Health Care

Health care is a basic human right.  America’s labor movement has worked for more than a century for guaranteed high-quality health care for everyone.  The Affordable Care Act is a historic milestone on this journey, but we still have a long way to go.

America must continue moving forward toward a more equitable and cost-effective health care system. Moving forward means working with employers to demand health care payment and delivery reforms to control costs, allowing people of all ages to buy into the equivalent of Medicare through a public plan option and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices.  Of course, the most cost-effective and equitable way to provide quality health care is through the social insurance model (“Medicare for All”), as other industrialized countries have shown. 

The worst thing we could do is move backward by repealing the Affordable Care Act or its key provisions; privatizing Medicare or turning it into a voucher program; raising the Medicare eligibility age; increasing Medicare co-pays and deductibles or otherwise cutting Medicare benefits; or taxing employment-based health care benefits. 

More about this issue:

Feb 27

Members of the Professional Staff Congress (PSC), the union of CUNY faculty and professional staff, will rally before work outside CUNY Central (205 E. 42nd St.) the morning of Monday, February 27, the day before their contract expires. Arrive at 7:30 AM. Rally begins at 8 AM.

Feb 21

Workers from the YouTube Music content operations have been organizing to build power in their workplace.

In response to these workers exercising their legally protected rights, their employers Google & Cognizant are retaliatiing against them.

Feb 20

The New York City musicians' union, AFM Local 802, has announced a strike against Distinguished Concerts International New York, a for-profit company that produces concerts at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and that boas

Feb 17, 2023 | News Story

The New York City musicians' union, AFM Local 802 has announced a strike against Distinguished Concerts International New York, a for-profit company that produces concerts at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and that boasts a roster of 257 musicians.

Feb 17, 2023 | News Story

The collective bargaining contract for city workers expired in May 2021, and the last time these public servants received a pay increase was in 2019– long before hundreds of municipal workers lost their lives to COVID-19 while showing up to make New York City run.

Feb 17, 2023 | News Story

The WGA East has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the Bustle Digital Group, in response to the termination of three members who were laid off there recently in retaliation for their concerted, protected union activity in violation of the National Labor Relations Act.

Feb 21

Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU members at Elmhurst Hospital will hold a rally demanding patient and healthcare worker equity on Tuesday February 21, 2023 from 5 pm - 6 pm.

Feb 10, 2023 | News Story

After thirteen weeks on strike, members of the HarperCollins Union announced last night that they have reached a tentative agreement that includes increases to minimum salaries across levels and a $1500 lump sum bonus to all union employees.