News

Organized labor — entirely left out of the legislation that became known as Obamacare — has spent years behind the scenes patiently pleading with the Obama Administration to be allowed to benefit from the law’s implementation. Now, four months before the law’s mandated state insurance exchanges launch, it appears that while some union members will benefit, many others may actually be harmed.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the largest construction union in the AFL-CIO, has launched a full scale campaign to persuade the President and Congress to correct problems in the new healthcare bill which the union claims will seriously hurt its members.

The movement for healthcare justice seems to have been stalled in Sacramento. The California Labor Federation has been working hard to pass AB 880 (Gomez) or the “Close the Walmart Loophole” bill. AB 880 failed to pass the Assembly, despite the support of a majority of the Assembly – 46 out of 80 members.

Last week, the Obama administration announced that they were delaying for one year the implementation of the “employer mandate” provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Healthcare spending has been rising throughout the world as aging and more affluent populations spend on their health. Nowhere, however, has the cost of health care risen as fast as in the United States where costs soared because of rising administrative expense.

No one will have a pension or healthcare in this country if this is liable to continue.

If we can’t defend Medicare and Social Security, how can we expect to win Medicare for All?

Here’s an outrage that must be changed: Big Pharma has been systematically price-gouging the Medicare program for seniors and people with disabilities — and raking in billions in excessive profits.

The Obama administration intervenes to give $71.5 billion to overpaid, for-profit Medicare Advantage plans; top 5 insurers’ shares gain $13.2 billion in a single week.

The United Mine Workers of America is fighting hard against an effort by Peabody Coal to destroy pension and healthcare for retired miners and their families.