News

 WE PROTECT VETERANS CARE
AFSCME members came together on Nov 10 presenting a petition with hundreds of signatures from all seven veterans home asking the Veterans Commission to change the sick leave policy.
AFSCME members made the case that the policy prevents sick staff from taking sick leave.

The spirited AFSCME activists Stacy Griffiths-Mt. Vernon, Wendy Battaglia & Lathey Riley of Cameron, Regina Furr & Deborah Coreman-St. Louis

WE FORCED THE COMMISSION
Following an intense exchange between AFSCME members, Veterans Commission and officials, Director Kay was ordered to investigate leave policy and report back.     

Middle-class workers shouldn’t have to pay for the uninsured.
By Gerald W. McEntee

Taxing high-cost insurance plans to fund health care reform is a bad idea. In fact, it could threaten the medical insurance plans of middle-class workers who obtain coverage from their employers. For many of them, especially those in states with high medical costs, there is nothing "gold-plated" about their health coverage.

In the end, while claiming to target gold-plated or Cadillac plans, this tax-raising scheme essentially is asking the middle class to pay for the health care for those who are currently uninsured. In an era of rising wealth inequality and stagnant middle-class wages, this tax would make health care less affordable for working families and ultimately inhibit economic growth while giving the wealthy a virtual free ride.

September 17th, 2009

The New England Journal of Medicine just released a survey of more than 2,100 physicians that shows overwhelming support for including a public insurance option in health care reform. A public health insurance option would help lower costs, improve quality, cover more and stop insurance company abuses.

When polled, “nearly three-quarters of physicians supported some form of a public option, either alone or in combination with private insurance options,” says Dr. Salomeh Keyhani, an internist and researcher who conducted the survey with Dr. Alex Federman.

Unfortunately, the Senate Finance Committee is considering a bill that ignores these doctors’ advice. It does not come close to meeting the needs of America’s working families in part because it lacks a public option. Wendell Potter, a former CIGNA executive, calls the Finance Committee bill an “absolute gift” to the insurance industry. That’s unacceptable.

The bill being considered in the Finance Committee must be fixed. America can do better and Congress must do better. Reforming health care is too important to do half way.

 

 

September 11th, 2009

In memory of the nearly 3,000 people lost on September 11, 2001, including some 600 union members and nine of our AFSCME sisters and brothers: Yvette Anderson, Florence Cohen, Harry Goody, Marian Hrycak, Dorothy Temple, Chet Louie, Rev. Mychal Judge, Ricardo Quinn and Carlos Lillo.

We Were There.

We are the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, health care providers, social and emergency workers, 911 operators, highway crews and others who responded on September 11th.

We Will Always Be There.

Whether it’s making our communities safe or protecting our children, we are Americans dedicated to doing our jobs and keeping our country strong.

Now more than ever —

We Are In the Public Service.

We Are AFSCME.

From the Greenline: The AFSCME Blog

September 4th, 2009

AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee

September 4, 2009

Today young workers are less likely to have health care or economic security than they were 10 years ago, and one-third live in their parents’ home, according to a new national survey released by the AFL-CIO.

• 31 percent of young workers report being uninsured, up from 24 percent 10 years ago, and 79 percent of those without health care coverage say it’s because they can’t afford it or their employer does not offer it.
• One in three young workers live at home with their parents.
• Only 31 percent say they make enough money to cover their bills and put some money aside — 22 percentage points fewer than in 1999.

Young workers are facing many new challenges on the job, especially during this recession. AFSCME joins the AFL-CIO in working with young union members to build the labor movement, revitalize the economy, and to pass health care reform and the Employee Free Choice Act.

Rocks and Rolls for Reform During August Recess

Washington, D.C. —  The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME) today announced the Highway to Health Care Reform campaign, a rock and roll theme RV tour that will crisscross the country during the August congressional recess.

The Highway to Health Care Reform RV will travel through key states to mobilize the public to contact their members of Congress to demand real reform that guarantees quality, affordable health care for all.

“AFSCME will make the voices of Americans demanding real health care reform heard in the halls of Congress,” said AFSCME International President Gerald W. McEntee.