP has conducted research for members of Congress and state legislatures as well as NNOC/CNA, and received international renown for research studies on cost and charges in the hospital industry, the pharmaceutical industry, hospital staffing, and other healthcare policy.
Robert Fountain, a frequent economics consultant for the California Public Employees Retirement System (Cal-PERS), served as a consultant on the study.
SOURCE National Nurses Organizing Committee
The number of jobs created by a single-payer system, expanding and upgrading Medicare to cover everyone, parallels almost exactly the total job loss in 2008.
"These dramatic new findings document for the first time that a single-payer system could not only solve our healthcare crisis, but also substantially contribute to putting America back to work and assisting the economic recovery," said Geri Jenkins, RN, co-president of the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association, which sponsored the study.
"Through direct and supplemental expenditures, healthcare is already a uniquely dominant force in the U.S. economy," said Don DeMoro, lead author of the study and director of the Institute for Health and Socio-Economic Policy, the NNOC/CNA research arm.
"However, so much more is possible. If we were to expand our present Medicare system to cover all Americans, the economic stimulus alone would create an immense engine that would help drive our national economy for decades to come," DeMoro said.
Expanding Medicare to include the uninsured, and these on Medicaid or employer-sponsored health plans, and expanding coverage for those with limited Medicare, would have the following immediate impacts:
Create 2,613,495 million new permanent good-paying jobs (slightly exceeding the number of jobs lost in 2008)
Boost the economy with $317 billion in increased business and public revenues
Add $100 billion in employee compensation
Infuse public budgets with $44 billion in new tax revenues
Further, moving to the new system comes with an unexpectedly low price tag, given the economic benefits and the far-reaching consequences of genuine healthcare reform, DeMoro noted.
Healthcare for all far less than the Wall Street bailouts
Adding all Americans to an expanded Medicare could be achieved for $63 billion beyond the current $2.1 trillion in direct healthcare spending. The $63 billion is six times less than the federal bailout for CitiGroup, and less than half the federal bailout for AIG. Solely expanding Medicare to cover the 47 million uninsured Americans (as of 2006 data on which the study is based) could be accomplished for $44 billion.
The IHSP projections build from an econometric model of the current face of healthcare - applying economic analysis to a wide array of publicly available data from Medicare, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and other sources.
It is the first known study to provide an econometric analysis of the economic benefits of healthcare to the overall economy, showing how changes in direct healthcare delivery affect all other significant sectors touched by healthcare, and how sweeping healthcare reform can help drive the nation's economic recovery.
Healthcare presently accounts for $2.105 trillion in direct expenditures. But healthcare spreads far beyond doctor's offices and hospitals. Adding in healthcare business purchases of services or supplies and spending by workers, the total impact of healthcare in the economy mushrooms to nearly $6 trillion.
Overall, every direct healthcare dollar creates nearly three additional dollars in the U.S. economy. Incurrent form, healthcare:
Generates 45 million jobs, directly and in other industries.
Accounts for 10.5 percent of all U.S. jobs and 12.1 percent of all U.S. wages.
Totals 9.2 percent of the nation's Gross National Product.
Contributes about 25 percent of all federal tax revenues. Federal, state, and local taxes from the healthcare sector in 2006 added up to $824 billion.
All those numbers would rise dramatically through comprehensive healthcare reform. But a single-payer system would produce the biggest increase in jobs and wages. The reason, DeMoro said, is that "the broadest economic benefits directly accrue from the actual delivery and provision of healthcare, not the purchase of insurance."
Medicare for all has numerous other benefits, of course, noted Jenkins, from a streamlined system with tens of billions less in private insurance administrative waste, guaranteed choice of physician and hospital, no loss of coverage when unemployed, and no one denied coverage due to age or health status.
"Only a single-payer, expanded Medicare-for-all approach ends the current disgraceful practice of insurance companies refusing to pay for medical treatment or engaging in rampant price gouging that discourages patients from going to the doctor, seeing specialists, or getting diagnostic procedures in a timely manner," said Jenkins.
The IHSP has conducted research for members of Congress and state legislatures as well as NNOC/CNA, and received international renown for research studies on cost and charges in the hospital industry, the pharmaceutical industry, hospital staffing, and other healthcare policy.
Robert Fountain, a frequent economics consultant for the California Public Employees Retirement System (Cal-PERS), served as a consultant on the study.
SOURCE National Nurses Organizing Committee
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