October 2009

Zombies Back From the Grave to Wreak Vengeance on Health Insurers

Submitted by Allison Fletche... on October 30, 2009

Massachusetts Zombie Health CareThe dead rose to walk the streets of Boston once more yesterday, hungry for revenge against those who put them in the grave -- health insurance companies.

The zombies converged on Blue Cross Blue Shield offices, chanting "What do we want?  Braaains.  When do we want them?  Braaaains."

Whether they were denied coverage for "pre-existing conditions", had their insurance rescinded upon contracting a serious illnesses, were denied life-saving treatments, or had their medical claims delayed by miles of insurance paperwork and bureaucracy, these undead insurance customers came back to stop insurance company crimes, and they don’t care whose brains they have to eat to make health care reform happen.

The undead were also seen walking the streets of Providence, RI yesterday, driving home the point that "living without health care can be scary."

Check out more photos from Boston & Providence here.

Call NOW to Keep Single Payer Alive

Submitted by JwJNational on October 30, 2009

As you probably know, health care reform is making its way through Congress. This week, the House of Representatives introduced their health care reform bill. The bill is strong in many ways, but two single-payer amendments that were promised a vote this fall were not in it. The House leadership still has the power to change that.

One of the amendments, introduced by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, would allow states to implement state-wide single-payer systems. The other, by Rep. Anthony Weiner, would call for a vote on national single-payer legislation for the first time in history.

We need your voice to get these amendments back on the table. Call:

  • Speaker Nancy Pelosi: DC (202) 225-4965 or SF (415) 556-4862
  • Rep. George Miller: DC (202) 225-2095 or Concord (925) 602-1880
  • Rep. Henry Waxman: DC (202) 225-3976 or LA (323) 651-1040

The message is simple: Keep the Kucinich Amendment to allow states to pass single-payer, and allow Rep. Anthony Weiner introduce his single-payer amendment!

The Showdown Continues (Part II)

Submitted by Huy Ong on October 30, 2009

Portland JwJ ActionIn Oregon, dozens of JwJ activists participated in joint actions Wednesday Oct. 29th in solidarity with 400 other JwJ activists who were at the "Showdown in Chicago" taking on the American Bankers Association.  In Portland and in Bend they joined up with ENLACE to demand accountability from JP MORGAN CHASE.

 

CHASE is a major contributor to the effort to defeat the Employee Free Choice Act who recently received billions of dollars from taxpayers.  Instead of using the public's money to renegotiate home mortgage loans and prevent small and medium size businesses from closing, they've prioritized obscene bonuses to overpaid executives!

Oregon activists are committed to continuing their fight to rebuild the economy so that it works for everyone (not just Wall Street) and are pledging to “CHASE the thieves!” out of town.

As the compas from ENLACE said, "Chale con CHASE!"

Ithaca Nursing Home Workers Forced to Reapply for Jobs

Submitted by Pete Meyers on October 29, 2009
Lakeside worker Lana Wegner-Harden, joined by SEIU Organizer Baschki Leo, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, and Tompkins County Workers' Center/JwJ Organizer, Linda Holzbaur Speaking at Tuesday Press Conference (Photo: Marty Luster, Photo News Service)

Lakeside worker Lana Wegner-Harden, joined by SEIU Organizer Baschki Leo, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, and Tompkins County Workers' Center/JwJ Organizer, Linda Holzbaur Speaking at Tuesday Press Conference (Photo: Marty Luster, Photo News Service)

One hundred thirty workers at Lakeside Nursing Home in Ithaca announced Tuesday (supported by their union SEIU1199, Assemblyperson Barbara Lifton; Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson; Pastor Rich Rose of the First Baptist Church in Ithaca, the Workers' Center, families of residents, and various community organizations) their intention to fight requirements by the new owners of Lakeside, the Peregrine Health Management Company.  Health care workers at Lakeside have been told they must reapply for jobs, will have their wages lowered, and lose retirement pensions when Peregrine, take over as owners on November 1st.

The Showdown Continues

Submitted by Carlos Jimenez on October 28, 2009

Photo / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

On October 27th, more than 400 JwJ activists came from Detroit, Buffalo, Columbus, Indiana, DC, Chicago, and across Illinois to join the 5,000+ protestors at the American Bankers Association meeting in Chicago. Our delegation included workers, union members, students, and working people who are tired of watching Wall Street get in the way of meaningful reform on issues like Healthcare and financial reform. (Our coalitions in several other cities, including Orlando, FL and South Bend, IN, held solidarity actions.) 

Take Back DC: Protecting the Public Sector, Holding Elected Officials Accountable

Submitted by JwJNational on October 27, 2009

DC Public Services

Tell Congress: Break Up the Banks; Make the Economy Work!

Submitted by JwJNational on October 26, 2009

Too Big To Fail is just plain TOO BIG.

Activists will be in the streets of Chicago tomorrow to protest the American Bankers Association meeting. These banks took bailouts that add up to $15,000 for every man, woman, and child in the U.S. They claimed they were "too big to fail."

But instead of using the bailout to help the economy, they actually reduced lending that would keep people working, increased foreclosures, charged outrageous overdraft fees and – surprise, surprise – gave themselves record salaries, bonuses and perks.

DC Day Laborers Step Up Efforts to Stop Wage Theft

Submitted by JwJNational on October 26, 2009

Union de TrabajadoresDay laborers in DC scored another big victory on October 2nd, recovering over $15,000 in stolen wages for eight workers.

Several members of the Union de Trabajadores de Washington, DC, a day laborer association, had been doing work on a DC public school building over the summer, and were paid less than promised.  They reached out to DC Jobs with Justice and the DC Employment Justice Center, who quickly realized this public project entitled the workers to higher, "prevailing wages" for their work.  After reaching out to other workers from the project and talking with several building trades unions to confirm the proper rate, DC JwJ and the DC EJC went to the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization to discuss this violation of DC’s contracting laws.  The Office collaborated in forcing the contractors to pay back wages, including proper overtime rates.

Why the Health Insurance Excise Tax Is a Bad Idea

Submitted by rand wilson on October 26, 2009

By Steve Early and Rand Wilson

Twenty years ago, 60,000 workers from New York City to Maine rallied against healthcare cost-shifting at the telecom giant then known as NYNEX (since "rebranded" as Verizon).

NYNEX was a very profitable, multinational company seeking to capitalize on a demoralizing decade of lost strikes, contract givebacks and widespread unionbusting. At a time when many workers were forced to make concessions, NYNEX strikers held the line for four months and emerged victorious. They successfully resisted the company's demand that they pay hundreds and eventually thousands of dollars a year for medical benefits. But this singular union win didn't come cheap. Customer service was disrupted by the work stoppage, resulting in tens of millions of dollars worth of lost wages. Hundreds of strikers were arrested, fired or suspended--and one, Gerry Horgan, was killed on a picket line in Westchester County.

In every other advanced industrial nation, the contentious issue of who pays for medical care was taken off the bargaining table long ago. And no worker would ever lose his or her life defending job-based private health insurance.

Too Big To Fail is just plain TOO BIG

Submitted by Fran Tobin on October 23, 2009

Looking to get fired up before heading to the Showdown in Chicago, October 27?  Here are a few reasons we’re looking forward to facing the American Bankers Association meeting in person next week. 

  1. Highest unemployment in 26 years.
  2. Three million foreclosures expected this year alone
  3.  The “Bailout bandit” bankers are fighting to block a recovery for the rest of us.

After driving their companies and the entire economy into the ground, Wall Street took bailouts that add up to $15,000 for every man, woman and child in the country.  They claimed they were ‘too big to fail.’

Tell Congress: Treat Immigrants Fairly in Health Reform

Submitted by JwJNational on October 22, 2009

First our political leaders said health care reform would cover everyone.  Now we hear that Congress is considering barring legal immigrants from health reforms that would enable low and moderate income families to secure affordable coverage.

As the House of Representatives moves to finalize its health reform legislation this week, immigrants continue to be left out.  As it stands now, most recent legal immigrants are forced to wait 5 years to use Medicaid, Medicare, and CHIP, even though they pay the same taxes as citizens to support these programs.

Your voice is needed to urge the House of Representatives to act right now to give immigrants a fair opportunity for affordable health insurance. 

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Vermont AFL-CIO Endorses Healthcare Is A Human Right Campaign and Joins National in Supporting Single-Payer

Submitted by JwJNational on October 20, 2009

Cross-posted from the Vermont Workers' Center blog.

FAIRLEE - This past weekend, the Vermont State Labor Council, AFL-CIO convention delegates representing 9,500-members unanimously voted to:

endorse H.100 and S.88 ... (and to) play a leading role together with our allies in the Healthcare is a Human Right Campaign ... in mobilizing broad public and political support for single-payer healthcare.

Building a powerful movement "to change what is politically possible" with real healthcare reform is the Vermont AFL-CIO's #1 priority.

Convention delegates also put a parade of politicians, including four Democratic gubernatorial aspirants, on notice that they expected political leaders to work to pass single payer legislation in Vermont this year. Legislative leaders of the Working Vermonters Caucus also pledged to make passing H.100 and S.88 a priority.

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Jobs with Justice is a national network of local coalitions that bring together labor unions, faith groups, community organizations, and student activists to fight for working people. Our members are in the streets in 46 cities in 24 states across the country.

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