Kay Tillow, All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care, July 2, 2009

Six more Oregon unions, including both the Oregon Education Association (NEA) and AFT Oregon, the statewide affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), have endorsed HR.676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI). In April, the 57th Annual State Convention of AFT Oregon, representing 12,000 teachers statewide in twenty locals, endorsed HR.676, reports Mark Schwebke, AFT Oregon President. In the same month, the Representative Assembly of the Oregon Education Association (OEA), representing about 47,000 educators, reaffirmed its support for single payer healthcare. AFT Oregon has sent letters to both of the state’s senators and all its congressmen urging them to support HR.676 and has also advised the AFT Executive Council of the position taken. Other Oregon unions that endorsed HR.676 are AFSCME District Council 75, with 25,000 members; the State Council of Machinists (IAM); Portland Local 757, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) with 4,600 members; and AFT Local 5017, Oregon Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals.

HR.676 would institute a single payer health care system by expanding a greatly improved Medicare system to everyone residing in the US. HR.676 would cover every person for all necessary medical care including prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services, primary and preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental health, home health, physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for substance abuse), vision care, hearing services including hearing aids, chiropractic, durable medical equipment, palliative care, and long term care. HR.676 ends deductibles and co-payments. HR.676 would save hundreds of billions annually by eliminating the high overhead and profits of the private health insurance industry and HMOs. In the current Congress, HR.676 has 83 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced SB.703, a single payer bill in the Senate. HR.676 has been endorsed by 552 union organizations in 49 states including 128 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 state AFL-CIOs (KY, PA, CT, OH, DE, ND, WA, SC, WY, VT, FL, WI, WV, SD, NC, MO, MN, ME, AR, MD-DC, TX, IA, AZ, TN, OR, GA, OK, KS, CO, IN, AL, CA, AK, MI, MT, NE, NY, NV & MA).

For further information, a list of union endorsers, or a sample endorsement resolution, contact:

Kay Tillow, All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care - HR 676
c/o Nurses Professional Organization (NPO)
1169 Eastern Parkway, Suite 2218
Louisville, KY 40217
502-636-1551
Email: nursenpo@aol.com
http://unionsforsinglepayerHR676.org