SEARCH
AFSCME’s Rockin’ Down the Highway to Health Care Reform
 |
|
If the nation’s lawmakers don’t start heading down “The Highway to Health Care Reform,” too many working families may end up on—cue AC/DC—the “Highway to Hell.”
This week, AFSCME launches a rock-and-roll themed Highway to Health Care RV tour. It will crisscross the country during the August congressional recess to mobilize the public to contact members of Congress to demand real reform that guarantees quality health care for all—or as one of the tour signs reads, “Real Health Care Reform Rocks!”
AFSCME President Gerald McEntee says the tour will help ensure the
voices of Americans demanding real health care reform are heard in the halls of Congress and Congress hears the truth—America can’t wait for reform that guarantees quality, affordable health care for all.
The Highway to Health Care Reform tour RV is a mobile activism center, complete with on-board laptop computers, cell phones and postcards for participants to contact their senators and representatives. The tour includes posters and literature that pay homage to famous rock musicians and a video that urges local residents to write and call their members of Congress.
The tour starts Wednesday in Bismarck, N.D., and ends Aug. 26 in Bangor, Maine. So far, 16 stops are on the schedule (click here for the dates).
If you can’t make one of the tour stops, it’s not like getting shut out of a Springsteen show. There is still a way to join the crowd. Go to the Highway to Health Care reform site here, sign up, pick a sign and add it to the tour map and send this message to you representatives and senators:
It’s time to put the middle class first by passing real health care reform. I’ve had it with the insurance industry calling the shots and putting their profits before people like me.
The majority of Americans, including me, support the CHOICE of a public health insurance plan that COMPETES with private insurance companies to keep them honest and lower costs. Please support real health care reform NOW!
Along the way, AFL-CIO field staffers will hook up with the tour and file reports here at AFL-CIO Now. You also can follow the tour at the Highway to Health Care Reform website and on AFSCME’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Rock on, dudes!
Along with the AFSCME congressional recess tour, the union movement is mounting an intensive 30-day grassroots health care campaign calling on Congress to side with working families—not insurance companies. Says AFL-CIO President John Sweeney:
Congress’ choice comes to this: Side with health insurers and vote for legislation that continues their control over health care in America, or vote for reform that puts people in charge of their health care.
National unions are asking their local unions to reach out to rank-and-file members with letters and worksite fliers, reminding them what’s at stake and encouraging working families to attend town hall meetings and to contact their lawmakers.
State and local union leaders are arranging meetings with members of Congress, telling them not to back down on key health care reform principles. Both Working America and the Alliance for Retired Americans are mobilizing their members for health care reform actions during the recess.
 |
Become a Fan on Facebook |  |
Follow Us on Twitter |  |
Subscribe to YouTube |  |
Subscribe to Blog RSS | ||||
6 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
The issue about Health Care has never been more important. But the “Highway to Hell” has already been paved and is well known to injured workers, once regular members of the labor force, that today face the crime of “Health Care Denial” by the self-serving hand of Commerce.
For some reason the tragic conditions faced by far too many injured workers here in the US is being kept hidden from full public view. How can the issue of Health Care Reform be fully advanced when a well known failure in health care delivery, the failure to provide timely treatment within “Workmen’s Compensation” continues to fail our injured workers daily?
Is there a reason that this “tool of commerce,” this known failure in Health Care Delivery, is not a part of the Health Care discussion? Are all the working families that are being destroyed by this “Cost Containment” crime simply to be left without a voice in this most important Health Care Discussion?
The total SILENCE from Labor on this important Health and Safety issue is astounding! As if they have absolutely no connection, understanding or responsibility in representing this critical issue facing our injured workers. Are injured workers simply to be thrown to the curb? Why the SILENCE? Where is the VOICE?
Does the obligation to protect and represent the interest of Labor, Union Labor, Union Members, end when your Member becomes injured at work? This would seem to be the first place to step up and protect them!
Then why the SILENCE during this most important Health Care Debate?
The Crossroads of Labor and Health Care intersects at “Workmen’s Compensation.” Injured Workers – were injured – “during and in the course of employment!” This is the domain for true representation! Why the SILENCE?
Do not leave your injured Brothers and Sisters to be forgotten in this Life and Death battle for access and timely treatment. Do not leave your injured Brothers and Sisters to be forgotten in this Fight for timely and responsible Health Care.
Your comments are Welcome and encouraged!
Let’s hear your voice!
Craig Michie – Injured Worker
NvVIAW@aol.com
Nevada Voters Injured At Work
“It’s time to put the middle class first by passing real health care reform. I’ve had it with the insurance industry calling the shots and putting their profits before people like me.”
What demagogic hypocrisy coming from the trade union leadership! The passage of “single payer” health care insurance is a life-and death matter for millions of working class and middle class people as well.
In recent polls, 70 percent of the public want “single payer” insurance as they have too many bitter experiences with the existing gangster system that is killing people for profit.
The insurance industry is writing Obama’s “health care reform”
legislation. It will probably be passed by the corporate controlled Democratic Party. The tragic fact is that ANY continuing involvement of the current corrupt for-profit health insurance industry will simply put at grave risk the lives of working people, their families and children.
Is there no shame or ethics left in the leadership of the labor movement?
You want national healthcare….move to Canada. While you are there….ask them why so many of them come to the USA to get the BEST healthcare on the planet.
I know…the mean rich people are at fault. When we punish those rich people and get them to pay for a system that will break this country call me to whine why you have no paycheck any longer because those nasty rich people are the ones who hire people.
Dummy up America. By the way….the truth is less than 40% want national healthacare. Stop distorting the numbers….and inlike the president…I have read the bill.
I’ve got a better idea. If you don’t want National Healthcare, then, why don’t you move to some third world country where it’s still not being provided; because all the other modern industrial nations on earth offer it to their citizens. JerryWells is correct with his numbers and America is eventually going to get it offered here. (76% of Americans favor a public option) Come to grips with that reality.
If you really care about the 47 million Americans that are currently un-insured try changing your pen-name to: startrealhealthcare
An attitude adjustment from “just say no” on this topic would be most helpful.
For more on just how people in other Countries really feel about their Health Care Systems, along with what is currently taking place at home, click here for an overview, but hurry because the link to it is constantly changing:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6646340600856118396&ei=6pOBSqOCFJ76rALbo-CbAw&q=sicko
Why go through the expense of going to Canada? We are going to get it here in the USA with the public option. Besides the Canadians are happy with their health care. What do you do for the people who loose their job through no fault of their own and there goes their healt care.
The disruptors have hit the commenting feature of the Highway to Healthcare map on the website.