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:

Dec 2, 2022 | News Story

Actors’ Equity Association, the national union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers working in live theatre, and The Broadway League, the national trade association for the Broadway industry, have reached a new, three-year collective bargaining agreement for the Pr

Nov 18, 2022 | News Story

1700 part-time faculty members at The New School, members of UAW Local 7902, went on strike Wednesday, demanding a contract that provides real raises, expanded health coverage, greater job security, more input into curricula, and real recourse against harassment and discrimination.

Nov 18, 2022 | News Story

Union members at HarperCollins, one of the largest publishers in the country, are beginning the second week of their strike, which began last Thursday after a drawn out negotiation process, with workers asking for higher wages, stronger commitments to diversifying staff and better family leave.

Nov 18, 2022 | News Story

Starbucks Workers who are members of Starbucks Workers United/Workers United NY NJ at the NYC Roastery in Chelsea are in their third week on strike after they walked out over health and safety issues at the location.

Nov 18, 2022 | News Story

Broadway's Actors and Stage Managers took to the streets last night to rally for a fair contract from their employers. Actors' Equity Association has been at the bargaining table with The Broadway League since September.

Nov 18, 2022 | News Story

Unionized workers at Brooklyn Museum, members of UAW Local 2110, rallied in the wind and rain outside the museum's main entrance on Eastern Parkway on Tuesday to call attention to stalled contract negotiations.

Nov 18, 2022 | News Story

This past Tuesday, Climate Jobs NY (CJNY) was excited to host New York City Mayor Eric Adams for a tour of the Local 3 Electrical Industry Training Center in Long Island City to discuss the benefits the Carbon Free and Healthy Schools (CFHS) Initiative would have for NYC.

Nov 18, 2022 | News Story

Pineapple Street Studios, the popular podcast network owned by Audacy, has formally recognized the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) as the collective bargaining representatives of the staff’s writers, producers, editors, engineers, and other storytellers.

Nov 18, 2022 | News Story

Several New York City labor unions affiliated with the Coalition for Affordable Hospitals held a speak out and rally on Thursday to tell NY Presbyterian and other wealthy hospitals to pay their fair share, after a

Nov 11, 2022 | News Story

In this week's elections, working New Yorkers made their voices heard, voting in support of candidates who will stand up for working families and engaging voters one on one through our NYC Labor Votes! Campaign and the efforts of our affiliate unions.