| 11.17.03
Three
week blitz starts November 17…
Labor
and community organizations call on their members and the public to
"Take a Break" for health care reform
Mobilization
kicks off broad health care education campaign
Union activists
and health care reformers across the state are mobilizing for an education
campaign to provide the public with more information about the reasons
health insurance costs are skyrocketing and what needs to be done to
make it more affordable.
The campaign
also gives participants a chance to "vote" for a "Medicare
for All" solution that would cover everyone and more effectively
control costs. Medicare is the federal insurance program that already
covers the vast majority of people over age 65. The program's administrative
costs are less than 5 percent, while overhead for private, employer-based
insurance eats up about 30 percent of health care spending.
The health
care ballots will be counted on December 5 by Massachusetts Jobs with
Justice, a community-labor coalition that is spearheading the campaign.
"This
is a great effort to broaden the public's understanding about health
care reform efforts," said Sen. Steven Tolman, lead sponsor of
a proposed state reform that would similarly provide health insurance
for everyone in Massachusetts.
Some of
the organizations participating in the Take a Break for Health Care
campaign include IBEW Local 2222, the Lynn Health Task Force, Mass.
Coalition for Healthy Communities, Lower/Outer Cape Community Coalition,
MNA, Mass Senior Action Council, SEIU Local 2020, Sisters Together Ending
Poverty, Teamsters Local 122, and Utility Workers Local 369.
The education
effort follows a Health Care Action Day last June, when tens of thousands
of workers and community activists wore stickers to protest threatened
cuts in medical benefits and health care services. After the sticker
day, many participants asked for more detailed information about the
financing and feasibility of providing health care for all.
Backed
up by unions and community groups, Jobs with Justice's Health Care Action
Committee links struggles against insurance cost shifting and cuts in
health care services to help build a larger movement for reform. Another
Health Care Action Day is planned for next year.
Copies
of the Take a Break for Health Care campaign materials are available
from Rand Wilson at the above number. They may also be obtained from
JWJ's web site at www.massjwj.net
as well as on the MNA Web site here.
###
|
