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:

Nov 27, 2019 | News Story

Hundreds were arrested and thousands more demonstrated at airports nationwide on one of the busiest travel days in the U.S.—the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. The protests were led by airline catering workers who provide inflight food and beverage services for all major U.S.

Dec 6, 2019 | News Story

The TWU Local 100 Executive Board, comprised of elected union officers from all divisions, yesterday voted 42-4 in favor of an agreement reached after months of negotiations with the MTA.

Dec 6, 2019 | News Story

The public service mission of the Postal Service has made it the most popular federal agency. However, this public good is at risk if we don’t all act soon.

Nov 26

 

Join us in solidarity to say that One Job Should Be Enough!

American Airlines made more than $15 billion in profits over the past 5 years, but many of the workers who prepare food for the airline face a health care crisis.

Aug 30, 2019 | News Story

As we prepare to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Labor Day as a federal holiday, it's important to reflect on who we are as working people, what we’ve achieved together, and the challenges that lie ahead.

Aug 29, 2019 | News Story

2019 NYC Labor Day Parade Chair Ernest Logan worked in NYC public schools for nearly 25 years before joining the staff of the Council of School Supervisors & Administrators in 1997 as a field service representative.

Aug 20, 2019 | News Story

As a graduate of the University of Oregon with a degree in journalism, Elizabeth (Liz) Shuler, like many young people today, pieced together part-time jobs, lived at home and struggled to find decent work in the early 1990s.

May 29

As we continue to settle contracts in New York City, it's important that we keep the pressure on those facilities that haven't achieved an agreement yet. Our next stop is Queens, where members are picketing on May 29th to get management to commit to providing enforceable staffing provisions.

May 14

While most workers know about their right to Workers' Compensation, many are not fully aware of how to apply for it or what rights are covered. This forum will focus on the basics of Workers' Compensation, including: