Too often, the hardworking people who protect, clean, and service the places we live, work, and visit are forced to go without affordable healthcare.

Often, the health plans offered by their employers are priced out of reach (if even offered at all), and they and their families are left to navigate the health system without insurance. It has created a situation where all Americans are forced to pay a "hidden health tax...in the form of higher premiums," according to FamiliesUSA, in the amount of $1,017 per families in 2008.

But when employers act as part of the solution and provide workers access to affordable family health coverage, the entire community benefits. Chronic diseases that commonly afflict all Americans, like diabetes and heart disease, need monitoring and regular care. Without affordable health insurance and proper preventive methods, workers can't receive the medical care that they and their families need to live healthy lives. Consequently, when they or their families get sick, they have to rely on taxpayer-funded clinics or--even worse--expensive emergency room visits rather than the less expensive preventative care possible with employer-provided health insurance.

Many property service workers do not even have sick days, forcing workers to choose between going to work while sick and losing a day's pay. There should never be an economic incentive for a worker--especially a worker that prepares food or keeps buildings sanitary--to go to work while sick.

Property service workers across the country have won union contracts with SEIU that provide affordable, employer-paid family health coverage and paid sick days so that workers can focus on getting better and getting back to work.

• Security officers across Los Angeles now have 80-100% employer-paid health insurance guaranteed by the end of their contract, and now have access to affordable family coverage.
• SEIU janitors in Chicago won full family health coverage--at a rate of 2.5 times less than the average premiums for families in Illinois.