RI JwJ Rallies for Health Care
More than 200 activists marched from Brown University to Whole Foods in Providence, RI as part of the Jobs with Justice national week of action for a real economic recovery. RI JwJ joined with SEIU 615, UFCW 328, and other supporters to march for “Affordable Health Care; Nationally and at Home."
As food service workers negotiate a new contract, Brown University is looking to cuts costs, causing health care coverage to become the primary issue for workers. The current contract expires October 12, 2009. Students have already come forward to stand in support of maintaining health care affordability for ALL Brown food service workers and families. Baird Bream, a senior at Brown and member of the Student Labor Alliance, explained:
We, as students, are standing in support with the Brown Dining Service workers because we think it is unfair for the university to expect their workers to shoulder so much of the burden of this financial crisis. It is particularly unfair to do so when the University has announced that it will spend $65 million on construction projects.
After a lively rally at Brown, activists marched to Whole Foods to show opposition to Whole Foods CEO John Mackey’s recent comments in the Wall Street Journal against broad based health care reform.
"Unaffordable health care is holding back hard working families and keeping them from achieving their American Dream. Health care reform can't wait," said Rocio Saenz, president of SEIU Local 615.
