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:

Oct 28, 2022 | News Story

On Monday, workers at Voices of Community Activists and Leaders (VOCAL-NY), a statewide grassroots membership organization that builds power among low-income people directly impacted by HIV/AIDS, the drug war, mass incarceration, and homelessness, announced their intention to unionize with Legal

Oct 28, 2022 | News Story

Last Friday, Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB) staff announced their decision to form a union with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), presenting a letter to Executive Director Andy Reicher and Chair of the Board John Warren with a 3-day deadline to voluntarily reco

Oct 28, 2022 | News Story

On Monday, Netflix’s Music Supervisors, in collaboration with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking a union certification election.

Oct 21, 2022 | News Story

Stand with the Dodo Union in their fight for a fair contract! In a strong act of solidarity the Dodo Union delivered a strike pledge to parent company Vox Media signed by 100% of the bargaining unit.

Oct 21, 2022 | News Story

Starbucks workers at the Williamsburg Starbucks Reserve went on a one day strike Saturday over unfair labor practices and Starbucks' refusal to come to the table and negotiate in good faith.

Oct 21, 2022 | News Story

Unionized employees of HarperCollins Publishers have authorized another strike by 95.1% vote. The strike will commence on November 7 if the publisher does not agree to a fair contract.

Oct 21, 2022 | News Story

The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) and National Nurses United (NNU) announced this week that the New York nurses have overwhelmingly voted to affiliate with NNU, the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States, to mutually grow and strengthen th

Oct 21, 2022 | News Story

On Tuesday, members of 32BJ SEIU went on strike at the super luxury residential building 108 Leonard Street, a 166-unit condo in the Tribeca section of Manhattan also known as the Clock Tower building.

Oct 21, 2022 | News Story

The ActBlue Tech Workers Union/CWA has been voluntarily recognized by ActBlue Technical Services’ management after a neutral third party verification confirming that a majority of eligible workers have signed union authorization cards.

Oct 21, 2022 | News Story

On Thursday, the NYC CLC and UFT held our