Office workers union backs H.R. 676

Pro-labor Web site Workday Minnesota reports that OPEIU this week became the 12th international labor union to endorse single-payer health care legislation, H.R. 676 authored by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.)

Among others who have endorsed are: the UAW, IAM, ILWU, NEA, APWU, UE and a host of labor affiliated organizations such as CLUW, CBTU, and the ARA.

Additionally, 27 state AFL-CIO federations have backed the bill as well as dozens of area federations and local unions. See here for a full list.

H.R. 676 is a bill that would expand Medicare to cover every person in the country. It allows individuals and families to have their choice of doctor, but eliminates corporate bureaucracy and private profit from provide health care. How many billions in pure profits should pharmaceutical companies, medical equipment corporations, private hospital, and insurance companies get of your sickness anyway?

The program would be funded by a small increase in the Medicare payroll tax, but this would be counterbalanced by eliminating costly premiums for working families and for employers. There is no doubt that employers would save huge amounts on labor costs and reduce labor problems like turnover and job retraining if workers are worrying less about the cost of health care with a national health insurance program like this.

Concerns over waiting times and quality of care are distractions invented by opponents of the concept. Just ask one of the 47 million people without insurance right now how long they have waited to see a doctor. Ask one of the 100 million or so with lousy coverage how long they waited before making a choice to see a doctor or pay for groceries.

If you want to know more about different health care issues, problems and real solutions, check out fact sheets produced by the California Nurses Association here.