Solis and DOL ramp up efforts to cut down wage theft
Nov 20, 2009 - On the the National Day of Action to Stop Wage Theft (yesterday), Solis announced she's increasing staff by one-third, hiring an additional 250 new wage and hour investigators to look into unpaid wage claims and undertake more targeted enforcement. There will also be a new public awareness campaign launched in 2010 called "We Can Help" to inform workers about their rights. Read more...
Confirmed: Immigration does not cause U.S. unemployment
Nov 20, 2009 - This week IPC released a new report that squarely refutes misleading claims by anti-immigrant (and anti-labor) groups who believe that spending over $200 billion to deport unauthorized immigrants will solve our nation's serious economic challenges. Confirming earlier data, the Economic Blame Game: U.S. Unemployment is Not Caused by Immigration shows that swapping out the 8.3 million unauthorized immigrants working in the U.S. today WILL NOT improve job prospects for the 15.7 million Americans currently unemployed. Read more...
U.S. Senators, meet home care worker Loretta Johnson
Nov 19, 2009 - There was only one speaker at Sen. Harry Reid's press conference today who was NOT a member of the U.S. Senate. Her name? Loretta Johnson, a home health care worker & SEIU member who lost her own coverage when her husband became ill and she was forced to quit her job. Read more...
Tell the U.S. Chamber: Let people with H1N1 use paid sick time
Nov 19, 2009 - We already knew the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's extremism on issues such as financial reform, labor law, climate change and health care reform have left them out of touch with the mainstream. However, their recent opposition to a bill proposing paid sick leave for workers who contract flu-like symptoms in light of this year's H1N1 epidemic is simply unconscionable. Read more...
60,000+ Activists from 45 States join call to action for immigration reform w/ Rep. Luis Gutierrez
Nov 19, 2009 - On Wednesday, the Reform Immigration FOR America Campaign and an enormous coalition of faith, law enforcement, labor, civil rights, and immigrant advocacy groups brought tens of thousands of activists together for an immigration call to action with Congressman Luis Gutierrez, Congressman Raul Grijalva, and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez. Read more...
U.S. Senators, meet Loretta Johnson
Nov 19, 2009 - There was only one speaker at Sen. Harry Reid's press conference today who was NOT a member of the U.S. Senate. Her name? Loretta Johnson, a home health care worker & SEIU member who lost her own coverage when her husband became ill and she was forced to quit her job. Read more...
VIDEO: Putting a face on the immigration debate
Nov 19, 2009 - At SEIU, we're making a renewed effort to put a human face on immigration--and put a face on the SEIU members who are fighting to overhaul our broken immigration system. One of those members is Micheline Charles, a nursing assistant and member of SEIU Healthcare Florida. Read more...
Reform: What's in the Senate Health Care Bill
Nov 19, 2009 - There's a lot of talk today about what the Senate health care bill will do in the immediate future--and you may be wondering how this bill effect your healthcare. Check out a list of reforms that go into affect immediately after the bill becomes law. Read more...
Apology Not Accepted
Nov 19, 2009 - Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein feels bad about crashing our economy. To make up for it, he's decided to give back $500 million of the money he's made to a handful of small businesses. It's a gesture so empty, it's insulting. Never mind that $500m is one good day of trading for Goldman Sachs. Read more...
The Last (But Very Long) Leg of the Journey
Nov 19, 2009 - Sen. Harry Reid publicly unveils the Senate health care bill today. Reid's announcement is preceded by promising news for Democrats and health care reform supporters. The first breakthrough came on Wednesday, when news leaked that the CBO had scored the Senate--and it kept costs down & covered 94% of Americans. Read more...
Levi's jeans better for workers; fall into The GAP
Nov 18, 2009 - Distribution workers at Levi Strauss & Co. facilities in the U.S. and Canada voted overwhelmingly in favor of a three-year, North America-wide contract providing wage increases, defined benefit pensions and health insurance. Other union-made jeans include The GAP's 1969 "Real Straight" jeans sporting the "Made in Canada" label--they're made by Workers United/SEIU members. Read more...
A clean house ≠ putting your family's health at risk
Nov 18, 2009 - Anna Burger said this today in support for H.R. 3057, the Household Product Labeling Act of 2009: "If we have the right to know about the potential side effects of our prescription drugs, we have the right to know what's in our chemical cleaning supplies." Read more...
81 87 advertisers pull their money from Glenn Beck show
Nov 18, 2009 - Hundreds of thousands of Americans angered and offended by Glenn Beck's hate-mongering rhetoric have stepped up to hold Glenn Beck accountable. More than 285,000 people have called on the Fox News program's sponsors to pull their support from Beck's show. And 87 corporations have discontinued their ads from airing during Beck's show. Read more...
Big banks + drug companies = bedfellows in fighting reform
Nov 18, 2009 - The financial industry isn't the only industry engaged in a race to empty consumers' pockets as much as possible in advance of new laws that will rein in their abuses. While credit card lenders have been increasing fees and interest rates, raising minimum payments and lowering credit limits, drug companies have been busy jacking up their prescription prices too. Read more...
Joe Lieberman will hate this
Nov 18, 2009 - Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) have each been targeted by the opposition to join a Republican filibuster. If that happens, health insurance reform will not move forward--but you can have an impact if you adopt a health care "swing state" as your own. Read more...
Insurers Fighting Hard to Keep "Gender Rating," Avoid Maternity Care
Nov 17, 2009 - The Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters plans to lobby against efforts to include maternity care in individual plans, in addition their efforts to keep "gender rating" legal, and you won't believe why. Insurers are actually telling legislators that they're concerned about how this all might affect men. Read more...
Right-Wingers Have it Wrong Re: Recent Attacks on Andy Stern
Nov 17, 2009 - You may have seen attacks from usual suspects like Grover Norquist, "Field Marshall of the Bush Plan," who are trying to block health insurance reform. They claim Andy should be registered as a lobbyist and are taking to the right-wing... Read more...
Getting By on $16,438 a Day
Nov 17, 2009 -
Bank of America has a new excuse for why they haven't found someone to replace ousted CEO Ken Lewis. Nobody will take the job because it doesn't pay enough! They're claiming that they can't find talented candidates because of the pay restrictions put into place by Kenneth Feinberg. Read more...Local Faith Community Gathers Outside Sen. Lieberman's Connecticut Home
Nov 16, 2009 - On Sunday, members of the Connecticut faith community staged a candelight vigil outside Sen. Joe Lieberman's home in Connecticut. The Stamford Advocate reported, clergy from several religious dominations prayed in three languages outside the fourth-term senator's home, surrounded by a crowd the Fire Marshal's Office estimated to number nearly 500. Read more...
Visual Recap: DC Goldman Sachs Protest
Nov 16, 2009 - One of our favorite images from today's protest was a fabulous visual representation of Goldman Sachs, depicted as writer Matt Taibbi so accurately described the financial giant in Rolling Stone: "The world's most powerful investment bank is a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money." More photos here. Read more...
U.S. Chamber: Lobbying Against the American People Since 1935
Nov 16, 2009 - News broke today that the U.S. Chamber has been fishing around for an economist willing to file a "report" on health care reform (translation: they're offering to pay $50,000 to someone willing to say health care reform is bad for the economy - which is exactly what they did against the Employee Free Choice Act earlier this year). Sadly, this latest gaffe is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Chamber's decades-long campaign against the American people, and in the last few months, they've gone into overdrive. Read more...
Andy Stern: Time to Put Country Over Company
Nov 16, 2009 - Goldman Sachs is starting to figure it out - we're not going away. Today, on the heels of a massive mobilization in Chicago, hundreds of taxpayers rallied outside Goldman's DC office to deliver a letter for their CEO, Lloyd Blankfein. The letter asked that Goldman Sachs forgo paying out its multi-billion dollar bonus pool and instead use that money to help the millions of families facing foreclosure due to Wall Street's risky behavior. Read more...
Dear Mr. Blankfein...
Hundreds of Taxpayers Deliver Letter to Goldman Sachs in DC
Nov 16, 2009 - Hundreds of taxpayers from across the country are gathered outside the Goldman Sachs office in DC right now to speak out against the financial giant's Wall Street greed. We'll be delivering a letter to Goldman CEO Lloyd Blanfein asking him, once again, to stop paying himself and his cronies big bonuses and to start helping the millions of families losing their homes because of Wall Street's risky behavior. Read more...
No More Ken Lewises
Nov 16, 2009 - The papers are reporting that the scene inside BofA right now is chaotic. Lewis' sudden ousting caught them off guard - and the man responsible for finding a new CEO cannot be reached because he's "on vacation on a ship" until the end of the month. Since it's our tax dollars being pumped into BofA, we decided to help with the hiring process. Read more...
Ocean's 14: SEIU members take over Mayor Newsom's Office in undercover operation
Nov 16, 2009 - "What does it take to get the mayor's attention in this town?" was the question on their purple lips Thursday night (it was cold) after several dozen SEIU 1021 members and staff occupied Mayor Gavin Newsom's office, while hundreds more cheered them on inside and outside City Hall. It was a two-pronged tactic of escalating the San Francisco campaign through civil disobedience on top of public rallies. Read more...
NY's Caregivers to the Governor and Legislature: "Enough is Enough"
Nov 15, 2009 - Purple hats and gold thunder sticks carrying the message, "Enough is Enough," filled Albany's West Capitol Park on Thursday as some 5,000 1199SEIU caregivers rallied to protest another round of healthcare budget cuts proposed by New York's Governor David Paterson. $2.2 billion has been cut over the past two years, resulting in the loss of several hospitals and nursing homes in distressed areas. Read more...
Thanks, Terminator: CA workers lost pay for no economic benefit
Nov 13, 2009 - Gov. Schwarzenegger's private lawyers admitted yesterday in court papers that more than 1,000 workers at five state agencies were furloughed, despite achieving no economic gains for the state - a clear abuse of power. Read more...
What, Exactly, is Going On at 85 Broad Street?
Nov 13, 2009 - Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein said in an interview that he and the team at Goldman are "doing God's work." It isn't God's work to kick families out of their homes when they're struggling most. It isn't God's work to use other people's money to pay themselves obscene bonuses. And it isn't God's work to oppose health insurance reform because it's bad for the bottom line. Read more...
UnitedHealth Group pleas for its employees to help stop the public option
Nov 13, 2009 - Yesterday the Washington Post reported that UnitedHealth Group--the nation's biggest health insurance company--is urging its employees to lobby the Senate against health care reform proposals that would hurt the firm's bottom line: profits. UnitedHealth Group reportedly sent 75,000 of its workers an email alleging that "government-run health care" will force "millions of Americans" to drop their current coverage--and asked recipients to take action to put a stop the public option. Read more...
Workers demand Resident Commissioner Pierluisi reject anti-worker policies of Fortuño administration
Nov 13, 2009 - RIght now, SPT-SEIU members and leaders are holding a sit-in in Pedro Pierluisi's office, the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico. Members of SPT-SEIU took charge of the Resident Commissioner's office in San Juan earlier this morning, demanding that Pierluisi, as a Democrat, reject the Republican policies of Governor Luis Fortuño. Read more...
Now if we could just stop Republicans from hating on women...
Nov 12, 2009 - In a Huffington Post piece today, Anna Burger rails on Republicans for what appears to be a "single-minded campaign to destroy women's health." "They've voted against protecting domestic violence victims from being denied health insurance," writes Burger. "If you've been in Washington, D.C. long enough, you start to expect this kind of behavior from a party whose caucus is 90% male...but when one Party's caucus can't stop screaming at women long enough to hear what we have to say, one has to wonder if that's a Party with room for us." Read more...
Banks issuing credit cards still up to dirty tricks; predatory practices
Nov 12, 2009 - In May 2009, a bill that would stop the abuses of the credit card industry passed. According to a new report by the Pew Health Group, predatory practices by credit card companies haven't abated since then -- they've actually increased. Read more...
Lou Dobbs out at CNN
Nov 12, 2009 - If you're used to tuning in to CNN between 7 and 8 pm - tonight you may notice the absence of the Lou Dobbs Tonight show. That's because last night was Lou Dobbs last show after announcing - in his opening monologue - that he was leaving CNN at the conclusion of his show. Read more...
The Changing Face of Labor: More Women, More Diversity
Nov 12, 2009 - A new study from CEPR analyzes the demographic trends of the union workforce and finds it to be more diverse than just 25 years ago. The report shows that women now make up 45 percent of union workers and that union workers are more educated now, among other findings. Read more...
Andy Stern to Senate: "You will be judged on what you deliver."
Nov 10, 2009 - With a historic victory in the U.S. House at our backs, we head into the Senate--where we could face an uphill battle against insurance industry interests. In a Washington Post op-ed, SEIU President Andy Stern speaks on how far our Senate leaders should go to achieve their top health care priorities, and finding a balance between pragmatic compromise vs. selling out. Read more...
Tuesday morning round-up
Nov 10, 2009 - In case you missed it...news highlights from yesterday and this morning on banks, union heroes, health insurance reform, voter turnout and fighting budget cuts [and the swine flu]. Read more...
"Infamy Day:" November 6 Layoffs go into effect in Puerto Rico
Nov 09, 2009 - Protests and tears marked "Infamy Day" in Puerto Rico, as thousands stood up for the nearly 3,000 public employees laid off as of November 6. Despite delaying layoffs until after the holidays, Puerto Rican government officials continue to state that "there is no way back" and that by January, 2010, there will be nearly 30,000 fewer public employees on the books. Read more...
Here's What We Won
Nov 09, 2009 - Last November, our members helped elect President Barack Obama on a pledge that health care reform would be a top priority for his administration. After ten years of focused work on this issue, the November 6th passage of the House health care bill is a moment we should celebrate. Take a look at some of the highlights in this historic legislation. Read more...
Andy Stern sits down with Maria Bartiromo
Nov 09, 2009 - In wide-ranging interview, SEIU President Andy Stern sat down with Maria Bartiromo this weekend on the Wall Street Journal Report. Topics included in their discussion include the current state of the economy, H1N1, healthcare reform, the White House visitors list, the state of the Employee Free Choice Act, and the role of unions in an increasingly globalized economy. Read more...
Setting the record straight on how health care reform is good for seniors
Nov 08, 2009 - In recent months, Republicans have refused to back away from the cynical politics of scaring seniors and claiming reform will make premiums skyrocket for traditional Medicare recipients. A new coalition - Seniors to Seniors -- seeks to provide a clear and concise overview of health reform and what it means for you. Read more...
Victory in U.S. House
Nov 07, 2009 - Moments ago, the House gaveled in a vote on health care reform. The vote was 220 to 215, with not a single Republican brave enough to break with his party's blockade. Today, we conquered the special interests of "No We Can't," and won a victory for our country.
Click here to see how your Representative voted, and write to them. Read more...Republican Congressmen Repeatedly Interrupt Women Colleagues
Nov 07, 2009 - You might be wondering if it's normal for members of Congress to show such disrespect to one another by repeatedly shouting "I OBJECT" over their colleagues. You might also be wondering why Republican Congressmen are so adamantly opposed to allowing women in Congress to speak about gender discrimination in health care. Read more...
SEIU nurses likely caregivers of Glenn Beck
Nov 06, 2009 - Alternet's Alexander Zaitchik noted this week that during Glenn Beck's recent hospital stay for appendicitis, Beck tweeted in praise of his "AMAZING drs/nurses:" Little did Beck know that the top-notch care he was receiving came at the hands of those "radical Marxists" represented by 1199SEIU. Read more...
Martha Coakley Walk A Day
Nov 06, 2009 - On November 2, 2009, Attorney General Martha Coakley walked a day in the shoes of 1199SEIU home care worker Monica. Coakley worked with Monica to care for Maureen, a consumer with MS. Read more...
Update: Whipping Votes for Health Care
Nov 06, 2009 - Thousands of activists have been whipping votes in Congress today in preparation for tomorrow's scheduled vote on health insurance reform. You've contacted 272 members of the U.S. House, but many still haven't gone on the record, and163 members still need to be called. Read more...
King of Beers Cutting Costs on the Backs of Workers
Nov 06, 2009 - Cleaners at Anheuser-Busch breweries in Newark and Rochester recently found themselves without jobs, despite years of loyal service to the "King of Beers." The brewing behemoth has brought in cleaning contractors who seem bent on cutting costs for the $23 billion dollar multinational on the backs of the working people who keep their plants running and profitable. Read more...
Put a Stop to Blue Cross Blue Shield's Stranglehold on NC's Health Insurance Industry
Nov 06, 2009 - Recently, Blue Cross Blue Shield sent out a mass mailing asking NC recipients to send a pre-paid postcard to Democratic Senator Kay Hagan to pressure her into opposing health care reform, which includes a public option to make insurance companies compete. SEANC is calling on Blue Cross to stop using health care dollars to fund their political machine and protect their bottom line. Read more...
Victory! Vitter-Bennett amendment defeated
Nov 06, 2009 - David Vitter apparently likes to wreck things..and that's where we came in. After weeks of organizing against the Vitter-Bennett amendment with the Don't Wreck the Census campaign, today the Senate voted for cloture, 60-39, on the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill--putting to rest a divisive amendment proposed by Senators David Vitter (LA-R) and Bob Bennett (UT-R). Read more...
Whipping votes for health care reform
Nov 05, 2009 - You can bet that insurance companies like UnitedHealth, Humana and CIGNA have a legion of lobbyists talking to Congressional offices right now. We've got to make sure they remember who they were elected to represent - the American people. Help hold politicians accountable by whipping the vote for health care reform today. Read more...
Dallas Members Celebrate 2% Raise, No Layoffs of SEIU Members
Nov 05, 2009 - Eight months of members advocating for a base pay increase has paid off in a big way for SEIU Texas members in Dallas. In the worst economy since the Great Depression and one of the City's worst budget years ever, employees within the following SEIU job classifications received a 2% base pay increase on October 1st: Crew Leaders, Equipment Operators, Laborers, and Truck Drivers. Read more...
Lowe's employee breakroom signs (and other Employee Free Choice goodies)
Nov 05, 2009 - After Lowe's Home Improvement settled a class action suit last month for requiring workers to work "off the clock," workers were greeted with this sign in their workplace breakroom--a not-so-subtle reminder of the company's position on giving workers a voice on the job. Read more...
URGENT ALERT: Call your Senator and stop the Vitter-Bennet amendment
Nov 05, 2009 - We just learned that the Senate is scheduled to vote on the Vitter-Bennett amendment today at noon. It's time to make our voices heard on Capitol Hill. Can you join us in calling your senators right now? Read more...
One year anniversary of the day we changed America forever
Nov 04, 2009 - There's an old saying that goes, 'We make the road by walking.' Today, even in the face of historic opposition to change, there's no question that Barack Obama and the pro-worker members of Congress we elected last November have taken every step with working families at their side. Read more...
And on the Eighth Day, God Created Bonuses
Nov 04, 2009 - Bloomberg reports that, last night, executives from the big banks went to churches across London to spread the word that their billion dollar bonuses are actually inspired by biblical teachings. According to Goldman Sachs bigwig Brian Griffiths, Jesus' teachings were an "endorsement of self-interest." He went on to say, "we have to tolerate the inequality as a way to achieving greater prosperity and opportunity for all. I don't pretend to be an expert on biblical teachings; and I wouldn't dare presume to know what Jesus thinks of Wall Street's behavior. I want, instead, to post a few Bible passages that address this subject directly. Read more...
Wall Street banksters want their bonuses, and they want them now!
Nov 04, 2009 - Recent data from eFinancialCareers.com shows that financial professionals still think that the middle class should still be taking it on the chin to pad their pockets. According to a recent survey, 83 percent of Wall Street professionals expect to receive bonuses this year, and one-third expect to receive even bigger bonuses than they did in 2008. Read more...
Remember those who wait for health care reform
Nov 04, 2009 - Over the past year, SEIU has partnered with a wide variety of organizations in the fight for health care reform. On such group are the Sojourners, a Christian inter-faith group who believe that health care reform is a social justice issue. Read more...
VA-Gov: Divining meaning that isn't there
Nov 04, 2009 - An email this morning from Jason McBride of the humorously named "Workplace Fairness Institute" read, "Bob McDonnell made EFCA a central issue in his campaign and as a result, small businesses and workers from across the state decided to stand with him." We did a fact check on this point we think you might be interested in. Read more...
BREAKING: Layoffs for unionized Puerto Rican workers postponed until January 8
Nov 03, 2009 - Members of SPT-SEIU Local 1996 in Puerto Rico scored a victory when Superior Judge Carlos Dávila Vélez granted their petition to stop the Department of Education's (DE) plans to lay-off 6,000 workers on Friday, giving them an additional 30 days on the job. SEIU's petition claimed the DE failed to follow proper notification procedures requiring notice to workers 30 days prior to letters of dismissal. Read more...
Around the union: November 3rd quick hits
Nov 03, 2009 - Why being in a union makes you more likely to have health insurance; H1N1 sick leave bill introduced, and news from SEIU locals in Michigan, California and New York. Read more...
ConservativeTransparency.org to Dispel Shroud of My$tery Surrounding Conservatives' AstroTurf Groups
Nov 03, 2009 - We could be looking at the beginning of the end of astroturfing (aka fake grassroots activism). A new database by Media Matters tracks the financial and political ties of conservative think tanks, nonprofit activist groups, and foundations for the public to see: ConservativeTransparency.org. Read more...
Republican Bill Ignores Women's Health Care Issues
Nov 03, 2009 - A version of the Republican health care bill was leaked today, and it's underwhelming, to say the least. For starters, the draft bill completely ignores women's health care issues. Read more...
McClatchy Newspapers Investigates Goldman Sachs
Nov 02, 2009 - McClatchy Newspapers has launched a multi-part exposé on financial giant Goldman Sachs and their role in the economic collapse. For the millions of Americans who - until recently - had never heard of Goldman Sachs, let alone done business with them, it's a sobering look at how the banking leviathan has managed to take our money from us six ways to Sunday. Read more...
The Path to Sustainable Economic Recovery
Nov 02, 2009 - Last week, we learned that the swift action by the President and Congress to pass an economic recovery package earlier this year helped stave off a global economic recession, put our economy back on the path of growth, and helped save hundreds of thousands of jobs. Read more...
Make Yourself Heard in Washington: Tweet Your Senator!
Nov 02, 2009 - In our continued efforts to stop an amendment introduced by Senator David Vitter (R-LA) and Bob Bennett (UT-R) that would stop the 2010 Census dead in its tracks, this week SEIU launched a new Twitter tool broadening our online capacity to reach our elected officials. Read more...
Shopping you can feel good about: Buying the union label
Nov 02, 2009 - while shopping can feel more like a forbidden past time or guilty pleasure in this economy, buying the Union label is something you can feel good about. Because you're not just getting a high-quality product--you're also supporting local economies, helping maintain middle class manufacturing jobs, and propping up responsible companies that employ workers at fair wages. Read more...
White House List Demonstrates Desire to Hear From Working People
Oct 31, 2009 - Coming off an eight-year period when the voice of workers fell on deaf ears, the list demonstrates the White House desire to hear from working people. Andy Stern has tweeted about some of his White House visits, and you can follow him here. Read more...
LA Security Officers Win Their Union
Oct 30, 2009 - After several months of organizing to demand livable wages, health insurance, training and better working conditions, 850 Securitas workers at Los Angeles County and other public facilities will be officially recognized as members of SEIU SOULA. Read more...
What's Next?
Oct 30, 2009 - What happened outside the bankers' conference on Tuesday was a reminder of the power of our voices together. For three days, thousands of us from every corner of the country and all walks of life came together to demand change from the Wall Street banks. Together we stood up to the big banks that have done so much harm to our communities; Together we marched through the streets of Chicago, 5,000 strong, forcing the bankers to answer for their actions; Together we showed the world through stories and pictures and words that our voices united can make a difference. Read more...
In Pictures: Taxpayers protest for 3 days straight during "Showdown in Chicago"
Oct 30, 2009 - The protests at the American Bankers Association Conference in Chicago may have finished on Tuesday, but the campaign to demand that big banks stop using our tax dollars to lobby against financial reform is far from over. Big banks took $17.8 trillion in taxpayer bailouts and then turned around and spent $35 million of the taxpayers' money fighting reform and lobbying against the most basic measures to protect consumers. Read more...
The Affordable Health Care for America Act: What's in it for women
Oct 30, 2009 - The historic House health insurance reform bill was released yesterday, moving us ever closer to passing legislation guaranteeing quality, affordable health care for all Americans. The Affordable Health Care for America Act, which you can download and peruse at your leisure, lays out a lot of changes benefiting Americans across the board. But, one group that stands to gain the most from this reform is American women. Read more...
Bank Workers in Brazil Celebrate Victory
Oct 30, 2009 - Following a ten-day strike, Brazilian bank workers have won an increase in wage and improvements in their working conditions, as a result of a wage accord between union leaders and banks October 9. The workers are members of Confederaçao Nacional dos Trabalhadores no Ramo Financeiro (CONTRAF). Read more...
Schwarzenegger administration botches implementation of home care cuts affecting 800,000+ residents
Oct 29, 2009 - ollowing a federal court order by Judge Claudia Wilken halting the implementation of severe cuts to home care for 130,000 Californians, new information presented during a Capitol hearing yesterday demonstrates that the Schwarzenegger Administration is unprepared to meet its own Nov. 1 deadline to implement new restrictions on In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program providers. Read more...
"Yes We Can" Win Health Insurance Reform
Oct 29, 2009 - What do Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT) all have in common? They all caucus with the Democratic party, but they alone could decide whether the Senate gets to vote on health care reform! Read more...
Meanwhile, Back in DC...
Oct 29, 2009 - While thousands of Americans were delivering a letter to Goldman Sachs on Sunday demanding they stop using our tax dollars to lobby against financial reform, Goldman Sachs was ...using our tax dollars to lobby against financial reform. Read more...
Understanding the Senate cloture process
Oct 29, 2009 - As we near the time when we expect the Senate to take up a bill and vote on reform, questions about what exactly will be happening from a procedural standpoint arise--foremost among them are cloture and the filibuster. First, filibusters really don't happen the way they did when Mr. Smith went to Washington. Read more...
Domestic violence as a pre-existing condition outlawed in House bill
Oct 29, 2009 - Back in September, we began a month-long campaign publicizing the fact that in eight states and Washington, DC, insurance companies could deny coverage to a victim of domestic violence, citing it as a "pre-existing condition." Since that time, you've blogged, posted on Facebook, and tweeted about women's health care. You've written over 10,000 letters to your members of Congress demanding gender equity in health care reform. You've worn t-shirts and handed out information outside Congressional offices. And now, that work has paid off: the House health care bill language, released today, includes a clause specifically outlawing the practice of treating domestic violence as a "pre-existing condition." Read more...
Speaker Pelosi Announces House Health Care Bill
Oct 29, 2009 - "Today, we are about to deliver on the promise of making affordable, quality health care available for all americans," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in her statement, announcing the House health care bill. The bill is based on the ideas of opportunity, choice and innovation. Read more...
Cloture: Procedural or Substantive Vote?
Oct 28, 2009 - There are a lot of questions about whether or not a "cloture vote" in the Senate is actually a measure of a Senator's position one way or another on a piece of legislation. According to Senate.gov, a cloture vote does... Read more...
Tell your Senator "Don't Wreck the Census"
Oct 28, 2009 - Some politicians come up with dumb ideas. Some come up with impractical ideas that would cost taxpayers millions of dollars. And then there are those lawmakers with crazy proposals that would violate the United States Constitution. Rep. Senators Vitter & Bennett hit the trifecta by trying to wreck the US Census. Read more...
More than 5,000 Taxpayers March on the ABA
Oct 27, 2009 - It was an intense and often emotional conclusion to three days of action against the ABA in Chicago; and a powerful beginning to a taxpayer-led campaign to bring an end to Wall Street greed. More than 5,000 taxpayers marched over the Chicago River and to the front door of the American Bankers Association this morning. Read more...
Anna Burger: "Call Them Out"
Oct 27, 2009 - Standing in front of the American Bankers Association conference in Chicago, Anna Burger led more than 5,000 taxpayers in demanding an end to the greedy Wall Street practices that led to economic meltdown. Watch video of Anna's speech as well as taxpayers delivering a past due invoice to the big banks for the money they've taken from us. Read more...
VIDEO: The First Steps Toward Change
Oct 27, 2009 - The marchers just took the first steps towards the ABA conference to protest what Andy Stern just called "the people who put company before country." They're being led by people from across America that have been directly impacted by the greedy actions of the Wall Street bankers gathered at the ABA conference. People who have worked all their lives, but were kicked out of their homes, watched their life savings dry up, and seen their interest rates skyrocket. Read more...
SEIU Retiree on roundtable with Speaker Pelosi
Oct 27, 2009 - Yesterday, Yvonne Richardson, an 1199 SEIU Retiree, President of the West Palm Beach Chapter and SEIU Retiree Advisory Council Member, participated in a Roundtable on Reforming Medicare hosted by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz at the Sunrise Senior Center in Sunrise, Florida. Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined Congresswoman Schultz and heard from a panel of 15 invited guests that work with Seniors in a variety of capacities. Read more...
Public option victory, but questions still remain
Oct 27, 2009 - Today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that he will include a public option in the health reform bill to be voted on in the Senate (as opposed to breaking it off in a separate amendment). Sen. Reid also confirmed that the Senate version will give states the authority to deny their residents the choice of a public option. Following Reid's announcement, the bill now heads to the Congressional Budget Office for scoring. Read more...
Seeing Purple
Oct 27, 2009 - The crowd is starting to gather along the Chicago River for the largest protest against bank greed since the economic crisis began. We're about 30 minutes out from taking the first steps toward the ABA conference - and the first steps in our campaign to end Wall Street greed. Read more...
Big Banks: Making a Killing
Oct 26, 2009 - The working people taking to the streets this week in the Showdown of Chicago think the amount of money the ABA is spending to lobby against the Consumer Financial Protection Agency is downright scary. To drive their point home, some protesters donned their "Scary Movie"-like costumes a week before Halloween. Read more...
VIDEO: The Faces of the Showdown
Oct 26, 2009 - Another amazing day in Chicago. Americans are fired up to put an end to Wall Street greed. Everybody is excited for tomorrow; it's going to be the largest protest against bank greed since the financial crisis began - over 5,000 people. Here's a wrap up of today with a few faces of the Showdown in Chicago. Read more...
Insurance industry diagnosed with "Goldilocks syndrome"
Oct 26, 2009 - The insurance industry is sick. After studying the symptoms, we've diagnosed them with "Goldilocks syndrome," named after the little blonde heroine of the popular children's story. Read more...
VIDEO: Meet Mary from Cincinnati
Oct 26, 2009 - Outside the ABA conference today are more than 1,000 people with more than 1,000 stories of bank greed hurting families and small businesses. I wanted to share one in particular that grabbed me. Meet Mary from Cincinnati. Read more...
VIDEO: Two for Two
Oct 26, 2009 - More than 1,000 taxpayers decided to take a walk down Wacker Drive to see how their money is being used by America's bailed out banks - and to ask for a few changes to prevent another financial meltdown. Having tried to deliver our letter to the ABA last night and being kicked out, we went directly to the banks today - Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo. The demand, as always, is a simple one: stop using our tax dollars for toxic loans, big bonuses, and anti-consumer lobbying campaigns. Read more...
VIDEO: Tom Balanoff at Showdown in Chicago
Oct 26, 2009 - Here's a new video up from Tom Balanoff's speech at the Showdown in Chicago. He kept the crowd on their feet the entire time. Definitely worth checking out. Read more...
VIDEO: "An End to the Too Big to Fail Doctrine"
Oct 26, 2009 - Sheila Bair is an exceptional speaker - I know because she just spoke at the Showdown in Chicago. She talked about the importance of stopping the greedy Wall Street practices like predatory lending, sub-prime mortgages, and lack of regulation that led us into financial crisis. She also took something from us to give to the ABA. It's the letter that we tried to give them ourselves yesterday, but they kicked us out. Will the kick Chairwoman Bair out, too? Read more...
"Shame, Shame, Shame on You"
Oct 25, 2009 - It's Day 2 of the annual meet-up of the American Bankers Association, and nearly a thousand taxpayers decided to facilitate a little meet-and-greet between the people that created the financial crisis (and got rich from it), and the people who paid the price for Wall Street's greed--and footed the bill to bail the banks out. Unfortunately, the banksters letting loose in the Sheraton's lavish ballroom couldn't be convinced to leave their posh party to attend our rally....but 40+ policemen and numerous onlookers did turn out. Read more...
VIDEO: You Weren't on the Guest List
Oct 25, 2009 - Today was an amazing beginning for us. Not just the beginning of the three day protest against the American Bankers Association (ABA) conference, but the beginning of the end for business as usual on Wall Street. The big banks heard loud and clear tonight that taxpayers are fed up with them taking our money and using it to pay themselves outrageous profits and lobby against financial reform. Read more...
I Think They Know We're Here
Oct 25, 2009 - The bankers were just trying to have a nice, roaring 1920s party (paid for with our tax dollars) to celebrate the trillions of dollars they've made in the past year. So, can you imagine how frustrating it is for them... Read more...
Senator Durbin at the Showdown in Chicago
Oct 25, 2009 - Senator Dick Durbin came out to the Showdown in Chicago and talked about one Chicagoan, Netty McGee, and her run-in with big banks. Read more...
Bankers Fix Up One House this Weekend, Foreclose 23,000 Others
Oct 25, 2009 - The Wall Street bankers are in Chicago this weekend for the American Bankers Association conference - and they've decided to do one good deed for the people of Chicago while they're here. They are helping to renovate a house that had been foreclosed... by them. It's a nice gesture on the bankers' part, but a completely empty one. In the time it took them to help fix up that one house, banks were kicking 1,440 families out of homes across the country; that's one foreclosed home every 7.5 seconds. Read more...
Marching Toward Change
More than 5,000 march on the ABA
Oct 25, 2009 - Read more...
New clash between Puerto Rican police & protestors
Oct 25, 2009 - A scuffle erupted between protesters and the police on Thursday, after several hundred union members and activists finished a rally against Governor Luis Fortuño outside El Conquistador hotel, where the Governor held a conference with business companies on public-private partnerships. Read more...
No trick to union treats for Halloween
Oct 23, 2009 - When those little ghosts and goblins (or, we're predicting, Michael Jacksons) come collecting on Halloween, make sure you have a full supply of union-made goodies to hand out. No, not our latest flyers on the economic crisis. We mean candies made by union workers. Read more...
Crash the Bankers' Party in Chicago
Oct 23, 2009 - If you could get all the architects of the banks/bailout scam together in one place, what would you say to them? Hurry up and decide, because they're all getting together in Chicago this weekend-- and we're headed there to meet them. The big bank execs are gathering in the Windy City for the American Bankers Association conference, for a 4 day celebration of wealth and opulence paid for by our tax dollars. Read more...
AHIP's Ignagni refuses to meet with insurance company victims
Oct 23, 2009 - AHIP lobbyists descended on Washington DC yesterday for a meeting. While they would like everyone to believe that they were working on ways to make health care more affordable, the truth is they were trying to come up with ways to kill reform. That's not speculation: earlier this week, an AHIP lobbyists told Republicans not to "comfort the enemy" and support health care reform. After months of pretending to support reform, AHIP is finally showing it's true intentions (which were never to pass real reform in the first place!) now that a new health insurance system, including a public option, seems closer than ever. Read more...
Michelle Obama discusses women and health care
Oct 23, 2009 - Over the past few weeks, the White House released videos from doctors, seniors and small business owners explaining why health care reform is necessary. Today, they took is one step further, releasing a video from a women (the First Lady to be exact) talking about why women need health care reform. Read more...
'80s Flashback: Average Workers' Pay > Average Financial Industry Employee Bonus
Oct 23, 2009 - In 1985, the average annual salary for all workers across the country was several thousand dollars higher than the average bonus: $19,000 to $13,970. Over twenty-five years later, the average Wall Street bonus has soared almost 14 times higher. Yesterday the Federal Reserve announced a plan to help lessen this wage disparity between Main Street vs. Wall Street, cutting executive pay by as much as 90 percent for CEOs at the seven biggest TARP recipients. Read more...
Big Banks & U.S. Chamber, There's a New Cop in Town
Oct 23, 2009 - Yesterday the House voted 39 to 29 to move forward with the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, to help put a stop to the dangerous and deceptive products and practices that got us into this mess. It was a sad day for corporations in the financial, insurance, and real estate sector--like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce & the Financial Services Roundtable--who spent a combined total of $321 million lobbying against federal reforms such as limits on bonuses and the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA). Read more...
Stephen Lerner on CNBC: America Wants Wall Street to Quit Whining
Oct 22, 2009 - Wall Street has a message for Americans who think it's unfair that they take our tax dollars and pay themselves huge bonuses: they need that money for all their hard work. SEIU's Stephen Lerner went on CNBC today to debate a representative of Wall Street over the Obama administration's decision to cap exec pay at seven bailed out firms. Read more...
All of Puerto Rico: Much More than a March
Oct 22, 2009 - In a Huffington Post piece today, SEIU Healthcare Chair Dennis Rivera warns that "what started as a march in protest to the impending firings of public sector workers has turned into a movement to hold Governor Fortuño accountable for solving [Puerto Rico's] financial nightmare." Read more...
Wrong for NJ: New ad calls out Gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie
Oct 22, 2009 - Today SEIU launched a new television ad ("What Do We Know?") calling attention to Republican Gubernatorial candidate and former Bush appointee Chris Christie's dismal record on women and families. The ad will air on local cable across southern New Jersey during the critical closing days of the Gubernatorial campaign. Read more...
Top 5 Worst Insurance Company Denials
Oct 22, 2009 - So many stories have come out in the past few weeks about insurance company abuses that it's hard to keep them all straight. Given all the reasons insurance companies have given for denying people coverage, it seems like a miracle they have any customers at all. Read more...
Obama Administration Begins Crackdown on Bank CEO Salaries
Oct 22, 2009 - The Obama administration has gone and done something that might put a bit of a damper on the bankers' big party in Chicago this weekend. They're drafting a plan, to be announced in the coming days, that will dramatically cut CEO salaries for the companies that took the most taxpayer money during the financial collapse. Read more...
Think your retirement is secure? Think again
Oct 21, 2009 - SEIU member Willie Lucas has been an electrician at Howard University for three decades. He was planning to retire in two years but the economic crisis wiped out nearly $50,000 from his 401(k) and he's had to put his retirement off another 10 years. The outrageous thing is that Willie is one of the lucky ones. Read more...
Will eggs fly at Governor Fortuño's head tomorrow?
Oct 21, 2009 - Workers to picket Fortuño meeting: Tomorrow, coalition Todo Puerto Rico Por Puerto Rico will picket outside the meeting Governor Fortuño is having with business companies to discuss the privatization of public projects and agencies. Read more...
Don't Wreck the Census
Oct 21, 2009 - Last week, Senators David Vitter (R-LA) and Bob Bennett (R-UT) introduced an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (HR 2847) which would require that the 2010 Census include a question about immigration or citizenship status. Read more...
Warning: This story is going to make you angry
Oct 21, 2009 - From not covering maternity care to calling domestic violence a pre-existing condition, insurance companies seem to have written the book on how to turn a buck at the expense of millions of women in America. Now add "rape victim" to the long list of ways in which insurance companies discriminate against women. Read more...
Crash the Big Banks' Party
Oct 21, 2009 - Did you know you're throwing a party this weekend? Well, you're paying for it but you're not invited. It's the American Bankers Association (ABA) conference in Chicago. The ABA is the lobbying group that gets millions of our tax dollars from America's bailed out banks. Read more...
In case you missed it...Oct. 21 round-up
Oct 21, 2009 - In case you missed it...news round-up on upcoming Chicago banks actions, unemployment benefits, how an SEIU member became a Ugandan king, SEIU's recent online healthcare campaign waves, and a recent meeting of international labor leaders to discuss Mexico's broken labor laws. Read more...
You've taken a ticket. Now what?
Oct 20, 2009 -
Thousands of people have taken a ticket for gender equity in health care. (We're currently at 2,689 people in line.)
Want to play a bigger role in fighting insurance co. discrimination against women? We rigged our toll-free phone line to direct calls to male members of Congress. Read more...
"Can I see YOUR business card?" The Chamber gets punk'd
Oct 20, 2009 - Editors and fact checkers at several major news outlets were having a seriously bad case of "the Mondays" yesterday, as The Washington Post, CNBC, NY Times, Fox News and other major newspapers were duped by a Chamber of Commerce hoax perpetrated by the Yes Men at the National Press Club. Read more...
Top Bank Lobbyist Receives High Honor
Oct 20, 2009 - If only they gave out awards for helping bank CEOs get rich and using tax dollars to lobby against financial reform; ABA president and CEO Edward Yingling would win them all. Well, exciting news for fans of Wall Street greed. Now, there is such an honor: the Golden Throne Award. And the first one is going to none other than Edward Yingling. Read more...
Link Round-Up on Gender Equity in Health Care
Oct 20, 2009 - Have you gotten in line for gender equity yet? If not, stop reading this post and go to http://ticket.seiu.org to get it now! Read more...
CA Judge's ruling blocks cuts for 130,000 in-home care recipients
Oct 20, 2009 - Home care providers, seniors, and people with disabilities prevailed in federal court yesterday, securing a preliminary injunction to stop cuts to essential home care for 130,000 Californians. We've been following this fight for several months now, and it's such amazing news for home care workers and those they care for that this ruling will put a stop to these devastating cuts. Read more...
Get in line for gender equity
Oct 20, 2009 - We sent more than 10,000 letters to Congress in response to Peggy Robertson's story. Her insurance company had required that she get sterilized if she wanted to receive health insurance. Read more...
It's time to deliver
Oct 20, 2009 - Right now, everyone is paying for the cost of our broken health care system. People with "pre-existing conditions" are being denied coverage by insurers. Women are being charged 30-51% more than men for the same health insurance policies. Read more...
Around the Union: Locals Round-up
Oct 19, 2009 - Quick hits around the union from ULTCW, SEIU Massachusetts, SEIU District 1199, CSEA, Local 5-Virginia, SEANC, Local 721 and 32BJ. Read more...
Must See TV: Workers United in HBO Documentary Schmatta
Oct 19, 2009 - Did you know that in 1965, 95 percent of American clothing was made in USA? Times have changed since then. Just a few decades later, only 5 percent of the clothing worn by Americans is manufactured here in this country. Don't miss tonight's HBO premier of Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags -- a documentary that tells the unexpected history behind New York's Garment District and a "must see" for anyone who cares about our union and the workers who built it. Read more...
Krugman: 'We Desperately Need to Pass Effective Financial Reform'
Oct 19, 2009 - Paul Krugman gives a sobering report on the state of banks in today's New York Times. We already know that while giant financial institutions are paying out record bonuses and salaries, they aren't lending to small businesses or helping families that are struggling with their mortgages. But, now, it seems the risky deals Wall Street has been making with our tax dollars are catching up to them - and they're starting to generate losses instead of profits. All of this combined, says Krugman, is having serious negative effects on the economy. Read more...
SEIU members join thousands for immigration rally & lobby day on Capitol Hill
Oct 19, 2009 - Over 400 SEIU members joined fellow activists and religious leaders for an immigration lobby day and rally to urge Congress to move immigration reform legislation forward. The Capitol Hill rally featured Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force, who outlined specifics of immigration reform legislation. Read more...
The greatest public demonstration in Puerto Rican history
Oct 18, 2009 - The one day General Strike that mobilized around 150,000 workers and citizens to protest Governor Fortuño's massive layoffs took place in Puerto Rico on October 15. Chair of SEIU Healthcare Dennis Rivera, Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina and Local 1966 President Roberto Pagan joined the historic protest along with hundreds of thousands of Puerto Rican workers, SEIU members, faith leaders, students and citizens in what's being called 'the greatest public demonstration in Puerto Rico's history.' Read more...
Under Growing Pressure, Dobbs Considers Move to FOX
Oct 16, 2009 - The massive outcry from immigration and human rights activists, media insiders, advertisers and online activists about Lou Dobb's sensational and prejudiced immigration reporting has broken through! This week, the New York Times reported that CNN anchor Lou Dobbs is considering moving his 7:00 p.m. "Lou Dobbs Tonight" nightly show to the FOX news network. Read more...
Insurance company: "Get sterilized"
Oct 15, 2009 - After having a c-section, Peggy Robertson received a letter. It was from her insurance company, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, and it basically said this: get sterilized, or you won't receive coverage. Read more...
Peggy Robertson featured on ABC Nightly News
Oct 15, 2009 - After her moving testimony earlier today, Peggy Robertson was featured on ABC Nightly News tonight, sharing her story with over 27 million viewers of the program. In case you missed it, watch Peggy talk about her experience: Read more...
SEIU Members Show Boehner His Constituents Back the Public Option
Oct 15, 2009 - Today, members of SEIU District 1199 visited the West Chester, Ohio district office of Rep. John Boehner to let him know loud and clear that they support a public health insurance option. Frazzled under the pressure, a staffer tried to back off Boehner's earlier public comments claiming that "the citizens of the 8th district are overwhelmingly opposed to a public option." Read more...
Pay Czar: Ken Lewis to Receive No Salary, Bonus for 2009
Oct 15, 2009 - More than 11,000 of you signed a letter to Obama administration's pay czar, demanding a halt to CEO bonuses until banks stopped using our tax dollars to lobby against financial reform. On Thursday, the pay czar announced that he is taking action on Ken Lewis' outrageous compensation, asking for a stop to any salary or bonuses for 2009. Read more...
It's not just Ken Lewis...
Oct 15, 2009 - Last week, we sent a letter to the Obama pay czar, signed by over 11,000 taxpayers. We told him to stop payment on Ken Lewis' $53.3 million bailout. But it's not just Ken Lewis getting rich with our money. The papers are all leading today with headlines about America's banks on track to earn record profits and pay out record amounts of bonuses to their top brass. America is still reeling from the financial crisis, but it's business as usual on Wall Street. Next weekend, thousands of taxpayers are going to confront big banks and hold them accountable to us - will you demand they meet with us? Read more...
Photos from today's massive demonstration in Puerto Rico
Oct 15, 2009 - Enjoy the slideshow from today's strike by workers to protest Gov. Fortuño's layoffs--the largest demonstration in Puerto Rico's history. We'll keep the site and photostream updated as we get more from the ground in Puerto Rico. Updates on all things Puerto Rico on SEIU's Blog here. You can also follow SEIU on Twitter for updates. Read more...
Peggy Robertson's son: Too small to insure
Oct 15, 2009 - Today, at Sen. Mikulski's HELP Committee hearing "What Women Want: Equal Benefits for Equal Premiums," we met Peggy Robertson. Peggy is a mother of two young boys, living in Colorado with her husband. Over the past few years, Peggy and her family have faced not one but two shocking cases of insurance company abuse. Read more...
Watch live: Puerto Rican workers' strike
Oct 15, 2009 - Watch today's general strike unfolding live in Puerto Rico right now, being streamed by Claridad. Also check out a summary of recent events in Puerto Rico. Read more...
Defeat of fear well underway in Puerto Rican general strike
Oct 15, 2009 - Two successful events that have already taken place today in the strike include the closing of Plaza Las Americas and more significantly, the defeat of fear. Hundreds of thousands of workers are now marching for justice, overcoming the campaign of media terror launched by the Puerto Rican Government during the last days. Protesters are marching from seven different locations of the Banks Zone in San Juan today, heading towards the southern side of Plaza Las Americas--which is expected to largest public gathering in Puerto Rican history. Read more...
Attention male members of Congress
Oct 15, 2009 - In preparation for Sen. Mikulski's hearings today, we decided to pay a little visit to various male members of Congress yesterday. Armed with information about women's health care, we distributed the flyer to male, Republican Representatives in the Cannon office building. Check out our video... Read more...
On the Eve of the General Strike in Puerto Rico
Oct 14, 2009 - It's a very tense evening in Puerto Rico tonight--you can feel it in the streets and towns around the Island. Tomorrow the workers' movement and its allies will face a showdown with the Government police and paramilitary forces, as the general strike called to protest massive layoffs in the public service will begin in the early hours of the day. Read more...
Stop Puerto Rico's George Bush
Oct 14, 2009 - Tomorrow, over 200,000 people are preparing to take to the streets in a general strike, and Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuño is threatening to charge the protesters with terrorism. Not even Karl Rove and George Bush tried that. Violating the civil rights of your own citizens is unacceptable--ask Congress to hold hearings on Fortuño's anti-American behavior. Read more...
Andy Stern one of GQ's "50 Most Powerful People in DC"
Oct 14, 2009 - Congratulations to SEIU President Andy Stern, who was named one of GQ's "50 Most Powerful People in D.C." yesterday. Read more...
Senate Finance Committee Passes Health Care Bill
Oct 13, 2009 - Over two years, 500 amendments and hours of deliberation later, the Senate Finance Committee has passed the fifth and last of the health care bills that will be brought to the House and Senate floors. The committee voted 14-9, with Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine joining the Democrats to pass the legislation. Read more...
Standing up for good jobs and fair treatment = terrorism, according to Puerto Rican government
Oct 13, 2009 - During Puerto Rico's 2008 political debates leading up to the election of a new Governor, ex-governor Acevedo Vilá would repeatedly accuse his opposition, Luis Fortuno, of plans to shrink the government budget by eliminating 30,000 public employees. Fortuno would scoff and always repeat the same line: "Si Vota por Fortuño, Fortuño te Bota a ti," he would reply ["The only public employee that I am going to fire is Acevedo Vilá!"]. Read more...
Turning the Big Apple into the Big Green Apple
Oct 11, 2009 - The energy consumption of our nation's large buildings is inextricably linked to the talent, training, and hard work of building operators. Teaching our building operators to maintain our large structures is the highest-impact way to address the climate crisis, at the lowest cost. The Urban Green Council (United States Green Building Council of New York) and SEIU Local 32BJ have released a report detailing the essential role that building workers play in improving energy efficiency and discuss how 32BJ's training initiative will help New York City's building superintendents go green. Read more...
October 13th: National Day of Immigrant Rights Action
Oct 11, 2009 - Next week, 10 buses originating from ten cities from across the U.S., will make their way to Washington, D.C. for an historic rally October 13 at the U.S. Capitol to demand urgent Congressional action on immigration reform. In one of the buses, over 30 members of SEIU Local 26--cleaning service workers who have experienced first-hand the fallout from aggressive enforcement of broken immigration laws--will travel from Minneapolis for the event. Read more...
Celebs use their star status to support laid-off Puerto Rican workers
Oct 10, 2009 - Puerto Rican Grammy award winning group Calle 13 announced they will speak out against Governor Fortuño's massive layoffs of nearly 17K public service workers live at the Latin MTV Awards on October 15th. The award show is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, CA on the same day the national workers' strike will be taking place in Puerto Rico. Read more...
SEIU's Michael Kerr sworn in at Department of Labor
Oct 09, 2009 - Congratulations are in order for Michael Kerr, who was sworn in today as Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management at the Department of Labor. This will be Kerr's second tour at Labor, as he previously spent eight years in the Clinton administration, eventually running the department's Wage and Hour Division. Before taking his position at the DOL, Kerr oversaw Finance and Administration at SEIU as an Assistant to the Secretary-Treasurer. Read more...
In the Pursuit of Truth: Protecting the U.S. Census
Oct 09, 2009 - Yesterday, in yet another attempt to marginalize U.S. immigrants and inject hate into politics, Senator David Vitter (LA-R) introduced an amendment to the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill that would require questions in the 2010 census on immigration status. If passed, Vitter's amendment would throw a monkey wrench into the U.S. Census, making it completely unreliable as the one document that is supposed to paint an accurate picture of who we are as a nation. Read more...
This week in health care reform
Oct 09, 2009 - While no votes were cast on health care reform this week, there wasn't a dull moment on the Hill. In case you missed it, here's a list of this week's major developments... Read more...
Female Senators continue crusade for women's health care on Larry King
Oct 09, 2009 - Following up on their rousing back-to-back speeches on the Senate floor, the "women of the Senate" took their message into America's living rooms last night when they appeared on Larry King live. Read more...
More Than 10,000 Taxpayers Sign Letter to Stop the Ken Lewis Bailout
Oct 09, 2009 - It's been a little over a day since we invited people to sign on to Anna Burger's letter to the Obama pay czar, asking him to stop payment on Ken Lewis' bailout until Bank of America agrees to clean up its act. Already, more than 10,000 taxpayers have signed the letter, demanding accountability from America's bailed out banks. Read more...
Sen. Specter joins 29 other Senators in support of a public option
Oct 08, 2009 - The House won't pass a bill without a public option, and the Senate won't pass one with it. That statement, which has almost become a truism on Capitol Hill, was splashed with a healthy dose of reality by 30 Senators today, including Sen. Specter, who laid out their strong support for a public option. Read more...
New video: Break up with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Oct 08, 2009 - Five major companies have recently joined the growing list of groups ditching the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over their out-of-touch policies on climate change. Companies like Nike and Apple are serious about their break-ups with the Chamber -- but if it's any consolation, they still totally want to be friends. Watch our new video to find out why the Chamber keeps getting dumped. Read more...
Apple to Chamber: It's Not Us, It's You
Oct 08, 2009 - In the aftermath of Apple's recent break-up with the U.S. Chamber, the corporate front group couldn't seem to accept that their actions have consequences and take the split from Apple like a man. U.S. Chamber President Thomas J. Donohue shot back a letter to Apple chief Steve Jobs that was written in a less-than-mature tone. Read more...
Women and Insurance: Paying More, Getting Less
Oct 08, 2009 - Today, nine female Senators stood on the floor of the US Senate and gave a powerful voice to the thousands of women in this country who are continually and systematically discriminated against by the insurance industry. Read more...
Free and Fair Elections in Charm City
Oct 08, 2009 - Baltimore's City Council unanimously approved a resolution Monday endorsing "free and fair union elections for all hospital and nursing home workers in every facility throughout the city." In a city where only nine percent of health care workers are currently unionized (but one in five Baltimore jobs are in health care), this is big news! Read more...
The Onion reviews the Ken Lewis record
Oct 08, 2009 - The Onion, America's Finest News Source, has nicely summed up the various mistakes that caused Ken Lewis to step down as CEO of Bank of America. Chiefly, that whole "worldwide economic collapse" thing. Read more...
Domestic violence is STILL a pre-existing condition
Oct 07, 2009 - One in four women will experience some form of domestic violence in her lifetime, and 20 to 35 percent of emergency room visits are made by women as result of domestic violence. With unfortunate statistics like these, it's not hard to see why citing the injuries sustained through abuse as a "pre-existing condition" is a practice insurers are motivated to take part in to protect their bottom line--profits. Read more...
Stop the Ken Lewis Bailout
Oct 07, 2009 - Despite helping to drive us into one of the worst financial meltdowns in history, it's been revealed that Bank of America plans to send Ken Lewis out the door with a $53.3 million pension on top of the hundreds of millions he's already made during his failed tenure as CEO. The Obama administration has appointed a 'pay czar,' Kenneth Feinberg, to make sure our tax dollars aren't being used to pay outrageous earnings to bank CEOs. Will you tell the pay czar to stop payment on the Ken Lewis bailout? Read more...
CA Local stages a "die-in" outside WellPoint's office
Oct 07, 2009 - For thousands of Americans, health care reform is literally a life and death decision. To help highlight that point, 30 members of Local 1877 joined 40 other protestors outside the Sacramento headquarters of Anthem Blue Cross, which is owned by WellPoint, for a "die in." As protestors lay down on the ground, their actions were meant to symbolize the 45,000 Americans dying each year for lack of affordable insurance. Read more...
Two SEIU nurses featured in Senate Democrats ad
Oct 07, 2009 - Two SEIU members were featured in an ad put out by the Senate Democratic Communications Center showing the overwhelming support for health care reform in the medical community. SEIU nurses Debbie Wilkes, a member of local 1199 from Maryland, and Linda Bock, a member of United Healthcare Workers East also from Maryland, shared stories about their own experience working in our broken health care system. Read more...
SEIU Doctors out in full force on Capitol Hill to support health care reform
Oct 07, 2009 - CIR/SEIU president Dr. Toni Lewis joined 149 other doctors for an event in the Rose Garden with President Barack Obama on Monday, October 5. The President re-iterated that doctors are some of our strongest supporters of reform, because they see first-hand the damage caused by our broken system. Concurrently, 20 CIR/SEIU doctors from MA, NY, FL and CA descended on Capitol Hill to thank their members of Congress for supporting comprehensive reform. Read more...
Nearly 600 MA Norwood Hosital workers vote to join 1199SEIU
Oct 06, 2009 - On the heels of several historic election victories at hospitals throughout the Greater Boston area, workers at Norwood Hospital in Norwood, Massachusetts announced this evening that they have voted overwhelmingly (74% YES) to join 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. Read more...
You can choose only one: your health or your job
Oct 06, 2009 - We already knew that nearly 50 percent of workers who get sick are forced to choose between their health and their paycheck. For millions of workers, losing a day's wages if they stay home sick is not even the worst-case scenario--many workers are actually forced to choose between their health and their job. Read more...
Watch CNN's panel debate on H1N1 flu vaccines & health care workers
Oct 06, 2009 - Be sure to watch the Lou Dobbs Tonight show on CNN as SEIU's own Jemma-Marie Hanson, RN, a member of the Public Employees Federation of New York (an SEIU affiliate) will discuss flu vaccines and why voluntary programs work. Read more...
Appreciation for the workers who help your children make healthy food choices
Oct 06, 2009 - Two new "trends" are helping to make over school lunches in many schools across the nation--nutritional awareness and the local foods movement. As a kid, you don't make meal choices yourself and unfortunately, not all adults care to prepare healthy snacks and lunches for their children, or have the means necessary to do so. Thankfully, there are men and women out there who are encouraging your children to make healthy foods choices at lunch time: food service workers. Read more...
Speaker Pelosi speaks out against "domestic violence as a pre-existing condition"
Oct 06, 2009 - Earlier today, Speaker Pelosi spoke forcefully against the fact that in some states, insurance companies can actually deny coverage to victims of domestic violence on the grounds that they have a pre-existing condition. Will you join Speaker Pelosi in calling for an end of all "pre-existing conditions," including domestic violence, once and for all? Read more...
Potential home care cuts could be a humanitarian disaster
Oct 06, 2009 - SEIU members, disability, senior-citizen rights groups filed a lawsuit in San Francisco federal court Friday to stop 130,000 people from either being dropped or cut from California's In-Home Supportive Services program as of Nov. 1. Nearly one hundred thousand people would be part of the group only having 'some' of their services cut--which sounds almost positive compared to those that will lose all of their in-home care, right? Except when you consider the actual breakdown of these services to be lost... Read more...
Women's health care in the news
Oct 06, 2009 - If Republicans and right-wing talking heads had their way, the only "women's issue" up for discussion in relation to health care reform would be how to best circumvent a woman's right to choose. While that has gotten a great deal of attention, more and more news outlets are picking up on the myriad of other problems associated with women's health care today. Read more...
Apple wants to fall far from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's tree
Oct 05, 2009 - Mac users out there are feeling very "green" right now, if word has reached them that Apple has become the newest company to join the hasty exodus from corporate front group U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The computer software company announced their exit from the corporate front group today over their differing climate change policies, joining Nike and an ever-growling list of companies who don't share out-of-touch viewpoints on lobbying on behalf of the interests of Wall Street instead of working people. Read more...
SEIU Local 1000 family among victims of Typhoon in Philippines
Oct 05, 2009 - On Saturday, September 26, Typhoon Ondoy struck the Philippines with the heaviest rainfall recorded, followed by the worst flooding in 40 years. "This has had a significant impact on the families of some of our members, including Ramon Alcantara, whose family has lost many of their possessions, and almost lost Ramon's son," says SEIU Local 1000 president Yvonne Walker in a message on the Local's website. Read more...
UPDATE: SEIU Healthcare Minnesota President arrested at peaceful protest
Oct 05, 2009 - Over 100 SEIU members and HCAN supporters engaged in an act of peaceful civil disobedience this morning outside the headquarters of UnitedHealthcare Group. SEIU Healthcare Minnesota president, Julie Schnell, and several other SEIU members were among the six protestors arrested for engaging in a sit-in in front of the UHG office in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Read more...
Taking Congressmen back to school
Oct 05, 2009 - Last week, we covered the many ways in which women are discriminated against in our current health care system. From not covering maternity care to calling domestic violence a pre-existing condition, insurance companies seem to have written the book on how to turn a buck at the expense of millions of women in America. Read more...
1199SEIU campaign results in elimination of "late-night" ER fees at five MA hospitals
Oct 05, 2009 - Until last week, patients being treated by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's physician group, Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians (HMFP), were charged extra fees, simply for going to the emergency room after 10 p.m. But thanks to a public advocacy campaign launched by 1199SEIU, the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and several other Massachusetts hospitals have ended the practice of charging "late-night" emergency room fees for care required after 10 p.m. Read more...
Snapshot of recent worker actions protesting Puerto Rican Governor's mass layoffs
Oct 03, 2009 - he temperature is rising fast in the labor climate in Puerto Rico as a result of the 16,970 public employees laid off by Governor Fortuño on one stroke last Friday. Several scenarios accounted for the increased tension yesterday between government and workers, both organized and unorganized, and leaders from SEIU-affiliated locals SPT (Local 1996) and UGT continued their peaceful protests across Puerto Rico. to demand a roll back of the layoffs. Read more...
Bet Gov. Fortuño isn't eating scrambled eggs for breakfast this week
Oct 02, 2009 - According to reports, Governor Fortuño's personal security detail has been significantly beefed up since an incident on Tuesday when a protester threw an egg at him. The governor was holding a press conference in Fajardo to tout his new project for the improvement of the boats that carry passengers to the islands of Vieques and Culebrain. As the governor announced that the boats would be repaired in Fajardo, praising it as initiative to create jobs, one of the workers affected by the Gov.'s mass layoffs hurled an egg at the Governor's head, shouting "Hypocrite, how dare you talk about jobs when you're getting rid of them!" Read more...
VIDEO: Female Senators talk women's health care
Oct 02, 2009 - On Tuesday, four female Senators held a press conference to discuss the many issues women face in our broken health care system. Watch for yourself as these four passionate women discuss why women need reform so badly: Read more...
GOP Obstructionism vs. Saving Lives
Oct 02, 2009 - This week, Rep. Alan Grayson stepped onto the U.S. House floor and distilled the Republican strategy on health care reform into three simple parts:
1. Don't get sick
2. If you do get sick...
3. Die quickly.
What the Republican Party continues to ignore is that their refusal to work toward reform amounts in people getting sicker, and people dying. Period. Read more...
Tell Congress: Get It Right on Child Nutrition!
Oct 02, 2009 - On September 30th, the Child Nutrition Act expired. The Congressional Committee on Education and Labor, which oversees the Act, had the opportunity to improve the lives of our children and those that feed them. But rather than pass a bill that would create a program that works far better, they simply decided to simply take a pass for the next few months. Read more...
If we do nothing, states pay the price
Oct 02, 2009 - Over the past few months, we've been reminding folks that the "the cost of doing nothing is too high." How high, exactly? Glad you asked. Read more...
Bankrupt mother of two seeks room in insurance CEO mansion
Oct 02, 2009 - CIGNA CEO Ed Hanway owns a beach home valued at $13.6 million. Stacie Ritter, mother of twin girls who were diagnosed with cancer, does not. Ed Hanway made $120.5 million between 2003 and 2008. During the same period, Stacie Ritter was driven into bankruptcy by the cost of her daughters' medical bills, all while being covered by CIGNA. Ed also has $28,881,000 in unexercised stock options. That's enough to pay for 65,638 shots of the human growth hormone that Stacie's twins need to grow properly. Read more...
Victory: Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis to Resign after SEIU Campaign
Oct 01, 2009 - Yesterday, Americans were given one more reason to look forward to ringing in the New Year: Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis announced he will be be stepping down from the bank, effective Jan. 1, 2010. As a part of the Take Back the Economy coalition, SEIU and partners have been calling (loudly and persistently) for Lewis' ouster for several months. Read more...
Insurance CEOs: "We're moving in!"
Oct 01, 2009 - Let's bring the campaign against insurance company abuse to Craigslist - one of the most popular sites on the internet. The idea is simple: post a free ad on Craigslist looking for a room in a CEO mansion and help expose the rampant greed that's forcing families like Stacie's into medical bankruptcy. Read more...
Six Months from Census, Ya Es Hora Launches
Oct 01, 2009 - The 2000 Census, despite producing a net over-count of the total population, produced an undercount of Latinos of around 3 percent (or one million people,) which cost billions in lost federal funding. The ya es hora, ¡HAGASE CONTAR! campaign will enhance the Bureau's efforts to count Latinos through a sustained and aggressive community education initiative to mobilize hundreds of local organizations. Read more...
Labor Leaders Pronounce Puerto Rican Labor Secretary's Position "Vacant"
Oct 01, 2009 - The second civil act of disobedience in three days protesting the Fortuno administration's massive lay-offs ended a little over an hour ago, when Puerto Rican labor leaders pronounced the Labor Secretary's position "vacant" after Secretary Miguel Romero failed to show up at his office for a meeting. The leaders from the labor coalition All of Puerto Rico For Puerto Rico and union members from SEIU-affiliated locals SPT and UGT who carried out the action narrowly missed the police anti-riot unit that entered the building, positioning itself in the 20th floor to reach the 21st floor where the labor leaders had carried out their sit-in to demand to have their voices heard by Secretary Romero. Read more...
Polls show Republicans just don't get it (but we already knew that)
Oct 01, 2009 - Sometimes, doesn't it just seem like Republicans are out of touch with the American people? Yesterday, Sen. Orrin Hatch proposed an amendment focusing on ensuring that abortions are not paid for with taxpayer money. While it was voted down 13-10, the Senate Finance Committee spent precious time debating an amendment that was frankly irrelevant. Read more...
Can you call your Senator?
Oct 01, 2009 - This week, the Senate Finance Committee has been debating health care reform and today it will debate a series of mean spirited amendments that require the government to discriminate against lawful immigrants, causing many of them to lose access to affordable health care. Read more...
Humana executive slams door on concerns of West Palm Beach Medicare recipients
Sep 30, 2009 - On Tuesday, members of SEIU Healthcare Florida joined senior citizens from the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans to try to speak to a local Humana executive at the West Palm Beach office of the insurance company. As the area seniors rallied to deliver a letter addressed to the local Humana executive and Humana CEO, they were instead greeted by the scampering of little feet, as the fearful insurance company executive hightailed it to his office in the wake of their arrival--practically slamming his office door in their faces. Read more...
Puerto Rican Governor sicks SWAT team and police brutality on laid-off workers holding peaceful protest
Sep 30, 2009 - On Tuesday in San Juan, peaceful demonstrators outside of the official estate of Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuño were violently removed by SWAT team agents and arrested, despite assurances that they would leave peacefully and not resist arrest. Labor leaders and other demonstrators protesting the massive 16K+ firing of Puerto Rican state employees are shoved and billyclubbed by SWAT team ordered by Governor Fortuño. Read more...
Four Senators stand up for women's health care rights
Sep 30, 2009 - A few weeks ago, we wrote about research from the National Women's Law Center that uncovered the existence of domestic violence as a pre-existing condition in eight states and DC. We were horrified, as well many other bloggers and reporters. Apparently, so were at least four female Senators. Read more...
Turn off the Lights at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Sep 30, 2009 - The last one to leave the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, please turn off the lights. The exodus from the corporate front group is taking place because of its extreme views on issues like climate change, health care reform, financial regulations, and labor law reform. We must use this opportunity to further isolate the U.S. Chamber as an out-of-touch outfit that only serves the interest of a handful of greedy CEOs. Sign the petition to your senators: listen to working people, not the greedy CEOs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Read more...
Rachel Maddow Takes on the Extremists
Sep 30, 2009 - Last night, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow took on the radical right-wingers seeking to silence working families by attacking progressive community organizations. As part of that segment, she discussed with Peter Dreier, professor of politics at Occidental College in Los Angeles, why they're trying to target the SEIU next. Watch the segment here. Read more...
What yesterday's vote really means
Sep 30, 2009 - On Monday, the Senate Finance Committee voted down the public option amendments introduced by Senators Rockefeller and Schumer. Sen. Schumer's public option amendment picked up moderate Democratic votes by Sen. Carper (D-DE) and Sen. Nelson (D-FL)--both of whom received hundreds of phone calls from people across the country in support of a public option. Read more...
Watch Anna Burger's testimony at hearing on Consumer Financial Protection Agency
Sep 30, 2009 - SEIU International Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger is testifying before the House Financial Services Committee this morning at a hearing on the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. You can watch online starting now here http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/hr_092309.shtml. Anna should be speaking shortly before 11:00 a.m. Read more...
County Employees Rally for Better LA as Contract Clock Runs Out
Sep 30, 2009 - With contracts between LA County and its largest employee union set to expire at midnight on September 30, more than 2,000 LA County employees called on the Board of Supervisors to support an agreement that protects services in the economic downturn. Read more...
Puerto Rican Workers Chain Themselves to Gates of Governor's Mansion
Sep 29, 2009 - Puerto Rican union leaders instituted Camp of Dignity and Shame today in front of La Fortalez, the San Juan home of the Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño. ""This is Camp Dignity and we will not move from here," said Robert Pagán, president of SEIU Local 1996SPT , who is one of four union leaders who chained themselves to the gates of the Governor's home in an act of civil disobedience to stand up against the announcement from the government dismissing thousands of public sector employees. Read more...
Where Does Your Senator Stand?
Sep 29, 2009 - the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on an amendment to include a public option in their health care bill. Guess what - one of your Senators sits on the committee. We can't lose this debate. Will you call your Senator? Dial 1-866-311-3405 and urge your Senator to support a public option. Read more...
Pregnant? Don't look to your insurance company for help
Sep 29, 2009 - Last week, during debate in the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Jon Kyl publicly declared "I don't need maternity care" and thus insurers should not be required to cover it. While Sen. Debbie Stabenow quickly countered with "I think you mom probably did," the exchange does bring up an important issue about maternal care. Read more...
Pennsylvania health care workers show spirited support for health care reform
Sep 28, 2009 - Sometimes, all you really need to get your point across is a giant puppet or two. No, seriously: last week, members of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania staged a march and rally outside the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce. To better illustrate their point, they brought along two giant puppets and acted out a short skit illustrating the ongoing battle between Chamber of Commerce greed and health insurance reform. Read more...
Fun Video: Students Want Better Food
Sep 28, 2009 - When food comes to you wrapped in plastic, you just know it's going to be delicious, right? Students in San Francisco are begging to differ. Assisted by the SFUSD Student Nutrition and Physical Activity Committee, these students have produced a short film about the state of school lunches and what's being served to them as "food." Read more...
Women vs. insurance companies
Sep 28, 2009 - Earlier this month, we covered the fact that in eight states it is actually legal for insurance companies to deny coverage to victims of domestic violence because they have a "pre-existing condition." But, the outrage doesn't stop there: research has clearly shown that insurance companies are systematically discriminating against women. And this is just the tip of the iceberg... Read more...
What's the Big Deal with the 2010 U.S. Census?
Sep 28, 2009 - With less than a week to go before the launch of SEIU's ya es hora !HAGASE CONTAR! campaign for a full count of U.S. Latinos in the 2010 Census, we thought you might want to know why we think this is such a big deal. The U.S. Census, held every 10 years, is the single most powerful indicator of who we are as a nation. It not only dictates the story we tell about our demographic makeup-but it also determines the allocation of our federal purse string and the seats of our political power. Read more...
Update: Filling Sen. Ted Kennedy's seat, Banks, Protests for Corporate Reform, Employee Free Choice
Sep 28, 2009 - This past week, while much of D.C. has been focused on the healthcare mark-up (us included), we've also been tracking a few other stories that we wanted to bring to your attention. First--the encouraging news that Massachusetts will return to full representation and the Democrats in Congress to a cloture-proof majority. Also, don't miss two stories on SEIU's calls for financial reform and a questionable award choice from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Read more...
DREAM students hold over 120 "Back to School" events nationwide
Sep 26, 2009 - On Wednesday, thousands of immigrant students held over 120 events in 28 states to support legislation that would allow talented DREAM students who view this country as their own to attend college, serve their nation, and earn a path to U.S. citizenship. States with the most "Back to School" events included Illinois (7 actions statewide), Texas (11 actions), Florida (15 actions) and California (almost 30 actions). Read more...
Republicans defend seniors insurance company profits
Sep 25, 2009 - On Thursday, as the Republicans continued to wage war on reform by attempting to defend the status quo, they decided to turn their attention to Americans over 65. In an attempt to scare seniors (and pander to their buddies in the insurance industry), the Republicans rose to the "defense" of Medicare, claiming that 10 million senior citizens who have Medicare Advantage would see a loss in their extra benefits under the new bill. The other side's solution? The option of 'doing nothing'...which will lead to a projected bankruptcy of Medicare by 2019. Read more...
With Only Days Left, Tell Senators to Stop Deportation of Jorge-Alonso Chehade
Sep 24, 2009 - As of today, Alonso's only remaining hope to stay in the United States - the country where he spent his childhood, excelled in school, volunteered, and became a college graduate - is for one of the Senators from his home state of Washington to introduce a private bill immediately. Read more...
The U.S. Chamber's Puzzling Definition of "Corporate Citizenship"
Sep 24, 2009 - Each fall, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce awards member organizations with its "Corporate Citizenship Award" as a way of recognizing contributions to communities. Unfortunately for the U.S. Chamber, the award is blind to a multitude of misdeeds committed by honorees. Indeed, for two years running, the U.S. Chamber has selected companies rife with problems. Read more...
Insurance Industry 101: Deny coverage to keep profits high
Sep 24, 2009 - Congressman Stupak and insurance industry whistle-blower Wendell Potter co-hosted a telephone press conference today to further discuss insurance industry abuses. While various Congressional subcommittees have held hearings on the topic, it's clear that we are only beginning to scratch the tip of the iceberg. Read more...
Humana's History of Exploiting Seniors, and the Right Wing's New "Death Panel" Myth about Medicare
Sep 24, 2009 - In the last 24 hours, conservatives from Mitch McConnell to John Boehner have rushed to defend Humana, an insurance company with a pattern of exploiting their elderly customers. According to reports, Humana is using false information to scare older Americans... Read more...
Rep. Joe "You Lie!" Wilson: New Face of Corporate Opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act
Sep 24, 2009 - South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson is really embracing his newfound stardom as Heckler-in-Chief. So what's Wilson's latest outburst? Slamming the Employee Free Choice Act to a corporate group fighting the bill. Read more...
Missed the scrubs delivery rally? Watch what happened
Sep 24, 2009 - At yesterday's Scrubs delivery rally, health care workers described how they see our broken health care system fail patients every day. Their heart breaking stories, coupled with strong support statements from Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and Sen. Harry Reid, are just the latest in an endless series of reasons why we must pass real health care reform soon. Read more...
Senate Finance Committee: 14 amendments down, 550 to go
Sep 24, 2009 - At the rate the Senate Finance Committee is moving through amendments, they will be finished with the markup in about 40 days. During those 40 days, 353,840 more will lose their insurance and 3,384 more people will die because they lack coverage, all because of Republican committee members' stall tactics. Read more...
How Poverty Jobs Are Created
Sep 23, 2009 - In this month's American Prospect, David Moberg writes an exposé on how government contracts are creating poverty-wage jobs. Through the story of New Jersey school cafeteria worker Ada Iglesias, Moberg personalized the connection between the federal dollars and a struggling family. Read more...
The Latest from HAARM - Singing Health Care!
Sep 23, 2009 - HAARM, Healthy Americans Against Reforming Medicine, presents an alternate proposal for the health care crisis: a singing fish. This product is not actually going to be given away to those living within the United States. Or anywhere else. Read more...
Scrubs campaign returns to Washington
Sep 23, 2009 - Nurses, doctors and other health care workers spend their days providing life-saving medical care. But, as they a busy providing care at hospitals across the nation, the fight over health insurance reform rages on, often without them. Read more...
New SEIU Report: Wall Street's $18 Trillion Fleecing of the World Economy
Sep 23, 2009 - On the eve of the first G-20 summit since the global financial collapse, SEIU has a new report measuring the severe impact the economic crisis has had on working families. The report breaks down not just the cost of the bailouts, but also the (much, much bigger) associated costs that came along with them. Download the report here: The Trillion Dollar Bank Job: How Wall Street and the Big Banks Are Holding Up America's Economic Recovery. Read more...
Affordability rules discussion on first day of Senate Finanace markup
Sep 22, 2009 - Affordability was the word of the day during the Senate Finance Committee's first markup session yesterday. In order to prepare for today's voting, committee members made their opening statements and reviewed the Chairman's Mark presented by Sen. Baucus. Read more...
Doctors' groups unveil health care reform ad
Sep 22, 2009 - As the health care debate heats up, doctors are joining the fight on behalf of their patients. Monday, doctors' groups representing more than 500,000 physicians nationwide, including the SEIU Healthcare's Committee of Interns and Residents, Doctors Council and National Doctors Alliance, convened in Washington, DC to announce their new ad campaign. Read more...
Around the country, local members are sick of big insurance
Sep 22, 2009 - In August, we took our message of health care reform to our elected officials during town halls all across the country, and they listened. But, now that they are back in Washington, they are again under the influence of the insurance industry, which is fighting hard to defeat real reform. Read more...
Baucus Hearing Fact-Check: Sen. Cornyn Misses the Point
Sep 22, 2009 - We're watching closely the Senate Finance Committee mark-up its health care bill this week. Today, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in his opening statement declared that many Texans' plans don't fit within the benefit outline of the Baucus bill. Read more...
Upcoming Rally and Scrubs Delivery on Capitol Hill to Support Healthcare Reform
Sep 22, 2009 - On Wednesday, September 23, nurses, doctors, and SEIU healthcare workers will join Dennis Rivera, Dr. Toni Lewis and activists in a rally on Capitol Hill to deliver the hand-signed scrubs to members of Congress. Read more...
Finance Committee begins voting on amendments
Sep 22, 2009 - Last week, Sen. Max Baucus and the Senate Fiance Committee finally produced their long-awaited version of the health care reform bill. The introduction of this bill brings us closer then we've ever been to passing comprehensive health care reform. But, there is still a lot of work ahead. Read more...
Watch: Andy Stern on the Ed Show
Sep 21, 2009 - [Update: Watch Andy's appearance last night here] Tonight, on MSNBC's "The Ed Show" at 6:45 PM ET, watch SEIU President Andy Stern give the latest on healthcare reform and some of the outrageous political rhetoric from the other side. Read more...
Washington Post Editorial: "School Lunch Punch"
Sep 21, 2009 - The Washington Post has published an excellent editorial piece on the Child Nutrition Act. In it, the newspaper's editorial board preaches the "wisdom of spending more money to provide healthier meals." Read more...
Last Days to Stop the Deportation of Jorge-Alonso Chehade
Sep 21, 2009 - Jorge-Alonso Chehade came to the U.S. from Peru as a child and is now facing deportation on Friday, Sept. 25. Alonso is the embodiment of the American Dream, but our broken immigration system has prevented him from continuing down his career path after graduation. Alonso has earned the chance to live and work here and call America home--and ICE needs to hear from us that he should be allowed to stay. Sign the petition here. Read more...
Immigration advocates working to silence FAIR, a known anti-immigrant hate group
Sep 20, 2009 - This week anti-immigrant extremists from FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform)--a known hate group--were silenced by vigils and pro-immigrant rallies demanding an end to the hate. To counter FAIR's "Hold Your Feet to the Fire" week of lobby activities in Washington, hundreds of activists held vigils at the Capitol to condemn the hateful rhetoric. In the beginning of the week, SEIU joined America's Voice, Center for New Community, and the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) to launch a Roll Call print ad denouncing FAIR for poisoning the immigration debate with bigoted, xenophobic hate speech. Read more...
Michelle Obama joins Echo Chamber on Domestic Violence as a "Pre-Existing Condition"
Sep 18, 2009 - Thanks to all of you who took action this week to raise the issue of domestic violence as a "pre-existing condition" in eight states and Washington, DC. You emailed and called, and people are taking notice--including Michelle Obama. The First Lady mentioned the issue of domestic violence as a "pre-existing condition" in her speech on women and health care today. Watch it here. Read more...
National Citizenship Day - Can you Pass the Test?
Sep 17, 2009 - In honor of National Citizenship Day and as part of the ya es hora !CIUDADANIA! (Citizenship: It's Time) campaign, SEIU Local 615 in Boston will join groups across the country this weekend to hold an all-day workshop to help eligible immigrants apply for U.S. citizenship. Read more...
Rep. Watson questions insurance execs on why domestic violence is a pre-existing condition
Sep 17, 2009 - You emailed and called, and it looks like one lawmaker took notice. Rep. Diane Watson was so horrified to learn about the possibility of coverage denial to domestic violence victims that she both noted it in her written statement and included it as a large part of her questions to the insurance executives who testified before the Domestic Policy Subcommittee. Read more...
Insurance companies go before Kucinich panel
Sep 17, 2009 - In a room filled almost to capacity with K street lobbyists and company lawyers, executives from the nations top six insurance providers testified before the Domestic Policy subcommittee during day two of the subcommittee's hearings. Read more...
Insurance Companies Consider C-section Birth "Pre-Existing Condition"
Sep 17, 2009 - Did you know that most insurance companies on the individual market consider pregnancy "optional"? The fetus is viewed as an uncovered "pre-existing condition," and therefore not something that's necessary for insurance companies to insure. Many insurers also consider a Cesarean section pregnancy a "pre-existing condition"--and refuse to provide health coverage for women who have had the procedure. Read more...
The Senate Finance Committee Bill, Where We Go From Here
Sep 17, 2009 - Next week, the Senate Finance Committee will take us one step closer to passing health care reform, when it begins mark-up of the America's Healthy Future Act. Like the Senate HELP bill and the House bill, the Senate Finance bill takes some positive steps toward ending the insurance industry's stranglehold on our health care system in the following ways Read more...
Live Tweeting from Domestic Policy Subcommittee hearings
Health Insurance Execs Testifying on Limiting Care
Sep 17, 2009 - Insurance industry executives from UnitedHealthOne, Wellpoint, Aetna, Humana and CIGNA Healthcare are on Capitol Hill this week to testify before Rep. Kucinich's subcommittee on domestic policy. We'll be live tweeting from the hearing--stay tuned! Read more...
Part of insurance industry's money-making plan: Denying coverage to victims of spousal abuse
Sep 17, 2009 - If you're shaking your head at disbelief at the discovery that insurance companies can--and do--deny coverage to victims of spousal abuse by citing the abuse as a "pre-existing condition," you're not alone. On Air America's "The Ron Reagan Show" last night, host Reagan and SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger discussed this outrageous practice "This is outrageous that women who are victims of domestic violence can't have health coverage," said Anna Burger on Air America's "The Ron Reagan Show" last night. Tell members of Congress to step up and get this done--because no one should be denied health care coverage, least of all women who have already endured so much. Read more...
Kucinich panel witness pleas: "Let me be a Daddy"
Sep 17, 2009 - Yesterday, we reported about the first day of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee hearings on how insurance companies are getting in between patients and their care providers. Two of the witnesses who testified shared their personal stories of delayed care and abuse in the hands of their insurance companies. Read more...
Kucinich committee witnesses present testimony on insurance company abuse
Sep 16, 2009 - "Patients are not mere anecdotes," said Dr. Linda Peeno, former review physician for Humana, during her testimony before Rep. Kucinich's Domestic Policy Subcommittee. But many insurance companies claim just that - that people who've managed to get their story before Congress and the media are exceptions, not the rule. Moving from the suffering of patients to the bloated profits of insurance companies, the panel clearly proved that vast reforms are needed now, before the situation gets any more out of control. Read more...
Panel witnesses speak out against denial of coverage for victims of domestic violence
Sep 16, 2009 - We just got back from day one of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee hearings on how insurance company bureaucracy is getting in the way of quality care for all Americans. The witnesses testifying presented their powerful stories: some heartbreaking, some infuriating. Check out these videos of committee witnesses Wendell Potter and Karen Pollitz talking about the insurance companies' practice of denying coverage to victims of domestic violence. Read more...
Wall Street Reform Must Not Be Stalled or Stopped
Sep 15, 2009 - "When Lehman Brothers fell, they took not just the rest of Wall Street, but all of Main Street, down with them. Yet, one year later, the greedy CEOs who caused the collapse are unremorseful, unrepentant, and virtually unchanged," said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger, following President Obama's speech yesterday on the anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers. While the economy continues to recover, President Obama warned, "normalcy cannot lead to complacency." Read more...
Rep. Kucinich has opportunity to question insurance
Sep 15, 2009 - As the health care debate unfurled over the past few months, we've seen the great lengths that insurance companies will go to in order to ensure that their profit margins remain high. In some cases, these companies have gone so far as to deny coverage to victims of domestic violence by classifying their experience as a "pre-existing condition." As more of these practices come to light, members of Congress are sitting up and taking notice. Read more...
Drumbeat for Health care steady on Twitter, Facebook
Sep 15, 2009 - Last week, we asked you to demonstrate your support online for the President's efforts to fix health care by changing your profile picture on Twitter and Facebook to an image of the "Uniquely American Solution" health care poster by artist Derek Gores. The response was amazing. Not only did we have a lot of people posting the Derek Gores piece as their avatar, many took one more step in making it their own by adapting the image. Read more...
SEIU Healthcare 775NW bring reform to CIGNA's front yard
Sep 15, 2009 - How do you make the insurance companies sit up and take notice? They've shown that they clearly have no qualms ignoring outcries over their practice of raising premiums to levels few can afford, or denying coverage for a wide variety of "pre-existing conditions." Read more...
Remember The Lunch Ladies?
Sep 15, 2009 - In a few weeks, the Child Nutrition Act is set to expire. Now is the time to get the word out. Today, we're releasing a new video that explains the Child Nutrition Act and why it's important - in a retro style that you might remember from your own days at school. Read more...
Anniversary Reminder: No Coercion in Majority Sign-up
Sep 15, 2009 - September 15th marks the second anniversary of New Hampshire's majority sign-up law, which allows public sector workers to form collective bargaining units by signing petitions rather than through an election process. Read more...
Crystal Lee Sutton, the real "Norma Rae," was a fighter to the end
Sep 14, 2009 - Our nation has lost a great hero and champion of working people. Crystal Lee Sutton was a courageous woman who stood up for herself and her coworkers under the most difficult circumstances. She was an inspiration to organizers in this union and beyond, particularly Southern women who went on to lead their own campaigns after learning from her example. It's well-known that Crystal's story was the inspiration for the academy award-winning 1979 film Norma Rae, but I wish more people knew the real story of Crystal Lee Sutton and her co-workers, and the strength and honor they showed as they fought to organize the textile giant JP Stevens. Read more...
Like Two Vitriolic Peas in a Pod: Glenn Beck and the US Chamber of Commerce
Sep 14, 2009 - Two of America's most favorite right-wing institutions will converge in East Lansing, Michigan at an event ironically titled the "Future Forum." FOX News' Glenn Beck and US Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue will both keynote an event hosted by the Michigan Chamber that is sure to tickle the free market fancies of those in attendance. Read more...
SEIU nurses stand strong with the President
Sep 14, 2009 - Following up on his address to Congress on Wednesday, President Obama spoke to a group of nurses gathered in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The participating SEIU nurses, who came to DC on very short notice from all over the country, said they felt honored to represent SEIU at an event focused on such an important issue and thrilled to be involved in such an intimate gathering with the President. Read more...
Republican Senators Vetoed Insurance Protection for Domestic Violence Victims
Sep 14, 2009 - In DC and eight other states, health insurance companies can deny coverage to victims of domestic violence because they have a "pre-existing condition." While that statement alone is gasp-worthy, the story gets even more appalling: this issue had a chance to be ended - once and for all - in the Senate HELP Committee in 2006. Ten Republican Senators voted against it, including Senators Alexander, Burr, Ensign, Enzi, Frist, Gregg, Hatch, Isakson, Roberts and Sessions. Read more...
Religious leaders come together for health care reform
Sep 14, 2009 - September 12th was an ugly day in the nations capital. Tea party protestors spent the day hurling insults at the President and anyone else working to support the President's "socialist agenda." Read more...
Thanking John Sweeney for his years of service to workers
Sep 14, 2009 - Today, SEIU President Andy Stern thanked outgoing AFL-CIO president John Sweeney for his 50+ years of service to working families, and congratulated his successor, Richard Trumka. Read more...
Budget cuts coincide with "Back to School"
Sep 14, 2009 - Public school staff employees in LA and many other districts across California and across the U.S. are dealing with searing budget cuts, furlough days, crowded classrooms and worst of all, layoffs. In an LA Sentinel op-ed, SEIU Local 99's Executive Director Bill Lloyd considers the predicament of Bell High School night custodian Theresa Aguilar, who is facing a situation all too familiar to the thousand custodial, cafeteria, playground, and other essential classified positions were cut over the summer. Read more...
Watch LIVE: President Obama's speech on the financial crisis
Sep 14, 2009 - A year after the collapse at Lehman Brothers and the worldwide financial collapse, the President will speak from Wall Street's Federal Hall in New York about the government's role in moving the economy forward after the financial crisis that peaked one year ago, focusing on how to protect consumer's money by preventing another financial collapse. He is expected to speak on stricter regulations of the financial and banking industry. The livestream from the speech at Federal Hall begins at 12:10 p.m. ET and 9:10 a.m. PT. Read more...
Senator Harkin on Employee Free Choice: "It's personal to me"
Sep 14, 2009 - More than 300 activists from 15 states converged on Capitol Hill on September 10, 2009 to tell their elected leaders that workers need and deserve meaningful labor law reform. Senator Tom Harkin kicked off the lobby day at a morning press conference with a moving speech to the state delegations. Read more...
Watch: Andy Stern on "Fox News Sunday"
Sep 11, 2009 - Andy Stern was featured on Fox News Sunday, where host Chris Wallace named him a Fox Power Player for SEIU's leading role in health insurance reform. Chris Wallace interviewed Stern at SEIU International Headquarters. Check out pictures and videos from Wallace's visit to SEIU. Read more...
Citizenship push gears up as National Citizenship Day approaches
Sep 11, 2009 - With less than a week before National Citizenship Day on September 17--ya es hora ¡Ciudadania! (Citizenship: It's Time!), national community partners and the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) announced that more than 25 citizenship events are being held across the country this month to help thousands of eligible immigrants apply for U.S. citizenship. Read more...
14 Year-Old Activist Gives up Birthday to Fight for Reform
Sep 11, 2009 - Here in New Hampshire, even our youngest activists are fighting for reform. Meet 14 year-old Doug Marino. Last Friday, at his request, Doug's father drove him 45 minutes from their house to Concord to phone bank for reform. Although he was only supposed to stay two hours, Doug asked to stay for the entire six hour phone bank. Read more...
SEIU Local 721 Launches AccountableCalifornia.org
Sep 11, 2009 - SEIU Local 721 in southern California has launched a new website dedicated to exposing waste in government spending and improving the delivery of public services. The site is a part of the local's new Center for Public Accountability project, which also promotes protections for whistleblowers. Read more...
Domestic violence is a "pre-existing condition"?
Sep 11, 2009 - Insurance companies have used the excuse of "pre-existing conditions" to deny coverage to countless Americans. From cancer patients to the elderly suffering from arthritis, these organizations have padded their profit margins by limiting coverage to patients deemed "high risk" because of their medical condition. Words cannot describe the sheer inhumanity of this claim. Call on Congress to take action now. Read more...
SEIU Remembers September 11 Victims
Sep 11, 2009 - On Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, 61 SEIU members were killed. Eight years after this tragedy, we remember their lives as seen through the eyes of their friends, relatives, and co-workers. Read more...
Stop the lies: Set the record straight on immigrant access to healthcare
Sep 10, 2009 - Last night, during President Obama's speech, one Republican Congressman tried to turn a Joint Session of Congress into an August town hall meeting by calling the President a liar [Rep. Joe Wilson: "You Lie!"] Just like immigration reform, some Republicans will stop at nothing to poison the debate on health care. Read more...
Labor Day 2009, SEIU Local style
Sep 10, 2009 - Here's a compilation of a few of the many events and rallies SEIU members attended in Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan, Montana and California this Labor Day to show their support for health reform and honor American workers. Read more...
Senate study blasts furloughs 'penny saved, a dollar lost'
Sep 10, 2009 - A new study by the California state Senate says that furloughs are "costing the state money and further hurting the economy" and Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg called for immediate passage of the SEIU Local 1000 contract contract bill, AB 88. Read more...
Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid?
Sep 10, 2009 - Each and every day, security officers go to work and put themselves on the frontline protecting the safety of others and the nation's key resources, and serve as first responders when needed. Yet despite their hard work to ensure the health and safety of others, they and their families might not be insured. Read more...
Andy Stern on the Ed Show: 'Let em' take a vote.'
Sep 10, 2009 - SEIU President Andy Stern appeared on MSNBC's The Ed Show last night to discuss health insurance reform and the politics in play in Washington. In the interview, Andy said, "In the end, it's time to take a vote. Leadership is just about making choices....The President says he wants a public option. The House is going to vote for a public option. Where are these Senators? Let em' take a vote." Read more...
Obama: This moment calls us to do great things
Sep 09, 2009 - With the President's speech just now, and the movement in Congress over the past 48 hours, it's clear we now have all the pieces in place to move on real health insurance reform. Let's go. We've talked about this for years, we've been debating it for months - now let's get it done. Read more...
Tomorrow: Employee Free Choice Lobby Day
Sep 09, 2009 - On Thursday, September 10th, a coalition of around 300 progressives from 15 states--including small business owners, faith leaders, farmers, students and veterans--will be in Washington, DC to lobby for major labor law reform. Read more...
New Energy vs. Old Energy: Some members of Congress may not be smarter than cavemen
Sep 09, 2009 - A new coalition unveiled yesterday called "Clean Energy Works" is calling out members of Congress who voted "no" on the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Clean Energy Works brings together environmental and religious organizations, business groups, grassroots activists, SEIU and other labor unions--63 groups in all--to push for legislative action on global warming this year and combat the attacks against climate action. Read more...
Tonight at 8 PM ET: Watch President Obama's Historic Healthcare Address to Congress
Sep 09, 2009 - The President will address to a joint session of Congress tonight at 8:00 p.m. (EST) and detail his proposal for a healthcare system overhaul. You don't want to miss this pivotal moment for healthcare, so be sure to tune in. Read more...
US Chamber of Commerce at the Root of Financial Crisis
Sep 09, 2009 - As Americans continue to face furloughs, layoffs, and dwindling savings, as millions find themselves unable to afford the homes that banks enticed them to buy with tricky mortgages, and as states and cities cut services as a result of declining tax revenue, CEOs and the US Chamber of Commerce remain unrepentant, unremorseful, and if they get their way, unregulated. Read more...
Massachusetts health workers urge legislative action to allow interim Senate appointment
Sep 09, 2009 - Amidst national dialogue on healthcare reform, healthcare workers from 1199SEIU sent a letter today to all Massachusetts legislators to honor the request of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy to allow an interim appointment by the Governor to fill his seat in the U.S. Senate. The letter stresses that MA "must have two voices and two votes" in upcoming Congressional debates and is signed by 1199SEIU Executive VP Mike Fadel and Political Director Tim Foley on behalf of the 34,000 Massachusetts members of 1199SEIU. Read more...
Andy Stern participating in bipartisan healthcare forum w/ Senators Dole and Daschle; Walmart VP Leslie Datch
Sep 09, 2009 - Hours before President Obama gives a special address on healthcare to Congress, SEIU President Andy Stern will join Senators Bob Dole and Tom Daschle and Wal-Mart VP Leslie Datch in a bipartisan health care forum hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) and Better Health Care Together. Read more...
Academy Award Actors are against Canadian death panels & socialist medicine too
Sep 09, 2009 - Since the current health care system in this country is a joke, Funnyordie.com decided to have a little fun poking at the Republicans. In this witty video sent to us by the humor website, Academy Award nominee Thomas Haden Church stars as Gus Porter, a rugged, American mountain man who treks into Canada while hunting bear. Unfortunately for Gus, the bear strikes first. Alone and mauled in a foreign land, Gus must confront his beliefs about health care when rescued by those 'socialist' Canadians. Read more...
Andy Stern: Labor Can Play a Role in "Making Government Cool Again"
Sep 08, 2009 - In honor of Labor Day, a new website from the Ash Institute at Harvard's Kennedy School that highlights the best innovations from across the public sector published a column by SEIU President Andy Stern. In his piece, Stern shares his view on how those working in the public-sector can make a positive difference in promoting transparency and cost effectiveness. Read more...
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Reinvigorates Ad Campaign to Stomp out Consumer Protections
Sep 08, 2009 - As Congress returns from recess and gets back to work to pass legislation to bring access to quality, affordable healthcare to everyone, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is wasting no time working hard to hang onto the same reckless business practices that got us in this hot financial mess in the first place. The Chamber is launching a new $2 million ad campaign attacking the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Read more...
Forward this Message
Sep 08, 2009 - This week we're stepping up the fight for the Employee Free Choice Act. Hundreds of people will meet with their Members of Congress, and we'll make thousands of calls to their offices to show the broad public support for the Employee Free Choice Act. But we need to bring in more people to help support out efforts. Read more...
Recent union contract victories benefit more than 12,500 workers
Sep 08, 2009 - Over the last week and a half, SEIU Locals in California, New York and Oregon have reached new or tentative contract agreements that will benefit nearly 13,000 workers. Locals and their bargaining teams worked hard to reach agreements that serve as victories for members by lessening the impact of budget cuts on their jobs and pocketbooks or increasing wages. Read more...
School Food Service Workers = Superheroes?
Sep 08, 2009 - In both the worlds of fiction and reality, "lunch ladies" (or as they're professionally known as, school food service workers) are taking a stand to create a better tomorrow. Read more...
Progress towards protecting American workers
Sep 08, 2009 - Labor Day is a time to reflect on the achievements of the American worker and our nation's commitment to helping all families pursue the American Dream--especially now that many are facing difficult times, as the result of the recession and the anti-worker agenda carried out by the previous administration. In a short period of time, President Obama and the 111th Congress have been working hard to undo many of the policies that have harmed our nation's workers; showing time and time again that they stand on the side of working families. Read more...
Share your Labor Day photos and video
Sep 08, 2009 - One hundred and twenty-seven years after the first Labor Day parade, we still take a day to honor America's workers. Did you attend a Labor Day celebration, march or rally with SEIU members or any of our coalition partners? We want to know! Use this form to upload your photos, audio and video capturing your Labor Day experience. Read more...
Change Your Pic for Health Care
Sep 08, 2009 - Late last week, a simple message began spreading like wildfire on social networks like Facebook and Twitter. It read: "No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick." As a more lasting way to demonstrate your support of health insurance reform online, download our healthcare avatar and change your profile picture in support of health insurance reform. Read more...
President Obama's Labor Day Message
Sep 07, 2009 - As working Americans take the day off from work, attend healthcare send-off rallies or parades, and spend time with family and friends this Labor Day weekend, many of us will be thinking about the state of working America. In his prepared 2009 Labor Day message, President Obama explains his proposal to help ensure a lifetime of hard work leads to a comfortable retirement. Read more...
This Labor Day, Pledge to Bring Affordable Healthcare to Working Families
Sep 04, 2009 - This Labor Day, nothing is more critical to working families than seeing real progress on healthcare reform. Click here for a listing of events being held on Labor Day, Monday, September 7th. No one knows better than working families and healthcare providers the mounting cost of inaction--and the stakes just keep getting higher. Read more...
The week in review: Local's actions on health care
Sep 04, 2009 - With Labor Day just around the corner and only six days left of Congressional recess, locals across the country are gearing up for a busy weekend. But, amidst the upcoming Labor Day celebrations, SEIU members are still working hard for health care reform. Check out recent actions in Ohio, Maine, Rhode Island, Florida and California. Read more...
Surgical masks not enough to protect healthcare workers against H1N1 influenza virus
Sep 04, 2009 - SEIU has backed the first and only comprehensive, scientific review that offers guidelines to protect healthcare workers caring for patients with a suspected or confirmed case of the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus (Swine Flu). The union is calling on state and local Health Departments to adopt preventive measures to protect healthcare workers from H1N1. Read more...
SEIU 1021 to Senator Feinstein: Have a Heart for Health Care Reform
Sep 04, 2009 - Over 200 members of SEIU Local 1021 paid California Senator Dianne Feinstein a personal house call on Monday. While their message was strong--demanding that the Senator stand up and support real health care reform--they also came carrying hearts and roses to show their support for the Senator. Read more...
Honoring the Worker: What are you doing this Labor Day?
Sep 04, 2009 - On Labor Day, it's important not to forget the sacrifices of our brothers and sisters whose brave acts earned us the working rights we now possess. As Congressional recess comes to close, let's remind members of Congress just how many working families are still struggling to make ends meet under the strain of skyrocketing health care costs. Join events being held by SEIU and HCAN across the country on Monday, September 7th. Read more...
Happy Labor Day! Employee Free Choice Recess Round-up
Sep 03, 2009 - With Labor Day right around the corner, we wanted to catch you up on what SEIU and our allies have been up to over the last few weeks. From opposition groups confusing their Congressmen to new studies and reports from the states, keep reading for a full recess round-up on Employee Free Choice Read more...
Video: Healthcare workers send their message to Congress
Sep 03, 2009 - Doctors, nurses and other health care workers provide comfort and care to some of the sickest Americans, rarely able to leave their posts for any period of time because lives are at stake. As a result, their voices have been largely absent from the debate around health care reform. But, through the Scrubs campaign "Every Patient Matters," healthcare workers around the country have been able to send their message to Congress. Read more...
Vote Now: Greatest Hits of the August Recess
Sep 03, 2009 - Last month, members of Congress returned to their home districts to discuss health care reform with their constituents. Unfortunately, many of them were met by individuals intent of finding out why they supported socialized medicine, wanted to "pull the plug on grandma," and believed that we should ration care. Several members of Congress rose to the occasion, debunked the lies and ran their town hall meetings in a calm and collected manner. Check out some of our greatest healthcare town hall hits and then vote for your favorite. Read more...
US Chamber's Death-By-Waiting Strategy on Health Care
Sep 02, 2009 - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has a clear strategy in the fight for heath care reform: delay, delay, delay. In a new ad released this week, the U.S. Chamber showed its true colors with the improbable claim that health insurance reform is moving "too fast." Read more...
"Scrubbing in" around the country
Sep 02, 2009 - During a town hall meeting on Monday, Senator Harry Reid showed his support for health care for all Americans by donning a scrub top from the Scrubs project. SEIU District 1199 also got in on the Scrubs action when the OFA bus tour rolled into Columbus, OH, as did medical students a Brown University in Providence, RI, who also joined the Scrubs campaign by writing their stories on scrub tops as well. Read more...
New report shows executive compensation at bailed-out banks is 40% higher than peers
Sep 02, 2009 - A new study out today from the Institute of Policy Studies shows the extent to which Wall Street's continued practice of paying out big figure bonuses to the architects of our economic collapse continues. The study found that the CEOs of the 20 financial firms that have received the largest bailouts were paid nearly 40 percent more last year than other CEOs--and the average CEO pay was 430 times larger than for the pay received by the average workers. Read more...
New Report: Young Workers Fall Behind, Blame Wall Street for Economy
Sep 02, 2009 - A new report from the AFL-CIO shows some stunning statistics about young workers. Read more...
San Francisco Home Care Workers Describe Lies, Coercion, and Fraud in Union Signature Drive
Sep 02, 2009 - San Francisco home care workers called for a hand-examination of each signed card submitted by Sal Rosselli and other ousted union officials seeking to decertify SEIU-UHW, saying they had been subjected to lies, coercion, and fraud. Read more...
Judge tentatively rules that state fund furloughs for 6,000 California workers are illegal
Sep 02, 2009 - Yesterday, a Superior Court judge issued a tentative ruling that State Compensation Insurance Fund employees are exempt from Governor Schwarzenegger's furloughs. The lawsuit affects over 6,000 clerical and professional SEIU Local 1000 workers who work for the fund, which provides worker's compensation insurance to employers. Read more...
The moral imperative of health care reform
Sep 01, 2009 - Last Saturday, I attended a large health care reform rally in Fargo, North Dakota. The rally was attended by over 800 people, and featured a rousing speech by former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp and music by the popular regional band Low. Read more...
Miami Beach Security Officer Loses His Job for Speaking Out About Forming a Union
Sep 01, 2009 - Security guards employed by Security Alliance in the Miami Beach area have been experiencing intimidation, scare tactics and harassment at the hands of their employer for exercising their rights to organize. And when one officer went on the record to express frustration over he and his coworkers' unsuccessful efforts to form a union in their workplace, his reward for having the courage to speak up was...losing his job. Read more...
Obama and DOL look out for workers' health and safety
Sep 01, 2009 - Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Labor formally made good on a promise to kill a proposal introduced by President Bush in his final days of administration that would have made it more difficult for the government to write new worker protection rules. OMB Watchreports that the controversial proposal was, essentially, "an attempt to regulate regulations" by creating an "additional mandatory step to an already complicated rulemaking process." Read more...
Labor Day 2009 Challenge: Wal-Mart Must Reflect America's Values
Sep 01, 2009 - With 1.4 million Americans working in its stores, Wal-Mart bears a unique responsibility to its workers and our communities--which is why as Labor Day approaches, SEIU is part of a coalition of labor, environmental, consumer protection, and community groups led by UFCW that are challenging Wal-Mart to start practicing common-sense core American values like workers' rights, corporate responsibility, equal opportunity, quality jobs and environmental stewardship. Read more...
Health Insurance Reform Bus rolls through Des Moines
Aug 31, 2009 - As the Organizing for America Health Insurance Reform Bus Tour rolled through Des Moines, they were greeted by a welcome sight: hundreds of Iowans with "Thank You" signs waiting to greet those driving the bus for health insurance reform. With around 500 people in attendance, including members of SEIU Local 199, our activists proved their dedication by showing up to support the cause. Read more...
Ad Campaign Explains "Eight Ways Reform Matters to You"
Aug 31, 2009 - The ad, "Eight Ways Reform Matters to You" is the second in a series supported by the American Medical Association (AMA), FamiliesUSA, the Federation of American Hospitals, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and the SEIU. Read more...
In Case you Missed it: August 31st Round-up
Aug 31, 2009 - In case you missed it....news from around the union on remembering Ted Kennedy, MassVOTE's new petition to change state law, demanding action on immigration reform, the FDIC's new rules to try to protect taxpayers from another economic calamity, setting the record straight on Glenn Beck's lies about Van Jones and buying union made. Read more...
Local 1199SEIU and 615 Members Remember Senator Kennedy
Aug 31, 2009 - Throughout his storied career, Sen. Kennedy stood with members of SEIU to fight for dignity and respect for working people everywhere. The Senator could always be counted on to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with 1199SEIU members in Massachusetts. As a testament to this, stories continue to pour in on the work the Senator championed alongside our members. Read more...
Google Map: Snapshot of Healthcare Events Across the Country
Aug 31, 2009 - Check out our Google Map snapshot of healthcare campaign events held all across the U.S. these past couple of months. Read more...
Video: Nurses Reflect on Senator Kennedy's Legacy
Aug 28, 2009 - On Wednesday, as the nation mourned the passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy, nurses from Local 1199 at Prince George's Hospital Center in Maryland took a moment out of their day to reflect on the Senator's legacy. The PGHC nurses expressed both their sadness over the Senator's death, but also the need to carry on his dream and renew our efforts in fighting for what Kennedy called the "cause of my life": healthcare reform. Read more...
Senator Grassley on Healthcare: A Study in Contradiction
Aug 28, 2009 - Iowa's senior senator Charles Grassley is rapidly becoming the Republican Party's chief obstructionist in the health care debate. The ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee is going on the offensive against President Obama and members of Congress who support comprehensive reform. In a conference call Tuesday, Senator Grassley told Iowa reporters, "I don't think it's going to be possible to work it out with the administration because they're all over the field - all over the ball park." Read more...
Bruce Raynor Debates Healthcare Public Option on CNN
Aug 28, 2009 - Last night, Workers United President Bruce Raynor appeared on CNN to debate the healthcare public option. "If we don't have a government option in the program, then we are not going to have an affordable program that will cover every man, woman, and child in this country," said Raynor. Read more...
LA Times: "Congress May Bolster School Lunch Nutrition"
Aug 28, 2009 - First Lady Michelle Obama's White House garden, says the LA Times, is giving nutrition advocates "increased hope that Congress would bolster the school lunch program" when "it takes up renewing the Child Nutrition Act." Read more...
SEIU Members in New Jersey Endorse Governor Corzine
Aug 28, 2009 - SEIU members in New Jersey today announced their strong support for Governor Jon Corzine as the clear choice for working families this fall. Members from SEIU New Jersey State Council, 1199SEIU, 32BJ, Local 518, Local 617 and the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) cited Governor Corzine's strong record of expanding healthcare for New Jersey families and his continued leadership to help families recover from the greatest crisis since the Great Depression as reasons for their support. Read more...
1199SEIU pays respect to Sen. Kennedy on his final motorcade trip through Boston
Aug 28, 2009 - Yesterday in Massachusetts, hundreds of tearful SEIU members in lined the streets of Boston clutching purple signs with a simple message: "Thank You Teddy." 1199SEIU joined other labor organizations and tens of thousands of grateful citizens who lined the route from Kennedy's home on Cape Cod to the JFK Presidential Library - saluting the Senator as he made one final trip through his beloved city of Boston. Read more...
Woman's Son Denied Coverage Because of Acne
Aug 27, 2009 - Yes, you read that right. Take a moment. Collect the pieces of your shattered brain. And let me repeat: This woman's son was denied health care coverage because her insurance company said his acne was a pre-existing condition. We need reform this year. It's time to wake up. Read more...
SEIU Locals & Change That Works in action on healthcare
Aug 27, 2009 - SEIU members around the country have spent the month of August meeting with their members of Congress and engaging in meaningful conversation about healthcare reform. Read about reform events held in Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Viriginia and Washington in just the last week. Read more...
RNC: If you can't convince them, confuse them
Aug 27, 2009 - This week, some registered Republican voters in Colorado received a survey from the RNC entitled "2009 Future of American Health Care." The authors of this survey, however, seem completely unconcerned with what Republican voters actually think about healthcare. Read more...
Across America: Rally for Health Insurance Reform
Aug 27, 2009 - The teabag protesters make a lot of noise - but they don't speak for the majority of Americans. And they certainly don't speak for the 47 million Americans who can't afford health care; or the millions more who are one paycheck away from losing it. Fixing health care is too important to let those Americans get lost in all this back-and-forth. Help us send congress back to Washington with a clear directive on health care reform. Join us at send-off rallies across the country. Read more...
Video of Senator Kennedy: "We are a Nation of Immigrants"
Aug 27, 2009 - For over 40 years, Senator Ted Kennedy was a tireless advocate and voice for immigrant rights. On April 10, 2006, Sen. Ted Kennedy joined 200,000 people on the National Mall in Washington, D.C for a rally supporting his plan for comprehensive immigration reform. Watch his speech to the crowd of 200,000 rally-goers here. Read more...
Rep. Moran Brings Dr. Dean to Dispel Health Reform Myths
Aug 27, 2009 - Earlier this week, Congressman Jim Moran hosted a town hall at South Lakes High School in Reston, VA with special guest, Dr. Howard Dean. The contentious town hall was a big target but Change that Works Virginia and pro-health care activists outnumbered the opposition by 2,000 persons! Volunteers and Change that Works team members filled the pro-health care question box that Rep. Moran had designated but unfortunately 85% of the questions were from the anti-reform box. Read more...
Signing Scrubs to Support Reform
Aug 26, 2009 - This weekend, Iowa saw a different kind of town hall forum. At the Macbride hall, on the University of Iowa campus, dozens of signed scrubs were displayed with messages of support for health insurance reform--and painful stories of hardship because of our current health care system. Signed by health care providers from the various University of Iowa hospitals and clinics, these messages are from people on the front lines: people who deal with sick patients and their families every day. Patients who, under our current system, do not get better, but worse. Read more...
Activist Speaks About Change that Works on Wake Up AMerica Radio Show
Aug 26, 2009 - Activist Judy Stadtman Tucker took to the radio waves this week to talk about her work with Change that Works, Health Care for America Now, and Organizing for America for the cause of health insurance reform for the radio show 'Wake Up AMerica.' Read more...
Boycotting Fox News' Glenn Beck
Aug 26, 2009 - Glenn Beck is doing his best to usher in a new era of fear mongering and histrionics every weeknight on his self-titled Fox News show--and it's up to us to push back. If you haven't already, join the call to hold Glenn Beck and Fox News accountable for Beck's race-baiting and hateful rhetoric. Read more...
Remembering Senator Kennedy
Aug 26, 2009 - Today we lost, to borrow the words of President Obama, "one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy." The weeks ahead will still require our hard work and determination to see through his vision for health insurance reform. Today, though, I hope you'll take a moment to reflect on Senator Kennedy's legacy and share your thoughts on his remarkable career. Read more...
Making Kennedy's Vision for America a Reality
Aug 26, 2009 - For five decades, Senator Kennedy stood with working families to fight for our shared vision of America where every family has access to affordable healthcare, every worker has a paycheck that supports a family, and every child is guaranteed a brighter future. Let's continue to make Kennedy's vision for America a reality by taking action this year to pass healthcare reform. Read more...
Video: Danny Glover supports workers as Bemis strike continues
Aug 25, 2009 - Workers United members of Local 1426 in Terre Haute, Indiana recently rejected a contract offer by their employer and voted to continue to strike. Earlier this month, actor and activist Danny Glover traveled to Terre Haute to show his support for the workers who make the flexible food packaging you see on your grocery store's shelves. Read more...
The Hidden Healthcare Tax
Aug 25, 2009 - Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office has put up an online ticker showing the amount paid by America's businesses and workers to subsidize the uncompensated healthcare costs of the uninsured--a hidden healthcare tax paid directly to the insurance companies. Read more...
Congresswoman Maxine Waters Speaks Truth To Power
Aug 25, 2009 - Deep in the heart of south Los Angeles, Rep. Maxine Waters hosted a health care town hall at Southwest College. The well-attended town hall was packed to the gills well before its scheduled start time of 1 PM and the primarily pro- health care reform crowd consisted of SEIU members, Organizing for America activists and other concerned citizens and organizers. A festive atmosphere met the town hall attendees as they gathered in the warm breeze and signed pledge forms to support health care reform. Two orderly lines were formed by Rep. Waters Congressional staffers and each person signed in before they entered the Southwest College Town Center. Read more...
SEIU Locals 615 & 1199 Partner to Sign Scrubs
Aug 25, 2009 - Since the launch of "Every Patient Matters" campaign with the Partnership for Quality Care last week, numerous SEIU Locals with members working in health care facilities have already held scrub signing actions at health care facilities their members work at. Yesterday at Whidden Hospital, SEIU Local 615 and Local 1199 teamed up to sign scrubs. Read more...
SEIU's Andy Stern Named in Top Ten Most Powerful People in Healthcare
Aug 24, 2009 - SEIU President Andy Stern has been named in the top ten of Modern Healthcare's ranking of the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare, released today. It's an honor to make Modern Healthcare's listing of the 'Top 100' most influential "movers and shakers in healthcare"--and this year marks the fifth year in a row Stern has been named in the annual rankings. Read more...
President Obama commits to public option during national healthcare forum
Aug 24, 2009 - "I continue to support a public option; I think it is important," said President Obama during last week's national healthcare forum, which was viewed online by thousands of SEIU members and millions of concerned Americans from across the country. He described the public option as setting a benchmark for private insurers, who would then respond by shaping their own plans to be competitive. Read more...
"Back To School" Puts Focus on Healthy School Meals
Aug 24, 2009 - With young students and their parents fully in "Back To School" mode, local papers have started to swirl around the topic of school lunches and the Child Nutrition Act, which is set to expire at the end of September. Read more...
Every Patient Matters: Will You Share Your Story?
Aug 24, 2009 - SEIU, as part of the Partnership for Quality Care, is sending surgical scrubs to nurses and health care workers across the country. Read more...
1199SEIU gears up for Labor Day Carnival Parade
Aug 24, 2009 - The 1199SEIU Social Cultural Committee has been hard at work for months to prepare for Working Its Way to the Parkway--the annual Labor Day Parade on Eastern Parkway that showcases Caribbean cultural heritage in NYC and brings millions of participants... Read more...
Workers United wins settlement for failure to pay overtime
Aug 24, 2009 - San Jose, Calif.-based Cintas settled a lawsuit over wage-and-labor hour laws in order to avoid paying workers for overtime. Read more...
Recap: Positive press for pro-reform activists at President Obama's visit to Montana
Aug 21, 2009 - Last week, thanks to the support of hundreds of activists, the cause of health care reform was advanced across Montana thanks to the passionate protests reform's advocates. Read more...
MSNBC: SEIU's Anna Burger speaks on reform & the public option
Aug 21, 2009 - Today on MSNBC, reporter Andrea Mitchell spoke with SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger about health care reform--and why successful reform to contain health costs needs to include a public option. Hear what Anna has to say about moving reform forward in this country, and why co-ops are not a viable substitute for a public health plan option. Read more...
Health insurance premiums have increased 119% over the last decade
Aug 21, 2009 - With health spending projected to double if we don't enact real reform, middle and lower income families are at high risk of losing their health coverage--or facing an impending future of stagnant incomes. A new report by Commonwealth Fund determined health care rates could jump 94% in the coming decade if cost growth continues on its current course. Read more...
Update on Herta: Thank You and Next Steps
Aug 21, 2009 - I'm Herta Llushlo, and thank you - for all of the calls made and all the letters written to DHS and ICE on my behalf, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I also want to give you an update on next steps. Read more...
Economy Causing More Kids to Enroll in School Meal Plans
Aug 21, 2009 - Record job losses and high unemployment will "push thousands more children into poverty," many for the first time. The change could amount to a record number of children in the United States that will rely on free and reduced-price meals at school. Read more...
140,000 people of faith attend healthcare call with President Obama
Aug 21, 2009 - With sponsorship by more than thirty religious denominations and organizations, an estimated 140,000 people of faith from across the country joined President Obama's healthcare call on Wednesday and committed to press Congress to finish work on health care reform when they return after Labor Day Recess. Read more...
Reminder: No coercion in majority sign-up
Aug 20, 2009 - EPI posted a recent study that shows literally no coercion in majority sign-up. You can read the survey here, but the graph says it all. So when the U.S. Chamber of Commerce tries its scare tactics, remember: it's corporations that coerce and intimidate workers who want to join unions. Anything else is just simply not true. Read more...
We Don't Need Fear, We Need Solutions
Aug 20, 2009 - Nebraskans: Let's stand up on August 25 and show that we're not afraid of change; that we're not afraid to guarantee a gentler world for our grandchildren, one that's free from the threat of devastating health costs. Read more...
Republican Admits We May Have 40 Million Uninsured
Aug 20, 2009 - Members of Change that Works Louisiana are on the stomp, throughout the state of Louisiana during this August recess, working to dispel the myths of health insurance reform and expressing their health care stories and concerns. President Obama set out to make the cause of health reform a truly bi-partisan issue. Unfortunately, despite the fact that Louisianans have tremendous health issues, the campaign for reform is split along party lines. In an effort to reach across the aisle and make sure that our Republican lawmakers also know our concerns about health care in Louisiana, the Change that Works team attended a health care townhall, hosted by Congressman Rodney Alexander. Read more...
Foundation Laid for Needed Immigration Reform
Aug 20, 2009 - Yesterday, joined by other labor, advocacy, faith and business leaders, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina met with Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to lay the groundwork on immigration reform. Read more...
Supporters of health care reform rally in Massachusetts & Arizona
Aug 19, 2009 - SEIU members marched on the Massachusetts Republican Party this week, calling on the GOP to stop its campaign to kill healthcare reform. In Arizona, SEIU along with the NEA, the Teamsters and the UFCW helped turn out thousands of supporters of healthcare reform to a welcome rally and march in advance of President Obama's speech to veterans yesterday in Phoenix. Read more...
Update on Herta - and some good news
Aug 19, 2009 - Today, after days of activism by Senator Carl Levin, Representative Carolyn Kilpatrick and thousands of grassroots activists, Herta was granted and extension on her deportation to Albania until November 9, 2009. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, Herta will still have to report back to ICE on November 9th--and that's not good enough. Read more...
Massachusetts Mental Health Workers Vote to Join SEIU Local 509
Aug 19, 2009 - Mental health care workers at the Brien Center in western Massachusetts voted overwhelmingly on August 18 to unite together in SEIU Local 509. The local will now represent 350 workers throughout Berkshire County who provide outpatient services to 9,000 people with mental health challenges, including substance abuse and sexual abuse. Read more...
TODAY: Join the Call with President Obama
Aug 19, 2009 - I'm getting on a call with President Obama on Thursday, August 20 and I want you to join me. The President is holding a live health care reform strategy meeting at 2:30 pm EST. He'll lay out our strategy and message going forward, and he'll answer questions from SEIU members and supporters like you. Read more...
Final Push for Herta
Aug 19, 2009 - At this point, The Department of Homeland Security and ICE, have still not made a decision on Herta's application for deferred action. Today Herta will present herself to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Detroit - where she will learn if she stays or if she will be deported. Secretary Janet Napolitano, Assistant Secretary for ICE John Morton, and ICE field officer Vincent Clausen need to hear from you - right now. Read more...
Ending Support for Glenn Beck's Hate Speech on the Airwaves
Aug 18, 2009 - Yesterday, Wal-Mart and 7 other advertisers confirmed they were pulling their support from Glenn Beck's show. But while Wal-Mart may have pulled its ad dollars from the Glenn Beck Program, the retail giant still advertises on his parent station. We need to keep the pressure on Wal-Mart to commit to keeping the airwaves free from offensive hate-mongering. Read more...
Robin Holland: My Brain Tumor Won't Wait for Reform
Aug 18, 2009 - Robin Holland's story is sadly, not unusual. Diagnosed with brain cancer after a car accident in 1993, Robin had no health insurance at the time. She waited for 5 weeks, wrapped in bandages, while her doctor decided whether he would operate on her for free, and while she waited to be approved for Medicaid. Read more...
Striking Bemis Workers Want Respect
Aug 18, 2009 - What if your employer told you that in order to keep your health coverage you and your spouse must submit to invasive health screenings from your insurer? If you refused you'd lose the health coverage you've always counted on. That's the situation we're dealing with--will you take a stand with us? Tell our employer, Bemis, that workers aren't lab rats. Read more...
Herta's Bags Are Packed
Aug 18, 2009 - Tomorrow, 19 year-old Herta Llushlo will be removed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from the only place she knows as home and deported to Albania - her bags are already packed. You can make sure that doesn't happen. Can you write Secretary Napolitano in support of Herta Llushlo? Help renew the promise of the American Dream for Herta, so that together we can work renew the promise of the American Dream for everyone. Read more...
In case you missed it....August 17th round-up
Aug 17, 2009 - In union news this week...Hear both sides of the story surrounding the St. Louis health care town hall; read about SEIU's Anna Burger's speech at the Netroots Nation convention; help stop a Detroit college freshman's deportation; counter "death panel" noise with real facts about healthcare and tell Wal-Mart to end their financial support of Glenn Beck's televised hate. Read more...
Howard Dean, SEIU on the doors in PA
Aug 17, 2009 - The fight for health care is hotter than ever. With myths and lies entering the public conversation, it's time to bring in the big guns. Enter Howard Dean. In Aliquippa, PA this Saturday, Howard Dean and SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger joined with SEIU Healthcare PA to kick off a canvass for healthcare reform. Read more...
Be the first to know...Sign-up for mobile alerts from SEIU
Aug 17, 2009 - When our members require support at the workplace, the state capitol, or in the streets, we need immediate coordination--and being a part of our mobile alert list is a critical piece of our rapid response infrastructure. Text 'SEIU' to 787753 (PURPLE) right now, or sign-up online for SEIU's new mobile alerts program: http://action.seiu.org/seiumobile Read more...
Judy Lanza, RN, Speaks out for Health Care Reform
Aug 17, 2009 - Judy Lanza, a labor and delivery nurse for 25 years, knows firsthand the damage that our current health care system has caused. Our system is so broken that even pregnant women are not guaranteed quality, affordable health care. Read more...
Grist Magazine: Let's (Re)do School Lunch
Aug 17, 2009 - Published today in Grist is a fantastic commentary by Kurt Michael Friese, a chef in Iowa City and a member of the board of directors for an organization called Slow Food USA. His article discusses how, in the last 50-75 years, we've moved from an "understanding of foods, of cooking, and of the pleasures of the kitchen" and replaced it with "the language of the drive-thru, the shopping mall, and the convenience store." Read more...
Does Bank of America's Ken Lewis Deserve a Bonus this Year?
Aug 17, 2009 - As Obama's pay czar Kenneth Feinberg is weighing how and whether to use his power of broad and "binding" authority over executive compensation, including the ability to "claw back" money already paid, we're hoping he takes into account the laundry list of reasons why Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis and other top banking executives don't deserve bonuses this year. We've laid out our "Top Ten" here. Read more...
Anna Burger addresses Netroots Nation
Aug 15, 2009 - SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger took the main stage at Netroots Nation to talk about what it's going to take to build a 21st century economy that works for all Americans. Joined by New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine and economist Dean Baker, the panel discussed the problems and opportunities we face as we find our place in a global, service-oriented economy. Read more...
Dr. L. Toni Lewis discusses town hall violence on MSNBC's "The Ed Show"
Aug 14, 2009 - Last week, Democratic Rep. Russ Carnahan's health care town hall in St. Louis, Missouri turned violent after conservative right-wing protesters clashed with pro-reform union workers. On MSNBC's "The Ed Show," Dr. L Toni Lewis, President of the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR), discusses SEIU's ongoing efforts to keep the focus of town halls on the need for health care reform. Read more...
Meet Herta - DREAM Act student facing deportation
Aug 13, 2009 - You saw what we were able to do for immigrant students Walter Lara and Taha Mowla. Now, Herta needs our help - please use the click-to-call tool now to call DHS and ask them to defer Herta's deportation. Read more...
Death Panels? Cut Through the Lies About Health Care Reform
Aug 13, 2009 - There's been a lot of info flying around about health care reform from a lot of different sources. It's gotten so ridiculous, some people are even claiming that the President wants to create 'death panels' that would decide whether sick or elderly Americans live or die. Here's the truth about death panels: they're completely made-up. Read more...
As big banks' bonuses continue to flourish, consumer protections reform hangs in the balance
Aug 13, 2009 - USA Today dishes out a scathing critique of Wall Street's continued practice of paying out big figure bonuses to the architects of our economic collapse. Read more...
New Coalition Campaign, Ads to Debunk Anti-Reform Myths
Aug 13, 2009 - To help debunk the misinformation being spread about what health care reform actually means for Americans, a new coalition called Americans for Stable Quality Care--which includes the SEIU, American Medical Association (AMA), PhRMA, the Federation of American Hospitals and FamiliesUSA--will launch their first ad today as part of an August recess campaign for health care reform. Read more...
Calling all Internet Aficionados: Netroots Nation Kicks off
Aug 13, 2009 - The Netroots Nation convention kicks off today in Pittsburgh, PA, drawing together thousands of the country's best and brightest online organizers, political bloggers and progressive activists. See what panels SEIU and Workers United staffers are leading over the course of the weekend. Tune in to the live stream here. Read more...
Little Rock Healthcare Townhall
Aug 13, 2009 - Congressmen Mike Ross and Vic Snyder hosted a health care townhall at the Arkansas Children's Hospital last week. Change that Works Arkansas was there along with many passionate community members. Representatives Ross and Snyder explained many of the health care reform misconceptions. Read more...
Caregivers to Congress: Every Patient Matters
Aug 12, 2009 - Nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers across the country have launched the Every Patient Matters campaign with the Partnership for Quality Care to ensure the voices of frontline caregivers and the stories of their patients are heard in the debate over healthcare reform. As part of the campaign, providers are partnering with their hospitals and healthcare facilities to sign surgical scrubs with stories and messages about why healthcare reform is needed. Read more...
A Lesson in Free Speech and the Law for Corporations
Aug 12, 2009 - This week we criticized a NAM adviser who defended corporate lawlessness on the pages of the Wall Street Journal. The adviser found virtually no fault with intimidating threats, and complained that corporations wouldn't be able to stop employees from joining unions without punishment. NAM responded to our criticism, raising the false specter of corporations "who express their opinions [being] punished for that expression." Read more...
Keeping town halls focused on healthcare reform details
Aug 11, 2009 - CIR/SEIU Healthcare President Dr. L Toni Lewis is live on the Ed Show on MSNBC to discuss the ongoing healthcare town halls--and why SEIU members are pledging to keep the focus on the need for reform. Read more...
August 11: International Day of Solidarity with Honduras
Aug 11, 2009 - To support the courage of the Honduran people living in limbo and fight back against attacks against democracy and human rights, hundreds of organizations throughout the U.S. and abroad have responded to the call that today be International Day of Solidarity with Honduras. Read more...
The Daily Show Takes on Teabaggers (Video)
Aug 11, 2009 - Leave it to John Stewart to bring a little clarity on the opponents of health care reform. Read more...
Why is the Chamber outsourcing American jobs?
Aug 11, 2009 - Last week, SEIU President Andy Stern called on U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue to explain why his organization supports outsourcing of American jobs. "It's unconscionable that, at a time when most Americans are consumed with fear of losing their jobs, their healthcare and their homes, the nation's top advocate for corporate lobbyists is actively working to make those fears become reality," said Stern. Read more...
SEIU's Anna Burger (and Bill Clinton) to keynote at Netroots Nation
Aug 10, 2009 - We're pretty excited that SEIU Secretary-Treasurer and Change to Win chair Anna Burger is set to keynote at the fourth annual Netroots Nation conference (formerly known as the YearlyKos Convention) this weekend in Pittsburgh, PA. Read more...
Around the union: Quick hits
Aug 10, 2009 - In union news this week...disability service workers at NY's Ulster-Greene ARC vote to join a union, SEIU hosts a conference call with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and 32BJ launches the first-ever Green Buildings Initiative to train building superintendents in energy efficiency, plus much more. Read more...
The Vanguard of an American Clean Energy Revolution
Aug 10, 2009 - The benefits of green buildings cannot be overstated--and one of the most cost-effective ways to "green" a building is to ensure that it has a knowledgeable and well-trained workforce. SEIU 32BJ's Training Fund has developed the first-ever Green Buildings Initiative to train building superintendents in the latest, state-of-the-art, best practices in energy efficiency. Read more...
Shock: Corporate Advocates Who Break the Law Don't Want to Be Punished
Aug 10, 2009 - Corporate groups are expanding their attack on working people and the Employee Free Choice Act. The latest volley? Defending the status quo of ineffective penalties for when corporations break the law. Yeah, they went there. In a WSJ editorial, NAM adviser John Irving advocates for the current toothless system that allows corporations to get off scot-free when they break the law. Read more...
Violent tactics at last night's St. Louis town hall meeting
Aug 07, 2009 - Last night, the Teabaggers' violent tactics broke and dislocated the shoulder of the Reverend during the health care town hall in St. Louis. The Reverend, a St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter, and others who attended in hopes of a peaceful dialogue about our nation's healthcare crisis, endured the latest attempt by right-wing fringe groups to hijack the democratic process through violence if necessary. Read more...
Stop the violence at health care town halls
Aug 07, 2009 - Last night in St. Louis, Missouri, a reverend and staff member of SEIU was assaulted at a town hall. The incident, along with a town hall in Tampa, Florida, has been all over the radio and cable news shows. GOP operatives are rushing to paint it as SEIU "thug" violence. That couldn't be further from the truth. Read more...
@SEIU Twitter following surpasses 2,000
Aug 07, 2009 - In the wild and wonderful world of Twitter, the Twitter following of SEIU recently surpassed 2,000--in fact, as of today we're up to nearly 2,300! Thanks to all of the friends and progressive organizations who've "followed" us along the way and inspired us with their work, engaged us in conversation and helped us get our message out via retweet on Employee Free Choice, health care reform, corporate accountability and much more. Read more...
Change that Works Spreads the Message for urgent healthcare reform
Aug 07, 2009 - SEIU members and activists continue to stand tall to ensure healthcare reform happens this year. As members of the U.S. House and Senate turn their sights from committee hearings and floor votes to barbecues and luncheons back home, SEIU's Change That Works team is planning hundreds of events to ensure elected leaders don't forget the promises they made on the campaign trail. Read more...
Your Guide to Corporate Astroturfing: Lobbyist-Run Groups Orchestrating...
Aug 07, 2009 - For several days now, radical-fringe right-wing opponents bent on blocking any reform legislation have disrupted town hall meetings conducted by members of Congress. Conservative lobbyist-run groups FreedomWorks, Conservatives for Patients' Rights, Americans for Prosperity, Club for Growth and Americans for Tax Reform are leading the way orchestrating these town hall mobs. Read more...
A more perfect union: Senate confirms Sotomayor for Supreme Court
Aug 06, 2009 - What a unifying moment for so many in our country today, as the U.S. Senate voted 68-31 to confirm Sonia Sotomayor as the nation's 111th Supreme Court justice. She will be the Court's third woman and its first ever Latina. Read more...
Friday: Talk with HHS Secretary Sebelius
Aug 06, 2009 - This Friday, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is hosting a call with health care activists and SEIU members to discuss what needs to happen in order to win health care reform, and to directly respond to accusations and distortions from opponents. Read more...
New Hampshire Tea Partiers Keep it Classy
Aug 05, 2009 - Attacking a staffer? Harassing a pregnant woman? All in a day's work for the opposition to health care reform. Hey Tea Party, it's called activism, not intimidation. As we say on the internets, "Ure doing it wrong." Read more...
Standing up for Justice - Rally in Support of Judge Sotomayor
Aug 05, 2009 - On the eve of an expected final vote to confirm Sonia Sotomayor, hundreds of the judge's supporters, SEIU members and partners within the progressive community gathered at Upper Senate Park on Capitol Hill to call for the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Read more...
Local Paper: "Lunch Ladies Go To D.C."
Aug 05, 2009 - The SouthtownStar, a local newspaper in Chicago, has an excellent article about our "lobby day" from a few weeks back, where we told our members of Congress that an improved Child Nutrition Act is needed to ensure that millions of children get the type of food that they need. Read more...
CA State Budget: Kindergarten Cop turns on kids
Aug 05, 2009 - Gov. Schwarzenegger signed the state budget into law last week, but not before chopping another half billion dollars from services for women, children, the sick and the elderly - services that just days before he'd agreed not to cut any further. Read more...
Bank of America's One Percent Solution
Aug 05, 2009 - On Monday, the SEC slapped Bank of America with a $33 million fine for misleading investors on plans to award multi-billion dollar bonuses to Merrill Lynch executives during BofA's purchase of the failed bank. Read more...
Wall Street: Contracts for Me, Not for Thee
Aug 05, 2009 - Citigroup - recipient of $45 billion in bailout funds - apparently isn't feeling the economic crunch. In fact, it's considering paying a $100 million bonus to one of its employees, protesting that it can't tear up a contract. Tell that to California state employees. SEIU's Stephen Lerner compares the two vastly different situations in a segment on CNBC. Read more...
Own a piece of the movement
Aug 04, 2009 - SEIU has partnered with Florida-based artist Derek Gores to create an original piece of art for those closest to the movement to fix health care. Using words, photographs, and symbols of our movement as inspiration, Mr. Gores has captured this unique moment in our nation's history. Read more...
Unrestricted Executive Compensation Exists in Wall Street's "Bizarro World"
Aug 04, 2009 - Late Friday afternoon, SEIU's Stephen Lerner debated the new executive compensation regulations approved by the House of Representatives on CNBC. Lerner argued that the insatiable desire for limitless pay and bonuses amounted to a Wall Street "Bizarro World." Read more...
Pushing Back on Right-Wing Lies on Reform
Aug 04, 2009 - A video surfaced from an SEIU/CAP event in 2007 featuring Obama discussing how health insurance could transition away from primarily "employer coverage." Cut to Drudge & Fox Nation announcing an "uncovered video" where Obama "Explains How His Health Care Plan Will 'Eliminate' Private Insurance." When all else fails (i.e. the facts), the right-wing always resorts to what it knows best. Read more...
Childhood Obesity Rates Triple
Aug 04, 2009 - Childhood obesity rates in the United States have tripled,according to a new study by the Academic Pediatrics journal. Using data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Survey, researchers looked at 12,384 children aged from 2 to 19 years, and were able to conclude that found that 3.8 percent of the children within the sample meet the criteria for "severe obesity." Read more...
95,000 CA state workers vote to strike if necessary
Aug 04, 2009 - By a 74 percent margin, SEIU Local 1000 state workers in California voted to step up pressure on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to ensure that the contract signed with the governor's representatives this past February is ratified. Read more...
Financial Wolves: Private Equity and the Banks
Aug 04, 2009 - Private equity firms are some of the most secretive, unregulated financial firms - and they want to buy up failed banks with taxpayers' money while keeping most of the profits for themselves. SEIU President Andy Stern wrote about these firms' plans on the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal this morning. Read more...
Hundreds of workers striking Bemis Plant for being treated like lab rats
Aug 03, 2009 - More than 700 Local 1426 workers of Workers United in Indiana continue to be on strike against Bemis for its proposal to subject workers to invasive medical testing to keep their health insurance coverage. Read more...
Women Stand Up for the Employee Free Choice Act
Aug 03, 2009 - Following the announcement last month from over a dozen national women's organizations in support of the Employee Free Choice Act, women across the country are standing up for the legislation. Women want to see our labor laws updated so that workers can freely and fairly form their own organization and their rights are protected. Read more...
The Penthouse View vs. Main Street Reality
Jul 31, 2009 - Congress took a step towards cracking down on corporate and big bank CEO pay today, as the House passed the Corporate and Financial Institution Compensation Fairness Act of 2009 by a 237-to-185 vote. The House passage of the bill is an important step to correct the enormous disparity between those at the top and regular working Americans, but much more needs to be done to help Main Street recover. Read more...
Republican Misinformation about Health Care
Jul 31, 2009 - As the House leaves for August recess, the Republican party is pulling out all stops as they misinform the public about the true cost of health care reform. With H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act--which should be exempt from the usual political machinations-- the health and welfare of Hoosiers and folks throughout the country is at stake. Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana continues to spread false information about the cost of the bill. In an interview on MSNBC, Rep. Pence incorrectly states that the health reform bill would result in one trillion dollars in new taxes. Even the news anchor knows something is wrong with Pence's calculations. Read more...
Wal-Mart wants to stop others from using anything that's round
Jul 31, 2009 - Wal-Mart has a longtime record of harassing and intimidating workers who have called for union representation; the giant corporation has even gone so far as to shut down stores where workers voted for a voice on the job. It's bad enough Wal-Mart fights workers' efforts to organize...now they're trying to stifle freedom of speech too? Read more...
Educating on the Employee Free Choice Act
Jul 31, 2009 - Paul Begala has an incredibly powerful and persuasive op-ed in Politicotoday making the case for the Employee Free Choice Act. After introducing nightmare hypothetical scenarios of workers getting fired for trying to organize, Begala pulls back the curtain and reveals the stories are about real workers who were fighting for better jobs. Read more...
Bank of America to Close 10% of its Branches?
Jul 31, 2009 - If reports that BofA intends to close 10% of the bank's branches are true, that means the jobs of up to 5,000 bank employees at hundreds of BofA branches are at risk. If you are a BofA employee, we need you to add your initials to our letter to Ken Lewis. Read more...
Lifestyles of the Rich and Bailed Out
Jul 30, 2009 - It appears that big bonuses are back on Wall Street....er rather, maybe they never really left. The WSJ reported last week that "Executives and other highly compensated employees now receive more than one-third of all pay in the US." Which begs the question: Are wealthy Americans truly turning back to pre-crisis habits, even as most of the country remains in deep economic stress? Read more...
Heritage Phones It In, We Tweet the Truth
Jul 30, 2009 - The Heritage Foundation responded yesterday to our campaign exposing the Lewin Group's conflict of interest on health insurance reform by saying, um, the blog version of NUH UHHH! What Heritage declines to address is the very point of our campaign - the fact that in 2007, the Lewin Group was purchased by UnitedHealth - a health insurance company with a track record of breaking the law and defrauding customers. Read more...
Retired garmet workers: "Hands off our home"
Jul 30, 2009 - Since the 1940's the old International Ladies Garment Workers Union building in NYC's Garment District has served union members. It's been home to generations of clothing and textile workers, housed a health center and provided services for members and the surrounding community. Read more...
Change That Works demands reform from elected officials: August Congressional recess events
Jul 30, 2009 - As members of the U.S. House and Senate turn their sights from committee hearings and floor votes in D.C., to barbecues and luncheons back home, SEIU's Change That Works team is ready to ensure they don't forget the promises they made on the campaign trail to fix our broken healthcare system and support hardworking families. Read more...
Video: 18,836 people tell Congress, "We support majority sign-up"
Jul 30, 2009 - Yesterday we delivered a petition in support of majority sign-up and the Employee Free Choice Act to the Senate. A grand total of 18,836 people signed our petition in just a week! That's really amazing. Watch this video of SEIU members delivering the petition to the Senate yesterday. Read more...
Faith Coalition highlighted for work on healthcare reform
Jul 29, 2009 - In case you missed it, the Washington Post recently highlighted the Believe Together Coalition, a coalition SEIU helped form with a multitude of faith groups earlier this year. The Post writes that "the group originally grew out of frustration that conservative Christian groups were dominating the national faith conversation on social issues. The coalition is speaking out on such issues as healthcare reform and comprehensive immigration reform." Read more...
Do you think they're getting the message?
Jul 29, 2009 - Attacking Reform with Insurance Company-Owned Research? So far hundreds of you have watched this video and used Twitter to call out the people trying to pass off the Lewin Group as "independent." I just took a screen shot of all the @replies to Senator Grassley's Twitter feed - take a look... Read more...
Pet owners forced to choose between feeding their pets or families
Jul 29, 2009 - Pat Bryan, Ventura County Steward and Animal Control Officer knows first-hand the impact of job loss, foreclosures and a weak economy. The animal kennels in his California region are filled to capacity, and shelter officials say they are seeing more and more pets being brought in by their owners because they can't afford to care for their pets, or they have lost their homes and have to move to apartments or mobile homes that don't allow dogs or cats. Read more...
Lewin Group FAIL
Jul 29, 2009 - Imagine you're an insurance company making billions of dollars by charging people tons of money for health care. Now, imagine there's a reform bill in Congress that could end your stranglehold on the market, forcing you to lower your prices and improve your services. Read more...
Hey Big Banks: Want some better ways to spend that $74 billion?
Jul 29, 2009 - According to the Washington Post, the top six U.S. banks set aside $74 billion in 2009 for bonuses and other compensation--up $14 billion from last year alone. In response, SEIU released its own "Top 5 Ways We'd Spend The $74 Billion." Included in the list were: covering the budget shortfalls of 16 states, including California; paying one year's worth of mortgage for over 6 million families, and giving over $5,000 to every single American that's currently unemployed. Read more...
Alliance for Worker Freedom kicks out workers
Jul 28, 2009 - Today, several workers went to Capitol Hill to attend a panel discussion about the Employee Free Choice Act sponsored by the Alliance for Worker Freedom. Much to their dismay, the workers were escorted out of the event after its organizers complained to the Capitol Police. Read more...
Montana Small Town Business Owner Speaks Out Against U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Jul 28, 2009 - In Chester, pop. 730, on the broad northern grasslands of the Montana Hi-Line, local business owner and Chamber of Commerce member Margaret Novak says she's ready to speak out for health care and labor law reform. "The middle class is stuck footing the bill without the means to pay it," Novak said. "Any economist will tell you that you need a strong middle class to make the economy work." Novak and her husband, Mike, own Mike's Thriftway, a supermarket and gas station along U.S. Highway 2 at the edge of town. The two have more than two dozen employees and offer health insurance and family-friendly scheduling to employees. Read more...
Health Care: Cheaper in India
Jul 28, 2009 - When Karlyn Zimbelman, a farmer's wife from the tiny Montana town of Conrad, found out she needed hip-replacement surgery, she looked into the cost of the operation -- about $40,000. For years, Karlyn and her husband have saved money but cutting out health insurance. The cost would sink their small farm. So, Karlyn did some research. She read in AARP's magazine about a medical tourist who got major surgery in India. The news story described great care at a reasonable price. Read more...
Meet Leslie Williams, a School Food Service Worker
Jul 28, 2009 - Leslie Williams, a school food service worker, has been at the job for 20 years. When she talks about her job, she lovingly refers to the children as "her babies." They rely on her to take care of them and cook them a wholesome meal during lunch. Sometimes, it's the only hot meal that they get that day. Read more...
Why call Congress for healthcare reform?
Jul 28, 2009 - Still looking for more reasons why you should tell your representative we need to pass health reform now? Here's one:
Calling on Congress to Fix Health Care - Have You Sent Your Message?
Jul 28, 2009 - If you're one of the 98% of Americans who make less than $250,000 every year, you stand to save a lot of money through the health care reform bill in Congress. Click here to tell Congress it's time everyone - even millionaires - did their part to fix health care. Read more...
As Gov. Rell refuses to raise taxes on corporations....her approval rating plummets
Jul 28, 2009 - A new poll for CT Gov. M. Jodi Rell shows her approval rating has dropped to her lowest level ever, amid a severe economic downturn and months of criticism and ad campaigns from SEBAC, a coalition that represents Connecticut State public service workers. Read more...
Court slaps former SEIU-UHW officials with preliminary injunction
Jul 28, 2009 - A U.S. District Court judge for the Northern District of California last night granted SEIU-UHW members a preliminary injunction against the local union's former officers (including former president Sal Rosselli) and agents, finding that they "filched" and "sabotaged" files, records, and union property as part of their plan to form a new union. Read more...
CA budget outcome declares its winners: Corporations. The losers: Everyone Else.
Jul 27, 2009 - Even though the new California state budget approved by legislators on Friday puts an end to the endless "debate" that's been causing debilitating migraines even in those who don't suffer them, the pain is far from over. Governor Schwarzenegger and lawmakers proved they're no 'girlie-men' with California's budget cuts by taking healthcare from the sick and frail and every kind of care from the elderly; by closing schools so kids have nowhere to learn, and after-school programs so they have nowhere else to go. Read more...
First-ever national union contract for security officers
Jul 27, 2009 - On Saturday, 2,000 security officers who guard Kaiser Permanente facilities in five states ratified a three-year contract with security contractor Securitas that includes family healthcare and a 40-cent per hour wage increase each year of the contract. The victory by officers at Kaiser holds historic national significance--it is the first-ever national contract for private security officers. Read more...
Health Care Supporters Take Over Tea Party in "Red Tennessee"
Jul 27, 2009 - With less than 24 hours notice, Change That Works Tennessee and its coalition partners staged a massive counter-demonstration at a Tea Party in front of Rep. Bart Gordon's office in Rutherford County. Our action, turned the Tea Party into a health care reform party. Read more...
Taha will not be deported!
Jul 24, 2009 - Thanks to 24 hours of your calls and faxes, the Department of Homeland Security has done the right thing and deferred action on Taha's deportation. Read more...
Attacking Reform with Insurance Company-Owned Research?
Jul 24, 2009 - This week, the Washington Post revealed that the Lewin Group -- a firm commonly cited by Republican lawmakers as an independent and nonpartisan think tank -- is owned by a health insurance company--and a badly behaving one, at that. Playing politics with health reform is simply unacceptable - and using insurance company-provided "statistics" to do it is just plain wrong. Read more...
'Slowing' the decline in living standards for low-wage workers is not enough
Jul 24, 2009 - Today's increase means a full-time minimum wage earner will receive $28 more a week. This raise is badly needed. It is also categorically insufficient. While our nation's plunge into recession has forced many working families to tighten their belts, low-wage workers have fared even worse. Read more...
17,000 tell Congress: We support majority sign-up and the Employee Free Choice Act
Jul 24, 2009 - In response to New York Times reports that Senate Democrats were dropping the "majority sign-up" provision of the Employee Free Choice Act, over 17,000 people signed petitions for Congress showing their support of the provision. The petitions will be hand-delivered to Congressional offices next week by SEIU members. Read more...
Tell the Democrat-Gazette that Employee Free Choice is not Nazism
Jul 24, 2009 - This week, Arkansas' biggest paper, the Democrat-Gazette, made an outrageous and unbelievable statement, "unequivocally" equating the Employee Free Choice Act to....Nazis. The paper's statement is offensive on so many levels that it is difficult to know if it should even be dignified with a response. However, we believe such an outrageous claim demands a strong rebuttal. Read more...
Vacation or health care?
Jul 24, 2009 - What would you choose - taking a vacation or fixing health care? Some Members of Congress want three weeks of vacation before they tackle health care reform. But there is a real human cost for going on vacation...and we don't think fixing health care can wait. Do you? Read more...
Meet Taha - a DREAM Act Student who is facing deportation
Jul 24, 2009 - SEIU is teaming up with Dreamactivist.org to help stop the deportation of another Dream Act student, Taha. On July 29, 2009, Taha will be deported to Bangladesh - a country that he has no memory of or connection to. Read more...
July 24th: Minimum wage inches up to $7.25/hour
Jul 23, 2009 - Starting tomorrow, the Federal minimum wage is increasing from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour, the last part of the 2007 minimum wage legislation passed by Congress. Read more...
Obama: "This [healthcare] debate is not a game; [Americans] are counting on us to get this done"
Jul 23, 2009 - Last night, President Obama urged members of Congress to come to the aid of the millions of Americans who "are being clobbered by health care costs." In a statement, SEIU President Andy Stern said, "Too many people, like [home care... Read more...
Rescue 911: Middle Class in Crisis
Jul 23, 2009 - That's why we're hitting the road for 11 days in an ambulance to save Montana's middle class with our Emergency Drive. We'll be touring 22 towns, including rural areas, to connect with local Montanans about two important issues: affordable heath care and labor law reform. Our system is failing, and we need rescue now. Read more...
The clock is ticking for consumer protections
Jul 23, 2009 - Congress is reportedly delaying action on President Obama's consumer protection reforms. Why? Because the U.S. Chamber and big bank lobbyists complained for a delay. Click here to fax your Representatives and tell them the U.S. Chamber and big banks shouldn't set the agenda on financial reform. Read more...
Goal: 15,000 people for Majority Signup and the Employee Free Choice Act
Jul 23, 2009 - Since Andy Stern kicked off our campaign this week, more than 10,000 people signed our petition in support of majority signup - but we still need to hear from you. Next week SEIU members will deliver our petition to the senators working on the Employee Free Choice Act. We want at least 15,000 people to show support for majority signup before we go to Congress. Read more...
Do corporate front groups think the Employee Free Choice Act is similar to Nazis?
Jul 23, 2009 - With the fight for the Employee Free Choice Act still going and going, it was bound to break Godwin's Law: yesterday the Arkansas Democrat Gazette editorial board "unequivocally" equated the Employee Free Choice Act to.... Nazis. Read more...
13,000 Missouri home care attendants vote union YES!
Jul 22, 2009 - It's not often we get to bring you news of workers organizing to have a voice at work on such a large scale -- but today is one of those days! 13,00 home care attendants in Missouri's consumer directed home care program have voted to join the Missouri Home Care Union. Read more...
Obama on primetime to urge action, not politics, on healthcare
Jul 22, 2009 - For millions of Americans, real hope for changing the status quo of the 46 million Americans who don't have health insurance or can't afford the plan they have now is closer than ever. Tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET, President Obama is holding a primetime news conference on health care. He's going to lay it all out there: where we are, where we're going, and why health insurance reform matters. Read more...
US Senator Gillibrand: Increase Reimbursement Rate for School Lunches
Jul 22, 2009 - Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is using her clout to back legislation to make school lunches healthier. Among her ideas is to increase the federal reimbursement rate for the National School Lunch Program, which currently stands at $2.68 for a free lunch. Read more...
Ad check: U.S. Chamber of Commerce pushes phony numbers in new offensive against health care reform
Jul 22, 2009 - The Chamber of Commerce continues their "Just Say No!" strategy against health care reform with a new ad this week that flaunts a series of misleading numbers to make the case (or rather, their lack thereof) against legislation that will guarantee Americans access to quality, affordable healthcare. Here are the real facts on how small businesses and taxpayers would actually be affected by the latest proposals for fixing our broken system. Read more...
GRITtv Live Now: Bank of America workers on Bank of America
Jul 22, 2009 - Watch this live broadcast now of Bank of America workers and SEIU's Stephen Lerner on GRITtv discussing how the bank's practices hurt consumers, employees, and our economy. Read more...
SEIU members & healthcare allies get serious about reform in Illinois
Jul 22, 2009 - Last week, elected officials left Springfield without doing their job--again. So SEIU Healthcare Indiana and Illinois took their fight to protect home and childcare workers from budget cuts to the scene of the crime. Read more...
Bank of America Takes Billions of Bailout Money, Only to Cut Lending for Struggling Small Businesses
Jul 22, 2009 - A new report released by SEIU today shows that Bank of America has cut small business loans - despite taking billions in taxpayer-funded bailouts meant to stimulate the economy. Instead of lending money to small businesses through SBA loans, BofA appears to be moving its small business clients to higher-interest credit card loans. Read more...
California budget deal missing actual solution
Jul 21, 2009 - In spite of the fact that months of debate between CA lawmakers on how to resolve the state's $26 billion budget deficit may be finally coming to an end, there can be no cause for celebration when the 'solution' does not reflect the priorities of a vast majority of California voters. Read more...
Big banks and the Chamber do their best to stop economic recovery--AGAIN
Jul 21, 2009 - Today, reports hit saying Congress is delaying action on the Consumer Financial Protection Agency after a series of lobbying efforts and a letter from the U.S. Chamber and big banks. When it comes to fixing our economy, Congress must not buckle under the pressure of the U.S. Chamber and big banks. Read more...
The verdict is IN: 75% of Americans support majority signup as part of Employee Free Choice
Jul 21, 2009 - Majority signup is based on a simple idea: if a majority of workers say they want a union, they should get a union. And the public agrees: three-quarters (75%) of adults favor allowing workers to have a union once a majority of the employees in a workplace sign authorization cards indicating that they want to form a union, including 44% who strongly support the idea. Read more...
TODAY: Dr. Dean's Emergency Call with Nurses and Doctors
Jul 21, 2009 - Health care legislation passed huge hurdles in the House and Senate last week, but threats to this legislation appear to be growing with each day. Because of this, Dr. Howard Dean has issued an emergency conference call on Wednesday, July 22 with nurses and doctors to discuss elements of the House and Senate bills, and how they will impact health care professionals. Read more...
Al Franken raises the SEIU roof
Jul 21, 2009 - Al Franken, like many ex-performers, knows when to arrive at stage right at the critical moment of a new play. Six months into the new Obama administration as we now get ready to pass for the first time in 223 years, a healthcare bill and in the coming months, the Employee Free Choice Act, Sen. Al Franken's presence and strong leadership in the Senate couldn't have come at a better time. Read more...
Tell Congress: We support Majority Signup and the Employee Free Choice Act
Jul 21, 2009 - I wanted to write you about the recent news about the Employee Free Choice Act. The New York Times reported on Friday that the Senate is considering dropping majority signup from the Employee Free Choice Act. I created a petition to Congress for you to show support for majority signup. Can you please add you name? Read more...
California state workers will vote to strike; protest Governor Schwarzenegger
Jul 20, 2009 - As the governor and legislators continue to battle over the budget in California, leaders of SEIU Local 1000 have issued a strike authorization vote to the union's 95,000 members beginning today, July 20. SEIU Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker sent a letter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week ,
Demint's Slip-Up
Jul 20, 2009 - Republicans have pledged to be working in good faith with Democrats, despite their nonstop battering ram of rhetoric (re: "socialized medicine," "rationing of care" and blaming Canada), and have left the dirty work of killing health care to pundits and Fox News anchors. But now, there's been a slip-up. And not just by any Republican - but by a very prominent Republican leader... Read more...
Defense of the status quo is not acceptable
Jul 20, 2009 - SEIU Local 21LA member Eula Williams thinks back on her younger years and remembers when her family was forced to use homemade 'remedies' including "fatback" and "cod oil" because they couldn't afford traditional medicines for ailments such as a sore throat or pneumonia. "I know what it is like to be without healthcare," said Williams, explaining why she didn't hesitate to come to Washington, DC to promote healthcare reform as a Grassroots Lobbyist for SEIU earlier this summer. Read more...
Questioning millionaire compensation: Doctors put the Bronx's St. Barnabas Hospital under the microscope
Jul 20, 2009 - "With so much of our economy in flux, now more than ever, the people of New York need to be reassured that the institutions we rely on are worthy of the trust that we put into them," said Dr. L. Toni Lewis, president of the Committee of Interns and Residents. Visit www.examinebarnabas.org. Read more...
If you're one of millions of Americans without adequate coverage, this bill is for you
Jul 17, 2009 - Yesterday on Capitol Hill, SEIU Healthcare 775NW member and Montana home care worker Pat DeJong stood alongside Senators Dodd, Mikulski, and Harkin to celebrate the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee's passage of healthcare reform bill, the first of the Congressional panels to approve the health legislation. Read more...
Momentum keeps building for Health Care Reform
Jul 17, 2009 - Not a single workday passed this week without major health care news spilling onto cable news networks, blogs and newspapers. Read more...
Senator Bingaman gets a health care check-up
Jul 17, 2009 - On Wednesday as Senator Jeff Bingaman joined his colleagues on the Senate HELP Committee to vote for sending a comprehensive health care bill to the Senate Floor, he was joined by dozens of New Mexico doctors, nurses, and health care providers assembled to show support for a robust public health insurance option in 2009. Read more...
Video: Janitors protesting Cisco Systems end hunger strike
Jul 17, 2009 - On June 9, dozens of janitors laid off from Cisco Systems in San Jose, CA ended a 7-day hunger fast protesting the company's corporate greed, unfair treatment and laying-off of 40 percent of its total janitorial workforce. Check out this new video SEIU United Service Workers West created documenting the breaking of the fast. Read more...
Statement by SEIU President Andy Stern on the Employee Free Choice Act
Jul 17, 2009 - In response to today's New York Times piece on the Employee Free Choice Act, SEIU President Andy Stern issued the following statement: "As we have said from day one, majority sign-up is the best way for workers to have the right to choose a voice at their workplace..." Read more...
Unions make for a much more family-friendly workplace
Jul 16, 2009 - A new report authored by the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education and the Labor Project for Working Families found that companies with more unionized workers are more likely to pay for family health insurance premiums, embrace paid leave, and allow the use of personal leave to care for a sick child. In case you needed more evidence as to why we need to restore workers' freedom to form unions and bargain through the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
Recognize the important role food service workers play in your kids' health
Jul 16, 2009 - Yesterday, Service Workers United cafeteria workers from across the country went to Capitol Hill to lobby members of Congress for stronger USDA Child Nutrition Programs. Watch Illinois food service worker Marlon Taylor discuss why he loves his job working with kids and why it's important to improve the Child Nutrition Act. Read more...
Miami Nurse Touts the Value of Reform
Jul 16, 2009 - In the debate over health care reform, it is important to listen to the people at the forefront of the crisis: our country's nurses. Even President Obama speaks to the importance of nurses as health care providers, noting that in some rural areas, nurses are the only providers of health care. Read more...
HELP is on the way! Healthcare reform advances in Congress
Jul 15, 2009 - Last week nearly 5,000 SEIU members and activists from across the country called their Members of Congress to say: "Healthcare won't be fixed until it's affordable for everyone." Well, these hours and hours of phone calls, door knocks, letters, and visits to Congress demanding real healthcare reform is paying off. Last night, House Democrats unveiled a healthcare bill that provides comprehensive reform that is both fiscally responsible and legislatively achievable this year and today the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pension Committee passed their version of a bill, the Affordable Health Choices Act. Read more...
SEIU Member-Endorsed Judy Chu Candidate Wins in California
Jul 15, 2009 - Yesterday, California Democrat Judy Chu won a special election in District 32 with almost 62% of the vote to become the newest member of Congress. "She's a dynamic leader and a woman of action, who stands up and fights for her beliefs, whether outside on a picket line with workers or inside the corridors of power," said Courtni Pugh, Executive Director of SEIU California State Council. Read more...
School Food Workers to Members of Congress: We're Hungry for Change
Jul 15, 2009 - For the first time in the 63-year history of our nation's School Lunch Program, front-line food service workers are on Capitol Hill today to petition their government to strengthen the program that serves food to more than 30 million children every day. Read more...
32BJ Endorses Mayor Bloomberg for Re-election
Jul 15, 2009 - Yesterday, SEIU Local 32BJ endorsed Michael Bloomberg for re-election. Why? Because Bloomberg has proven his commitment to working families, raising security industry standards and taking action to make sure out-of-work New Yorkers have the resources necessary to find employment. Read more...
Bruce Raynor on FOX Business: "American workers and American business cannot afford the current [healthcare] system"
Jul 15, 2009 - This year it's going to cost $18,000 per family for medical coverage--and that's just not affordable, says Workers United President Bruce Raynor on Fox Business News, making a case for why reform needs to happen now--and why he thinks an employer mandate should be part of the solution. Read more...
CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 to Protest Scheme to Outsource Students' Health and Safety
Jul 14, 2009 - Members of the CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 chapter that represents the Connecticut Windham Public Schools' food service workers will speak out against outsourcing food services at Board of Education public forum tonight. Read more...
House Releases Health Care Reform Bill
Jul 14, 2009 - Leaders in the House of Representatives have released their comprehensive plan for reforming health care today. It's a complete, thorough bill that will take some time to comb through and examine all the details. But, the preliminary analyses conclude that it's a huge step toward fixing health care and a major victory for all of us who have been working for quality, affordable health care. Read more...
Ahem, Governor Schwarzenegger - You can't ignore the law, no matter who you are
Jul 14, 2009 - The Governor and CA state officials have refused to abide by the U.S. District Court's preliminary injunction preventing the slashing of salaries for California home care workers. In light of this outrageous defiance, the ruling Judge has amended her original injunction: rescind approval of all IHSS wage reductions by July 14 that were scheduled to take place on July 1 by COB today. Read more...
Celebrating J Dilla's music and legacy: 4th annual tribute & fundraiser recap
Jul 14, 2009 - Last week, SEIU co-sponsored the 4th Annual J Dilla Tribute & Fundraiser show at DC's Liv Niteclub to celebrate Dilla's legacy and raise awareness about the medical condition that cut his life short and left his family with mounting bills of over 1 million dollars after he lost his health coverage. Read more...
Small Business Owners Support Change in Health Care
Jul 14, 2009 - Ah the good ole days, when organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce could get away with advocating policies that actually hurt small business owners. The times, they are a changin'. Read more...
Letter to Gov. Schwarzenegger: Trail of broken campaign promises must end
Jul 14, 2009 - "Governor, we've sacrificed. And we've now reached our limit. We cannot, and will not, allow you to use us as pawns in your political power game," writes SEIU Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker in a letter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger concerning the California union's contract deal and latest budget proposal. The Governor's proposal seeks to pile on an additional 5 percent pay reduction or fourth furloughed work day for more than 230,000 state workers. Read more...
Straight From The Doctor's Mouth
Jul 14, 2009 - We hear everyday from folks who want healthcare reform and those who don't. We hear facts, figures and we hear information that can't be backed up by facts and figures. Read more...
Maryland child care providers vote to ratify first contract
Jul 13, 2009 - 5,000 Kids First Maryland/SEIU Local 500 child care providers have voted by a margin of more than 30-to-1 to ratify their first contract. Read more...
Unacceptable: Governor Schwarzenegger ignores court order to stop home care cuts
Jul 13, 2009 - strong>Last week, SEIU was forced to file a motion with U.S. District Court to hold the state of California in contempt for illegally cutting the wages of (IHSS) workers by $2 per hour in defiance of an earlier court order. Read more...
Free Summer Lunch Program A Rousing Success in NJ
Jul 13, 2009 - During the school year in New Jersey, school lunch is provided at a reduced cost or for free to thousands of poor students to help eliminate at least one significant and widely recognized barrier to an education: hunger. Read more...
Sotomayor confirmation hearings reminder America is still the land of opportunity
Jul 13, 2009 - The life story of Judge Sonia Sotomayor is, quite literally, a remarkable retelling of the American Dream. Her personal story of achievement has given her a rare insight into the lives of people who get up and go to work each day to make a better life for their families. Watch the Sotomayor confirmation hearings live here. Read more...
Call Congress: Support a Strong Consumer Financial Protection Agency
Jul 13, 2009 - In the same way that we keep stores from selling exploding toasters, the Consumer Financial Protection Agency will have the power to keep lenders from offering "exploding" loans. Congress has already held a first hearing on the new agency, and it is on the agenda now. It is also already on Wall Street's agenda to stop it. Read more...
Congressional praise for SEIU's work on behalf of Walter Lara & the DREAM Act
Jul 10, 2009 - Earlier today, Congressman Polis praised SEIU in his personal privilege floor speech for our work on behalf of Walter Lara and the DREAM Act. Read more...
AIG bonus requests: Is this some kind of joke?
Jul 10, 2009 - Upon hearing the news that bailed-out insurer AIG plans to reward top executives $2.4 million in bonuses next week, SEIU's first reaction was...sheer and utter disbelief. As in, YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING US. How is it possible that the same company that received the largest of all taxpayer bailouts, at a total cost of $173 billion to the American people, would decide it's a good idea to reward themselves for doing such a fantastic job of losing more money? Read more...
What would happen if the U.S. Chamber of Commerce had its way?
Jul 10, 2009 - When CEOs in Washington decide the agenda of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, they seem to forget all about real workers and business owners throughout America. We took a look at what would happen if the U.S. Chamber had its way, and how those policies would impact certain states. SEIU's activists in these states are faxing their senators asking them to stand with working people, not the greedy CEOs of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Read more...
SEIU Demands Corporate Lobbyists Take Down Deceptive Ads On Employee Free Choice Act
Jul 10, 2009 - Today the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) sent letters to television stations in Nebraska and Arkansas demanding that deceptive ads about the Employee Free Choice Act be taken down immediately. The ads are paid for by the Employee Freedom Action Committee (EFAC), the political action committee of anti-worker front group Center for Union Facts. Read more...
Immigration Bill Ready by Labor Day, Says Schumer
Jul 10, 2009 - Momentum is growing in Washington for comprehensive immigration reform. Just as the bipartisan Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) issued a sweeping report on the urgent need for comprehensive immigration reform, Senator Schumer announced yesterday that an immigration bill will be ready by Labor Day. Read more...
NY Times: "Change is too slow coming for the nation's one million home care aides"
Jul 09, 2009 - Citing the hard work and critical role they play with an aging boomer population, the NY Times editorial declares that "Home care aides should not have to wait any longer for the fair pay they have been denied for so long." Read more...
Labor unions set to talk EFCA, healthcare & economic stimulus with President Obama
Jul 09, 2009 - Labor unions SEIU, AFL-CIO, NEA, USW, CWA, IBT and UFCW are headed to the White House next week. On Monday, the united group of labor leaders--including SEIU's Andy Stern and Anna Burger--will meet with President Obama to discuss joint efforts to build an economy that works for all including passing healthcare reform, economic stimulus and the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
New Report: Nation's Buildings at Risk
Jul 09, 2009 - A new government report released yesterday has dropped a bombshell on the state of private security and its ability to protect our nation's most important buildings. In a routine check on the state of private security for our nation's federal buildings, investigators were able to sneak explosive materials inside - get this - a total of 10 out of 10 times. Read more...
Video: Hip-Hop Takes on the Health Care Crisis
Jul 09, 2009 - Members of the healthcare, hip-hop and progressive community sat together on a "HealthCare Remix" panel on Wednesday, June 8 to discuss the state of healthcare reform and how to raise awareness of the urgency of the problem. Watch a video from the discussion--featuring Phife from Tribe Called Quest--here. Read more...
Conservative obstructionists are not serious about reform
Jul 09, 2009 - Conservative obstructionists are still not serious about reforming our broken health care system to rein in the costs that are crushing families and businesses, and exploding our deficit. Read more...
Be a Part of the Largest March in Maine History
Jul 09, 2009 - Saturday, July 18th, join SEIU Change that Works, Health Care for America Now, AFSCME, Maine People's Alliance, the League of Young Voters, and MSEA-SEIU 1989 as we all come together for a historic state-wide rally in support of health care reform. Read more...
Pope Supports Principles of the Employee Free Choice Act
Jul 08, 2009 - Yesterday, Pope Benedict released a bold new encyclical criticizing the current economic system and reaffirming the Church's longstanding commitment to protecting workers' freedom to form unions--the central principle of the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr: "Healthcare must be our lunch counter moment for the 21st century"
Jul 08, 2009 - Today's hip-hop "Healthcare Remix" panel discussion at SEIU's headquarters in Washington, DC shed a bright light on the need for healthcare reform that does more than just expand insurance coverage--and why it is imperative that every community has a voice at the decision-making table. Read more...
Higher Worker Wages on the Table in NJ
Jul 08, 2009 - In a move that "could have a major effect on public school food service workers' wages," the New Jersey State Legislature is considering a new bill that would make sure that workers are paid the prevailing wage. Read more...
Sarah Jones: A Right to Care
Jul 08, 2009 - The Associated Press calls her "astounding." People Magazine calls her "amazing." We call her one of the most important and engaging messengers ever to tackle the issue of health care disparities in America. And she's performing in Washington, DC on Thursday, July 9th and St. Paul, MN on July 11th. Read more...
DC Loves Dilla: Healthcare Roundtable & Tribute Event
Jul 08, 2009 - James Yancy (aka J Dilla, aka Jay Dee) was an influential hip-hop MC and producer whose rising star was cut short by complications stemming from his battle with Lupus. Dilla emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip-hop scene in Detroit, Michigan, and was widely respected throughout the hip-hop community as a "producer's producer." Read more...
Senator Al Franken's First Bill: Co-Sponsoring the Employee Free Choice Act
Jul 08, 2009 - Within hours of being sworn in as Minnesota's 2nd senator, Senator Al Franken took action on his first bill: he co-sponsored the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
Big banks & U.S. Chamber of Commerce join forces to tank financial reform
Jul 07, 2009 - Recognizing their parallel efforts to fund campaigns against working families, the unappetizing alliance of big bank executives, credit card and financial services companies is joining forces to intensify their lobbying efforts against financial reform. Read more...
The U.S. Chamber v. Everyone
Jul 07, 2009 - Progressive groups and individuals are targeting the U.S. Chamber for its opposition to pretty much anything that makes life even "a little better for working people." Read more...
Standing in solidarity to protect Democracy in Honduras
Jul 07, 2009 - SEIU is standing in solidarity with sister organizations in Honduras--the Unitary Central of Honduran Workers (CUTH), the Confederation of Honduran Workers (CTH), the General Workers Central (CGT), and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA), which represents over 45 million workers in the hemisphere--in condemning the military coup that resulted in the illegal ouster of democratically-elected President Manuel Zelaya. Read more...
July 7th & 8th: National Healthcare Call-In Day
Jul 07, 2009 - As SEIU members, our calls are especially important right now. Industry lobbyists may have deep pockets, but they can't talk about health care the same way we can. Call your member of Congress right now: 1-800-603-SEIU Read more...
Stopping Walter Lara's deportation is just the beginning
Jul 06, 2009 - Thanks to everyone who rallied around Walter's cause and took action, he's not being deported today. But personal interventions won't help the tens of thousands of other DREAMers who stand to benefit from passage of the DREAM Act--this is why we need Congress to pass the DREAM Act. Read more...
Change that Works campaign turns up the heat for healthcare during recess
Jul 06, 2009 - This year during the Congressional Fourth of July recess, SEIU & Change that Works activists created fireworks across the country. Here are a few highlights from the recess activities. Read more...
Living wages are in Con Ed's Power
Jul 06, 2009 - Con Ed employee Fernando Cruz is one of more than 28 million people--about a quarter of the working-age workforce--who work full time yet still earn less than the income that marks the federal poverty line for a family of four: $9.04 per hour, a full-time salary of $18,800 a year. Read more...
Health Care and Hip-Hop in DC this Wednesday
Jul 06, 2009 - J Dilla was a hip-hop producer whose promising life was cut short in 2005 by complications stemming from his battle with Lupus. This Wednesday, SEIU is hosting a discussion at our HQ on how health care reform can prevent the kind of financial stress and hardship J Dilla's family has endured due to the high cost of medical treatment. Read more...
AP Covers Philly Schools' Pilot School Meals Program
Jul 06, 2009 - Today, the Associated Press published an interesting profile on the Philadelphia, PA school district and its pilot program for feeding its hungry children through school meals. Key to the program is the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act later this year. An improved Child Nutrition Act is a top priority for the thousands of school food service workers that SEIU represents Read more...
Change that Works Attends Obama Health Care Town Hall
Jul 04, 2009 - President Barack Obama held a health care reform town hall at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale campus on July 1-- questions were submitted online and from the live audience. Change that Works Virginia team member, Sheila Collier had the honor of asking the last question to the President. Read more...
Nebraskans Greet Sen. Johanns...And His Staff Calls the Cops
Jul 03, 2009 - One day before celebrating the birth of our great nation, Nebraskans gathered at a scheduled healthcare roundtable to call on Senator Johanns to support an American solution to our healthcare crisis--only to have the police called on them. Read more...
Call Senator Grassley For Health Care Reform Today
Jul 02, 2009 - Call Senator Grassley and tell him we need to reform our health care system: Washington Office: (202) 224-3744 Cedar Rapids Office: (319) 363-6832 Council Bluffs Office: (712) 322-7103 Davenport Office: (563) 322-4331 Des Moines Office: (515) 288-1145 Sioux City Office:... Read more...
Breaking: DHS defers deportation of Walter Lara for one year
Jul 02, 2009 - Today, Walter Lara was granted a one year stay of his deportation. "Today, words cannot express my gratitude to Secretary Janet Napolitano, Senator Bill Nelson, Representatives Corrine Brown, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and the thousands of grassroots activists whose unified efforts have given me a second chance to live out my American Dream," said Walter. Read more...
End the war on home care
Jul 02, 2009 - A U.S. District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction last week ordering the state of California to halt pay cuts for the state's 400,000 home care workers. Now that a court has ruled against the Governor and his cuts, we need to ask him to reverse course on these short-sighted cuts. Read more...
Workers to Out-of-State Corporate Lobbyists: Stop Lying about My Job
Jul 02, 2009 - In response to new ads from out-of-state corporate lobbyists spreading lies about the Employee Free Choice Act, Nebraska Change that Works issued this statement from North Platte cafeteria worker Trish Meuhlenkamp. Read more...
Governor Rell's veto stamps out dreams of working people
Jul 02, 2009 - The unions in the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC), District 1199 launched their latest TV ad this week taking aim at Governor Jodi Rell for protecting the wealthy in a time of crisis. Read more...
Senate HELP Committee Releases Complete Health Care Bill
Jul 02, 2009 - For months, we've been standing firm on our call for Congress to deliver a health care bill that does a few, simple things. It has to lower health care costs for patients, businesses, and governments. It has to improve the quality of care for patients. And it has to make sure that every American, regardless of who they are or how much money that make, has access to affordable care. Today, we have that bill. Read more...
For shame, Citigroup!
Jul 02, 2009 - The Financial Times reported yesterday that Citigroup is raising credit card interest rates on 15 million customers. Read more...
Mandatory overtime a thing of the past for PA direct care workers
Jul 01, 2009 - Beginning today -- July 1st, 2009 -- mandatory overtime is a thing of the past for any healthcare worker in Pennsylvania providing direct patient care. This victory is the culmination of a 7-year struggle by nurses and other healthcare workers who repeatedly marched, called, emailed and lobbied their legislators to support this important patient safety legislation. Read more...
At Victory Rally, Al Franken Shouts Out to Labor, Union Health Insurance
Jul 01, 2009 - At his victory rally today in Minneapolis, Senator-Elect (finally!) Al Franken spoke to an enthusiastic crowd about the race and what he's expecting in Washington. According to The Hill, Franken gave two important shout-outs in his speech: one to his "brothers and sisters in labor," and the other to his union's health insurance plan. Read more...
Time's up: SEIU members and Californians crank up the heat on Schwarzenegger
Jul 01, 2009 - Governor Schwarzenegger has indicated that his idea of "shared sacrifice" is to force the entire budget burden on working families and those who can least afford it. He has refused to support a budget that contains his own previous proposals for modest oil extraction fees and insurance fees that would fund critical public safety services. SEIU Local 1000 is liveblogging from their rally at the Capitol in Sacramento. Read more...
Stop the deportation of DREAM student Walter Lara
Jul 01, 2009 - Walter Lara is an honor student who has lived in the U.S. since his parents brought him here from Argentina when he was just 3 years old. Almost 20 years later, Walter is set to be deported this July 4th weekend. Please call Sec. Napolitano and ask her to review Walter's case and defer action on his deportation. Read more...
HAARM: Takin' It To The Streets
Jul 01, 2009 - This weekend, the same groups that organized anti-Obama "tea parties" around the country are putting together another round of July 4th tea parties. This time, killing health care reform is at the top of their agenda. Naturally, HAARM wanted to get in on the fun. Check out the video of HAARM's anti-health care reform protest: www.haarm.org Read more...
Bank of America's Employees: The Other Side of the Financial Crisis
Jul 01, 2009 - According to the Associated Press, Bank of America "encouraged" its employees to "burden consumers with debt and enroll them in high-fee programs." Fed up with these unsavory practices, Bank of America workers are speaking out. Sign our petition in support of protections for bank employees. We'll deliver your petition directly to Members of Congress working on financial reform. Read more...
Hartmarx Workers Win with Court-Approved Sale
Jun 30, 2009 - Nearly 4,000 jobs were saved with court approval of the sale of Chicago-based Hartmarx Corporation to the British firm Emerisque Brands late last week. Emerisque announced plans before the deal to keep many of Hartmarx's Workers United-represented workers. Read more...
Sharing Responsibility, Ditching the Chamber
Jun 30, 2009 - The Chamber of Commerce's veneer of unity on health care is beginning to fade. In the latest blow to the Chamber's "Just Say No!" strategy on health care reform, Wal-Mart joined with SEIU and the Center for American Progress today in announcing support for an employer mandate on health coverage. Read more...
Working families need Al Franken in the U.S. Senate
Jun 30, 2009 - The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled unanimously today that Al Franken won the state's U.S. Senate election last November against incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.). Read more...
Bank of America Workers Speak Out About Anti-Consumer Practices
Jun 30, 2009 - Today Bank of America workers are speaking out about BofA's anti-consumer sales practices and failed banking model. In articles from the LA Times and Associated Press today, current and former Bank of America employees talk about how Bank of America "encouraged" its employees to "burden consumers with debt and enroll them in high-fee programs." BofA employees also allege the bank targets low-income working people and Latinos who can't afford and don't need the products that bury them in debt. Read more...
Wisconsin state budget gives home care workers breakthroughs to improve care
Jun 30, 2009 - Home care aides in Wisconsin are celebrating a new state budget signed yesterday by Gov. Jim Doyle that includes breakthrough improvements for home care workers and their clients. The improvements give approximately 5,000 home care workers in Wisconsin the freedom to unite with SEIU. Read more...
Rep. Keith Ellison, Consumer groups to join bank workers speaking out against predatory sales practices, failed banking model
Jun 30, 2009 - Today, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) will join Bank of America workers to speak out against predatory sales practices and a failed banking model and call for reforms that protect frontline bank workers and consumers. Read more...
House takes historic Leap toward clean energy economy; Obama touts new (sexier) light bulb standards
Jun 29, 2009 - On Friday, Congress took an extraordinary step forward on efforts to curb global warming. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the first-ever bill designed to advance a clean energy economy that creates green jobs, boosts national security and protects our planet. Read more...
You Ask, The President Answers
Jun 29, 2009 - President Obama is hosting an online discussion this Wednesday, at 1:15 p.m. EDT, on health care reform. He's soliciting questions from people via Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. Get involved in the discussion by submitting your own question. Read more...
Five Hundred LA City Employees Vote to Join SEIU
Jun 29, 2009 - As the City of Los Angeles faces an unprecedented budget crisis, nearly 500 city engineers have just voted to unite in SEIU 721 to have a stronger voice at work and unite with the 22,000 other City employees in the Coalition of LA City Unions, of which SEIU 721 is a member. Read more...
Canadian court rescinds Weyburn Wal-Mart workers' union certification
Jun 29, 2009 - Workers at Weyburn first voted for union representation over four years ago, and Wal-Mart stalled and threw up every road block they could to keep the workers from getting a fair deal. And now, a Saskatchewan judge has essentially ruled that because labor laws have changed since the Weyburn Wal-Mart workers legally won union representation, these workers are no longer represented by a union. Read more...
Top Five Worst U.S. Chamber Policies for Small Businesses
Jun 29, 2009 - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce claims to defend the interests of small businesses, but even a quick examination of their legislative record shows them opposing bill after bill that may help small businesses--and consistently siding with big corporations. Read more...
Farmers and Ranchers for Employee Free Choice
Jun 28, 2009 - A new rural coalition to support the Employee Free Choice Act launched this week: Farmers and Ranchers for Employee Free Choice. Read more...
DREAM Act Rally and Lobby Day
Jun 26, 2009 - Students file in wearing colors mixed like an unsolved Rubik's cube--some wearing chords representing achievement and honors. Friends straighten each other's caps. The rainbow of the march is accompanied by a violin and the pomp and circumstances of cameras flashing. Read more...
Health Care Providers Rally Outside NRSC
Jun 26, 2009 - As part of the "Healthcare 09' - We Can't Wait" rally in Washington, DC, nearly 250 activists gathered today at the Republican Party's temple to Ronald Reagan - home of the National Republican Senatorial Committee - to demand quality, affordable health care for all. Read more...
Health Care '09 Rally: Photo Slideshow
Jun 25, 2009 - Joined by SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger, Actress Edie Falco, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and other leaders, more than 10,000 healthcare advocates from across the country kicked off the Health Care For America Now (HCAN)'s historic lobby day with a rally in upper Senate Park. Read more...
Judge Orders State to Halt Wage Cut For California Home Care Workers
Jun 25, 2009 - HUGE news for home care workers and those they care for: A U.S. District Court judge issued an injunction Thursday afternoon ordering the state of California to halt a proposed $2 cut in wages for the state's 400,000 home care workers. The injunction has the effect of stopping pay cuts in all California counties that were planning on passing the state cut through to their home care workers. Read more...
Employee Free Choice Act Corporate Ad Fact Check: "Poison"
Jun 25, 2009 - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce-backed corporate front group Coalition for a Democratic Workplace is out with a new video filled with falsehoods about the Employee Free Choice Act. Their new video, produced by GOP and corporate ad man Mike Murphy, peddles thoroughly debunked lies and misinformation about the bill. Watch our fact check. Read more...
The dust in Fresno has settled....now what?
Jun 25, 2009 - The Fresno members voted to keep SEIU UHW as their union in a record turnout for an election among home care workers. They made this choice after enduring an unprecedented two-year campaign of lies, distortions and false promises by the NUHW officials, who ran a management-style, anti-union campaign. Read more...
SEIU Member Killed in DC Metro Tragedy
Jun 25, 2009 - 32BJ member Ana Fernandez was one of the nine confirmed dead after the tragic Metro crash in Washington this week. To help make ends meet for her family of six children, Ana was on her way to her second job as a cleaner at a building downtown when the crash happened. Read more...
Healthcare Equality 2009: Lighting up the Future
Jun 25, 2009 - Last night, an impressive group of speakers and passionate activists gathered in Washington DC, in the appropriately named Freedom Plaza, to declare their commitment to advocacy and demand that Congressional reform efforts address systemic inequality in the American health care system. Punctuated throughout the evening by the rhythmic sounds of Rudy Gonzalez Y Su Lokura's Latin jazz band, the evening was a tribute to both the passion and diversity involved in the health care reform movement. Read more...
Photos: National DREAM Act Graduation Day
Jun 24, 2009 - With the U.S. Capitol's Statue of Freedom reaching to the sky behind them, more than 500 students from across the country took part in a symbolic graduation ceremony to urge Congress to pass a bill that would make it easier for them to become citizens and pursue higher education. Read more...
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW members head to DC for Health Care '09 rally and lobby day
Jun 24, 2009 - Now is the time for healthcare reform, and SEIU members from 1199NW are helping to lead the way. Delegations of community leaders from over 40 states are being flown into Washington for in order to meet with key Members of Congress, and four SEIU Healthcare 1199NW members will be among them. Read more...
Liveblogging: Health Care Events on Capitol Hill
Jun 24, 2009 - We live blogged the health care events taking place today at Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC. People of all religious, ethnic, and racial backgrounds came together to rally for health care equality across America! Read more...
Round-Up of this Week's Health Care Events
Jun 24, 2009 - You may have noticed there is a lot going on with healthcare over the next roughly 24 hours. Below is a Below is a snapshot of what's going on. Read more...
350 New Bedford Factory Workers Fight to Save Their Jobs
Jun 24, 2009 - Remember the infamous Bianco Factory raid in New Bedford, MA where hundreds of hard-working immigrants were rounded up, detained and separated from their families? Today, a horrible experience of déjà vu as workers at the same factory who make backpacks for the U.S. army face yet another tragedy, as new owner Alliant threatens to shut the factory down. Read more...
Business Professors in Business Week: Anti-Union is Anti-Business
Jun 24, 2009 - Business Week magazine goes right to the point: the hostility that Big Business has towards the Employee Free Choice Act is downright short-sighted and bad for business. Two business professors - Paul Adler of USC and Donald Palmer of UC Davis - lay out why businesses should support the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis "Absolutely" supports Employee Free Choice
Jun 24, 2009 - While in LA, Solis spoke on worker-friendly measures she will be fighting to pass in her new role as the Secretary of Labor, giving her unequivocal endorsement for the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
SEIU to Citigroup: Ensure raises go to workers, not top execs
Jun 24, 2009 - According to the New York Times, Citigroup is raising salaries by as much as 50 percent for investment bankers and other top executives, to accommodate for smaller annual bonuses. Anna Burger, Secretary-Treasurer of the Service Employees International Union released a statement in reaction to the news. Read more...
SEIU Home Care Aide to discuss healthcare with President Obama on ABC's "Prescription for America"
Jun 24, 2009 - Tonight, Obama will continue his health care push with a primetime nationally televised event in the White House called "Questions for the President: Prescription for America," which will be moderated with ABC's Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer. SEIU Healthcare 775NW member & home care aide Pat DeJong has been invited to participate in the ABC News special event--make sure to watch! Read more...
Workers Denied Contracts by Their Employers: Arbitration Needed in Labor Law Reform
Jun 23, 2009 - Workers join together and unionize to improve their wages, benefits, and working conditions. Yet a full year after voting to form a union, 52 percent of new unions still haven't been able to secure any improvements because their employers have used delay tactics to avoid signing a first contract. Read more...
Join us in D.C. for Lighting the Night Healthcare Vigil
Jun 23, 2009 - Don't forget to join us tomorrow night for a brilliant "Lighting the Night" healthcare vigil to demand healthcare equity for all. The event of nearly 2,000 healthcare advocates, Congressional, civil rights and labor leaders will take place just steps from the White House at Freedom Plaza, 14th & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, starting at 7:00 p.m. Read more...
Groups Launch Ads in Support of House Clean Energy Bill
Jun 23, 2009 - As Congress marshals us closer to a clean energy economy that creates green jobs, boosts national security and protects our planet, SEIU and coalition groups including the Blue Green Alliance and Sierra Club launched a major advertising campaign last week, urging Congress to pass and strengthen the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES). Read more...
Jobs of today AND tomorrow are green jobs
Jun 23, 2009 - Between 1998 and 2007, the number of jobs in our country's emerging clean energy economy grew nearly two and a half times faster than overall jobs, according to a study by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Study results show that the renewable energy industry is creating a diverse range of well-paying jobs in every single state, across all skill levels and educational backgrounds. Read more...
Meet HAARM: Healthy Americans Against Reforming Medicine
Jun 23, 2009 - Is it just me, or do our opponents sound crazier every day? Take opponents of health care reform; they're spending millions of dollars on TV ads that call the President's plan "socialism," "rationing," and "a government takeover." It sort of makes you wonder - where do these people come up with this stuff? Meet HAARM: Health Americans Against Reforming Medicine - www.haarm.org Read more...
Seeking Alpha seeking your thoughts on what to do with Ken Lewis
Jun 22, 2009 - Financial website Seeking Alpha's instablogger Jim Van Meerton poses an open question: what to do with Bank of America's CEO Ken Lewis? Read more...
Catholic Bishops and Labor Unions Announce Agreement on Respecting the Rights of Healthcare Workers
Jun 22, 2009 - The new report, "Respecting the Just Rights of Workers: Guidance and Options for Catholic Healthcare and Unions," renews the Bishops' call to Catholic health care employers to support the rights of workers to choose to join a union free from intimidation or harassment. Read more...
Maine small business owner: U.S. Chamber's attacks on healthcare hurt small businesses
Jun 22, 2009 - In response to recent attacks from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Maine small business owner Lisa McSwain advocated for healthcare reform to help other small businesses struggling with growing healthcare costs. Read more...
WashPost Opinion Piece: "Lessons From The Holocaust Museum Shooting"
Jun 22, 2009 - Last week, the Washington Post published an opinion piece authored by Valarie Long, the Vice President of SEIU Local 32BJ. In the piece, Long recognizes the importance of the job that security officers perform each and every day, raises the need for improved standards on the job, and offers her condolences to the family of Officer Johns. Read more...
Study Depicts Tough Times for Food Service Workers, Offers Recommendations
Jun 22, 2009 - Thousands of school food service workers in New Jersey are living at or near poverty, according to a new study from Rutgers University's Center for Women and Work. The study, authored by Dr. Mary McCain, addresses the scope of the problem in general, and then offers recommendations to fix these problems. Read more...
Victory in Fresno! Home Care Workers Vote to Stay with SEIU UHW
Jun 22, 2009 - Fresno County home care workers voted to keep SEIU-UHW as their union by a vote of rejecting an attempt by a group of ousted union leaders to split the workers off into a new organization. Read more...
What was your Dream?
Jun 19, 2009 - Remember what it was like when you had a dream? For many immigrant students their dreams of pursuing higher education can't be realized because of their immigration status - even though they may have lived here most of their lives. Read more...
U.S. Chamber to the Senate: Unions are right, we're total hypocrites
Jun 18, 2009 - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce just released a letter to the Senate, detailing the corporate group's hypocrisy in opposing first contract arbitration in the Employee Free Choice Act. The U.S. Chamber was apparently reeling from recent newspaper ads highlighting their two-faced approach to the issue, and wanted to explain itself to the Senate. Read more...
Documentary "The Philosopher Kings" portrays culture of janitors
Jun 18, 2009 - In the new film "The Philosopher Kings," eight extraordinary janitors throw off the cloak of invisibility to give us an extraordinary look into their lives. Read more...
Letter from the "Other" Washington: Meet SEIU Grassroots Lobbyist Susie Young
Jun 18, 2009 - Nine SEIU members and workers from key states across the country have relocated to Washington, DC this spring for a three-month long stint as a Grassroots Lobbyist (GRLs) on Capitol Hill. Meet Susie Young, one of the amazing grassroots lobbyists who has spent the last few months fighting the good fight with SEIU here in D.C. "This has been one of the best experiences of my life," says Susie of her time spent as a GRL. Read more...
CA lawmakers reject Schwarzenegger's pay cuts to state workers and reduce cuts to home care
Jun 18, 2009 - On Tuesday, lawmakers on the California Legislature's joint budget committee refused to cut state worker pay and spared that state's In-Home Support Services the major cut that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed as part of his plan to solve the state's $24.3 billion deficit. Read more...
NBC/WSJ Poll: 76% of Americans Support Public Health Insurance Option
Jun 18, 2009 - Congress can't seem to reach a consensus, but the American people have overwhelmingly made up their minds: we need a public health insurance option. A new poll conducted by NBC and the Wall Street Journal is the latest in a series of polls to show convincing support for a choice between a private or public health insurance plan among the American people. Read more...
Justice for Janitors Day: 19 Years of Fighting for Justice
Jun 17, 2009 - June 15th has been observed for 19 years in the U.S. as Justice for Janitors Day, a day when janitors and other workers who secure, clean, and maintain office buildings demonstrate for justice. Read more...
UAW Calls for an End to the Fight
Jun 17, 2009 - Read the letter from UAW President Ron Gettlefinger urging UNITE HERE's President to settle his dispute with Workers United/SEIU for the good of all workers. Read more...
Round One of U.S. Chamber's "Free Enterprise" Campaign? Opposing Consumer Protections.
Jun 17, 2009 - We learn today that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is adamantly opposed to a consumer-friendly regulatory agency. Read more...
White House Messaging on Health Care Worth Repeating
Jun 17, 2009 - President Obama's speech to the American Medical Association earlier this week was filled with clarity, reason and vision, as he made his case for a health care system overhaul and proposed ways to fund reform. Here's a particularly great messaging point from the President's speech that's worth repeating (often). Read more...
Top 10 Historical Chamber of Commerce Quotes Against Healthcare
Jun 17, 2009 - When the US Chamber of Commerce opposed early versions of the healthcare bill Tuesday, we weren't surprised. This is, after all, the same group that colorfully told the Associated Press it was "time to unload the powder and fill the musket" in their fight against health care reform. Read more...
State Legislators to the Hill: We Need Health Care Reform
Jun 17, 2009 - 700 state legislators from every state have signed on to a letter to the President, HHS Secretary Sebelius, and leaders in Congress, asking them to support the key ingredients for real health care reform. And, today, a delegation of legislators from around the country will be on Capitol Hill to meet with the White House and deliver the letter. Read more...
In Mexico, SEIU's Eliseo Medina Calls for Cross-Border Solutions to Fix Broken Immigration System
Jun 17, 2009 - This week, SEIU Executive VP Eliseo Medina is in Mexico City meeting with key legislators and labor leaders on the importance of working together to improve labor rights and economic opportunities for workers on both sides of the border. And in other immigration reform news... Read more...
Begging For Change
Jun 16, 2009 - The Maine Change That Works campaign launched "Begging for Change," a multimedia effort to highlight Maine families' urgent need for comprehensive health care reform that includes an affordable public health insurance option. Read more...
U.S. Chamber and Tyson Foods Fought Workplace Safety Measures
Jun 16, 2009 - On Friday, a U.S. District Court in Arkansas ruled that Tyson Foods Inc. must pay a $500,000 fine for "willfully" violating workplace safety regulations that led to the 2003 death of Jason Kelley, a maintenance worker at its River Valley Animal Foods plant in Texarkana. Read more...
Big Business' Two-Faced Approach to Arbitration
Jun 16, 2009 - Many corporations--like the Chamber-- praise arbitration when it favors them, but oppose it in settling first contracts--and will use any tactic they can to avoid paying their employees better wages and benefits. Supporters of the freedom to form unions are fed up with delays that favor employees, and American Rights at Work has launched a campaign to point out the hypocrisy of Big Business on arbitration. Read more...
We thought an elephant never forgot?
Jun 16, 2009 - The National Republican Senatorial Committee is planning on going after Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), according to a Roll Call article today. Yet the NRSC seems to have already forgotten the lessons of the 2008 campaigns, in which groups spent millions attacking Democrats on Employee Free Choice only to see those candidates go on to win--with voters approving Employee Free Choice by a considerable margin. Read more...
CNBC Fail: Anchors compare Iran elections to Employee Free Choice Act
Jun 16, 2009 - Yesterday, CNBC's Jim Cramer and Erin Burnett made a ridiculous, irresponsible statement. Cramer and Burnett compared the aftermath of Iran's recent election to what would happen under the Employee Free Choice Act. This is irresponsible journalism at its "finest." Jim Cramer and Erin Burnett need to hear from you now about their reckless reporting. Read more...
Workers March in Portland: "What Do We Want? Fairness!"
Jun 16, 2009 - After numerous songs, slogans, speeches and a march across Portland's Hawthorne Bridge, the message came down to a simple chant rising from Terry D. Schrunk Plaza and echoing off the Portland skyscrapers around it: "What do we want? Fairness! When do we want it? Now!" With that, about 2,500 SEIU Local 503 members and allies concluded the United for Oregon rally against state budget cuts and layoffs last Sunday. Read more...
"Lighting the Night": Demand healthcare equity for all
Jun 16, 2009 - Healthcare must go beyond simply expanding coverage to all the uninsured Americans, it must put us on a path towards healthcare equality. Every person, no matter the color of their skin deserves affordable, accessible healthcare of the highest quality. On June 24th, healthcare justice activists from all across the country are convening in Washington, DC to demand healthcare reform that truly works for everyone. Read more...
President Obama Mentions Nashville Small Business Owners
Jun 16, 2009 - President Obama in his health care reform address to the American Medical Association in Chicago, mentioned Becky and Chris Link, two small business owners and Change that Works Tennessee activists Read more...
President Obama addresses the AMA; Doctors say public health insurance option must be part of health care reform solution
Jun 15, 2009 - In his 50 minute address to the American Medical Association at the group's annual convention in Chicago, President Obama reiterated his strong support for a truly national public health insurance plan, calling the current state of the nation's health care system a "ticking time bomb." Read more...
Chamber of Commerce Defends Bonuses, Bailouts, and the Broken Healthcare System on Fox News Sunday
Jun 15, 2009 - Yesterday U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue appeared on Fox News Sunday, and in the course of a 15-minute interview, defended taxpayer-funded bonuses, championed a broken healthcare system, and brushed off concerns about bailed out companies. Read more...
Stop Squeezing the Middle Class: Former Labor Secretaries Reich and Marshall on Employee Free Choice
Jun 15, 2009 - In the past 50+ years that have passed since America's middle class was expanding and the economy was soaring, former labor secretaries Robert Reich and Ray Marshall have seen an economy weakened by a combination of personal greed, individual irresponsibility and unsustainable financial conditions. In Sunday's Chicago Tribune, Reich and Marshall explain why the Employee Free Choice Act is necessary if our economy is to succeed. Read more...
SEIU's International Executive Board of SEIU Adopts Landmark Ethics & Standards Package
Jun 15, 2009 - At the June 11-13 meeting of the International Executive Board (IEB) of SEIU, the highest governing body of the union between conventions, board members voted unanimously over the weekend to adopt a rigorous and sweeping package of ethical standards and practices to be applied union-wide. Read more...
Coalition of Doctor Organizations: "Our Patients Deserve the Choice of a Public Health Insurance Option"
Jun 15, 2009 - A coalition of 8 organizations representing over 200,000 physicians and physicians-in-training, including SEIU's Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) and Doctors Council, issued a statement this morning in support of achieving health care reform this year, including the creation of a robust, high-quality public health insurance option. Read more...
BofA & Merrill: "Who was holding the shotgun?"
Jun 15, 2009 - There are two storylines that Bank of America has been pushing about its decision to go through with the Merrill Lynch acquisition, even after it became clear that Merrill was facing billions in losses. Did the Fed force BofA into a shotgun wedding, or is it possible that BofA put a shotgun to the head of the broader economy in order to get political and economic cover for a bailout that it needed anyway? Read more...
SEIU Workers in Puerto Rico Lead March Against 30,000+ Layoffs
Jun 15, 2009 - Led in part by SEIU Local 1996 in Puerto Rico, close to 100,000 union members, students, and other activists marched in front of the capitol building in San Juan last week to protest Governor Luis Fortuño's plan to lay off more than 30,000 government employees and suspend public sector collective bargaining rights. Read more...
Illinois home care worker on budget cuts: "When you take jobs away from poor people, it's only going to create more poor people."
Jun 15, 2009 - As a home care worker in Chicago, Rebia currently receives a $9.85 an hour, her only source of income. Billions in budget cuts to critical human services programs are set to take effect on July 1st - leaving 80,000 working parents without child care, over 40,000 seniors and people with disabilities without home care and countless other families devastated by drastic cuts to the programs they depend on. Read more...
Senators push for wage and hour protections for home care workers
Jun 13, 2009 - A group of 15 Senators led by Senator Harkins (D-IA) have sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, urging the Department of Labor to expand federal wage and hour laws to an estimated 1.5 million home care workers in the U.S., one of the fastest-growing professions in the country today. Read more...
Maryland Family Child Care Contract Victory!
Jun 12, 2009 - 5,000 family care providers in Maryland won their first contract with the Department of Education and the Governor's Office yesterday. The historic contract includes a nearly three-percent increase in the state subsidy, access to decision-making committees, and the creation of a new Training Committee of state officials and child care providers to recommend future improvements. Read more...
It's On Your Kitchen Table
Jun 12, 2009 - President Obama last week indicated that we must provide Americans with the option of a public health insurance plan. Now it's time to convince Congress; and the strongest proof that our current health care system is broken is probably sitting on your kitchen table - your medical bills. Read more...
Take Action In Arizona
Jun 12, 2009 - From the SEIU Comprehenive Immigration Reform Campaign team: Dear Friend,Hi, I'm Joaquin Guerra and I'm an online organizer for Comprehensive Immigration Reform with the Service Employee's International Union (SEIU).Right now, Arizona is facing a $3 billion budget deficit, some legislators... Read more...
Are healthcare workers on TV realistically depicted?
Jun 12, 2009 - Two new TV dramas about registered nurses - "Nurse Jackie" on Showtime and "Hawthorne" on TNT - premiere during the month of June. They join a host of TV programs that are set in hospitals, such as Grey's Anatomy, House and Scrubs. Do you any of the programs accurately depict the lives of healthcare workers, and is your situation reflected in any of these programs? Read more...
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Stands Up for its Constituents: Ken Lewis and Bank of America
Jun 12, 2009 - Yesterday the U.S. Chamber of Commerce saw fit to stand up for Bank of America's disgraced ex-Chairman and current CEO Ken Lewis. Lewis testified to the House Oversight Committee about the bank's purchase and subsequent bleeding of Merrill Lynch. Read more...
500 Workers at Boston's Caritas Carney Hospital Vote to Join 1199SEIU
Jun 12, 2009 - Workers at Boston's Caritas Carney Hospital, part of Caritas Christi Health Care and the largest community-based hospital system in Massachusetts, voted overwhelmingly to join 1199SEIU. In April, more than 800 workers at Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston also voted to join 1199SEIU. Read more...
Change to Win Campaign Spotlight: "Cure CVS"
Jun 11, 2009 - The plentiful number of CVS store locations is a high convenience factor most consumers appreciate--but the more you learn about the way the company is run, the less welcoming that development may seem. Read more...
SEIU's Andy Stern--A Key Player in Healthcare Reform
Jun 11, 2009 - The PBS NewsHour has identified SEIU President Andy Stern as a key player lobbying for healthcare reform. Read more...
OSHA Offers $6.9 in Grants for Worker Safety and Health Training
Jun 11, 2009 - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) role is to promote the safety and health of America's working men and women. OSHA is now soliciting applications for nearly $7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants available to nonprofit organizations, including labor unions and community-based and faith-based organizations that are not an agency of a State or local government. Read more...
Officer Johns: A True Hero
Jun 11, 2009 - No doubt, you've likely heard about yesterday's tragic shooting incident at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, where security officer Stephen T. Johns tragically lost his life. The event is a bitter reminder about the importance of these brave men and women who serve as the "first line of defense against a terrorist attack," and the methods that can be taken to ensure their safety while on the job. Read more...
Public Employees Notch Two Victories in Keystone State
Jun 11, 2009 - Workers in two counties on opposite sides of Pennsylvania-- Montgomery County and Westmoreland County--voted late last month to unite for a voice with SEIU Local 668--Pennsylvania's Social Services Union. Read more...
10 Questions to Ask Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis at House Testimony on Disastrous Merrill Lynch Purchase
Jun 11, 2009 - Ahead of Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis' testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, we put together the top ten questions that employees, consumers, taxpayers and shareholders would like reporters and legislators to ask Ken Lewis. Read more...
Colorado Small Businesses Endorse Employee Free Choice Act
Jun 11, 2009 - Today, 225 Colorado businesses released a "directory" featuring businesses that support the Employee Free Choice Act. In this economic crisis, we have a duty to support entrepreneurs and start-up companies in building sustainable, long-term successful businesses, rather than being forced to compete against irresponsible companies in an unwinnable, low-wage race to the bottom. Read more...
Time for Answers: Bank of America's Ken Lewis to Testify on Capitol Hill
Jun 10, 2009 - Tomorrow, Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis will face tough questioning in his testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. This will be Lewis' first trip to Capitol Hill since Bank of America failed the federal government's stress tests and a coalition led by SEIU delivered nearly 100,000 "Taxpayer Proxies" demanding that the Bank fire Ken Lewis. Read more...
Danny Glover: "Binding Arbitration, Sooner the Better"
Jun 10, 2009 - Hollywood actor Danny Glover has always used his celebrity to support unions and organizing drives, pro-worker political candidates and the Employee Free Choice Act, saying "I will always be a union activist, and I am proud of that." Today on the Huffington Post, Glover urges binding arbitration as a path to end to the conflict around the dissolution of the UNITE HERE merger. Read more...
SEIU exposes U.S. Chamber of Commerce's record of fighting common-sense legislation
Jun 10, 2009 - The very same day that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced a $100 million campaign to "defend the free market system," SEIU announced a campaign of its own: to expose the Chamber's record of opposing working families and common-sense legislation that would help our economy. Read more...
New online campaign for Employee Free Choice: Stand with working people, not greedy CEOs
Jun 10, 2009 - Yesterday SEIU launched an online campaign asking senators to stand with working people, not greedy CEOs, on the Employee Free Choice Act. In addition to putting out the four web videos, the SEIU is also launching email campaigns targeting the five senators, with much the same message and aim. Read more...
What would you ask BofA CEO Ken Lewis?
Jun 10, 2009 - This Thursday, Ken Lewis will be in front of Congress to answer questions about Bank of America's business practices. If you're an employee of Bank of America, here's an opportunity for you: What do you want to ask Ken Lewis? Submit your questions at http://letstalkbanks.com/ask/ Read more...
Organizing for America unveils its "Health Care Action Center"
Jun 10, 2009 - After holding its Health Care Organizing Kickoff this weekend with thousands of house parties across the country, Organizing for America unveiled its "Health Care Action Center." Read more...
SEIU Study Reveals $34.7 billion in "The Hidden Branch of Government": Unfulfilled California Vendor Contracts Canceled
Jun 10, 2009 - Yesterday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an executive order calling for all unfulfilled state department vendor contracts to be canceled. Schwarzenegger's recognition of the vendor waste is just the tip of the iceberg--SEIU Local 1000 believes the California government is hiding $34.7 billion in some 13,600 vendor contracts. Read more...
Senate HELP Committee releases draft of Healthcare Reform legislation
Jun 09, 2009 - It's been 15 years since Congress and our President last tried to fix the health care crisis in America. Today, the draft of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee's bill of health care reform legislation was released: the Americans Health Choices Act. Read more...
24 Hours of Twitter
Jun 09, 2009 - Thanks to the hard work of the Iowa Change that Works, our 24 hours of health care stories campaign on Twitter was a tremendous success. Read more...
New York State employees reach agreement with Gov. Paterson to preserve services, jobs
Jun 09, 2009 - The Public Employees Federation of New York, an SEIU affiliate, reached an agreement with the state's governor that saves the state billions, avoids layoffs, preserves services and protects union contracts. Read more...
Healthcare for Organizing Kickoff
Jun 08, 2009 - On Saturday, SEIU's Change that Works campaign joined with Organizing for America and thousands of volunteers to host Health Care Organizing Kickoff events in their communities. Read more...
When did layoffs become 'acceptable'? Put working families above Cisco profits
Jun 08, 2009 - As janitors and community supporters continue their hunger strike outside of Cisco Systems corporate headquarters in San Jose, Mercury News columnist Mike Cassidy has written a thought-provoking column about the corporate strategy of treating layoffs as 'par-for-the-course' events that are the cost of doing business in this downtrodden economy. Read more...
@ChuckGrassley: Who's Tweeting Whom?
Jun 08, 2009 - While telling the President he "has some nerve" as well as asserting "I'm no NAIL" might raise some eyebrows, we're not here to school Senator Grassley on the finer points of inter-netiquette. Rather, SEIU's Change that Works campaign is taking advantage of the Senator's connectivity to reach out directly and influence him where it counts: to reform our country's health care. Read more...
Quickening the Pace of Progress: Obama's Roadmap to Recovery
Jun 08, 2009 - At a Cabinet meeting on Monday, President Barack Obama promised to speed federal money into hundreds of public works projects this summer, vowing that 600,000 jobs would be created or saved in the second hundred days--four times the number created or saved in the first 100 days. Read more...
What Are You Going to Do About Health Care Reform? (Colorado)
Jun 08, 2009 - This weekend, inspired by Chris Dodd & the hardworking volunteers in Organizing for America, I set out to document what ideas people had for reforming health care in America. Read more...
24 Hours of Health Care Tweets to @ChuckGrassley
Jun 08, 2009 - This weekend, Sen. Grassley made news on Twitter yet again with a controversial pair of "tweets" he sent early Sunday morning, criticizing President Obama's call for lawmakers to begin delivering on health care reform while overseas honoring D-Day in France. Read more...
Gov. Dean Gets Fired Up in Delaware
Jun 08, 2009 - On May 29th, SEIU hosted an event with Gov. Howard Dean to discuss health care reform with people in Wilmington, Delaware. Watch a clip of Howard Dean reacting to a story from a local resident who was forced to file for divorce in order to afford cancer treatment. Read more...
"Lethal Weapon" Danny Glover Headlines Union Rally in Niagara Falls
Jun 05, 2009 - Workers United members turned up the spotlight as Hollywood actor Danny Glover chanted union slogans on the picket line with employees of Courtyard by Marriott. Courtyard Marriott has refused to negotiate a collective agreement with recently organized workers. Read more...
Janitors in midst of 7-Day hunger strike protesting Cisco Systems
Jun 05, 2009 - For two days now, dozens of janitors janitors, members of faith and community supporters have had absolutely nothing to eat, only drinking water as they determinedly camp out outside of Cisco's corporate headquarters in San Jose. The janitors at Cisco Systems first began protesting the corporation--which currently has more than $34 billion in cash assets on hand--when contractor ABM Industries Inc. laid off more than 40 percent of its total janitorial workforce in February. Read more...
SEIU Endorses Feingold Bill To Help Displaced Workers Find Health Care Jobs
Jun 05, 2009 - SEIU has endorsed Community-Based Health Care Retraining Act legislation reintroduced by Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wis.). The new version of the bill, formerly introduced in 2004, 2005 and 2007, would establish a program to distribute grants to colleges and other institution to retrain workers in areas of high unemployment to take jobs in healthcare. Read more...
Nationwide Poll: Comprehensive Immigration Reform Enjoys Widespread Public Support
Jun 05, 2009 - The American people want our country's broken immigration system to be fixed--and they want Congress to make it happen within the year. According to new polling, public support for comprehensive immigration support remains unwavering despite the country's economic downturn. Read more...
LGBT Community Comes Out to Support SEIU UHW Home Care Members
Jun 05, 2009 - Friends and allies of SEIU are celebrating Pride month in a special way this year: Joining with home care workers in Fresno to protect their union and to keep their union voice strong in SEIU UHW. Read more...
Tell the Senate: Don't Listen to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Jun 05, 2009 - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce really stepped in it this week. The multi-million dollar corporate group flew in hundreds of CEOs and other businesspeople to pressure your senators into doing nothing to help working people. But boy, did it not go well for the U.S. Chamber. Write to your senators now. Read more...
Conservatives for Patients' Rights "Bulldozer" Ad Check
Jun 05, 2009 - Our health care activists have kept a watchful eye on ad buys by Rick Scott's "Conservatives for Patients' Rights," and with good reason. Scott's ads have contained demonstrably false material, misleading excerpts of interviews, and blatant fear-mongering in an attempt to swift-boat health care reform. Read more...
Eliseo Medina: Why Immigration Reforms Matters
Jun 04, 2009 - At the America's Future Now! conference in Washington, DC on Tuesday, Medina addressed attendees on why comprehensive immigration reform is an important issue to support. Watch the video of his speech. Read more...
Momentum for comprehensive immigration reform continues to build with introduction of "Reuniting Families Act"
Jun 04, 2009 - Today, Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) introduced the "Reuniting Families Act," marking the first time in Congressional history that same-sex couples have been included as part of a multi-issue immigration bill. Read more...
Really, Canada?
Jun 04, 2009 - The right wing's bizarre attack on Canada's health care system continues. Why attack Canada? Because it's easier than defending the broken U.S. health care system. The recent media blitz on our neighbors to the north reminded us of the, ahem, sophisticated story line in South Park's 1999 feature film. (Watch our video) Read more...
The Chamber of Commerce and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Lobbying Day
Jun 04, 2009 - From the moment they flew people to Washington, DC to lobby against the Employee Free Choice Act, things were just not going the Chamber of Commerce's way...From bringing a major labor law violator to lobby on behalf of (wait for it...) labor law reform, to getting caught in a lie by Sen. Feinstein, this can't be how the Chamber wanted their lobbying week to go. Read more...
Denied the Right to Bargain: Why We Need First Contract Arbitration
Jun 04, 2009 - The goal of workers seeking to form a union is to sit at the table with the employer and bargain an agreement on their wages, benefits, and working conditions. Gaining union representation can be a long and arduous process for workers. Even when workers are able to form a union, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) fails them because so many are denied the right to collectively bargain with their employer. Read more...
Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act Gains Support from Shipyard in Kittery
Jun 04, 2009 - Last week, the Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act billboard kicked off with style in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Covered in an article by Seacoast Online, the purpose of the tour is to urge Senators Snowe and Collins to support the Employee Free Choice Act by showing the real-life workers behind the movement against worker intimidation. Read more...
Anna Burger Speaks Out on Excessive Corporate Pay
Jun 03, 2009 - Yesterday, SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger addressed a conference sponsored by the Institutional Investor Education Foundation on retrieving the excessive pay and bonuses corporate CEOs received as they helped drive the nation's economy down. Read more...
The Real Face of Schwarzenegger's Cuts to Home Care
Jun 03, 2009 - Governor Schwarzenegger says he thinks every day about the people who will be affected by his proposed cuts to health care will affect. "I know the consequences of those cuts are not just dollars," said the Governor to lawmakers yesterday. "I see the faces behind those dollars." Fresno area home care provider Carlos Martinez and his wife Mikesha Martinez show the real face of those who would be impacted the most by these cuts. Read more...
This Saturday, it begins
Jun 03, 2009 - President Obama indicated this week that he wants a health care bill that provides quality, affordability, and accessibility--and that the key to achieving all three of those goals is the public health insurance option. Let's be clear - this is big news for health care reform. Read more...
Industrial and Labor Relations Expert: The System Is Failing
Jun 03, 2009 - In an opinion piece published by the Washington Post this morning, industrial and labor relations scholar Kate Bronfenbrenner writes about the obstacles facing workers today. The system itself, she states, is failing "to defend workers' rights in a timely manner" and creates "delays that favor employers." That, in itself, is a large reason to support the Employee Free Choice's "first contract arbitration" section. Read more...
Stern: Unionized companies are a driving force in our economy
Jun 03, 2009 - Today, SEIU International President Andy Stern made the following statement in response to comments by New York Times reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin and MSNBC's "Morning Joe" cast on the effectiveness of unionized companies. Read more...
Video: Canvassing for Fresno Home Care
Jun 03, 2009 - In this new YouTube video, SEIU UHW member and upcoming leader Frank Valdez canvasses for the first time with mentor May Santiago in Fresno. "It's very important to take care of these folks at home, and that's why I'm here," says Frank, on why he's fighting alongside his fellow union members in support of Fresno home care workers. Read more...
How about now? Reform Immigration FOR America
Jun 03, 2009 - Yesterday, a broad coalition of allies from labor, business, and community groups officially kicked off the national campaign Reform Immigration FOR America (RIFA)in Washington, DC. SEIU is a part of this exciting grassroots movement to reform immigration, and we invite you to join us. Read more...
Morning Joe Team Wakes Up on Wrong Side of Bed, Goes on Anti-Union Tirade
Jun 03, 2009 - This morning, the Morning Joe crew of MSNBC decided to go on an anti-union tirade. Clearly, they didn't drink the coffee handed to them by their unionized colleagues that help to get their show in the air. After a rant from "smart" money man Jim Cramer (who, in recent months, has admitted that he's "gotten a lot of things wrong" and that he "should do a better job") on the terribleness of unions, the entire on-air team decided to weigh in. Read more...
"Campaign for America's Future" Prepares the Way for Healthcare Reform
Jun 03, 2009 - More than 1,000 progressive leaders and activists have been in Washington, DC at the Omni Shoreham Hotel for the yearly America's Future Now! Conference, organized by Campaign for America's Future (CAF). The main 'event' of CAF's 2009 conference has been the launching of an $82 million campaign for healthcare reform, a collective effort involving more than 1,000 organizations that are part of Health Care for America Now behind President Obama's health care plan. Read more...
SEIU Vows to Block Governor Schwarzenegger's Assault on Home Care
Jun 02, 2009 - Governor Schwarzenegger gave a speech to the joint session of California legislatures this morning on the state's budget, pressing lawmakers to resolve the state's financial crisis, advocating a federal solution to do so that will devastate seniors, people with disabilities and the in-home care providers they depend on to survive. SEIU intends to fight the Governor's callous and immoral budget proposals and advance real solutions that enhance state and federal revenue, instead reducing funds for home care and other vital services Californians need. Read more...
Delivering Your Petitions to NBC Washington on Rick Scott's Infomercial: Watch the Video
Jun 02, 2009 - On Sunday, a group of DC residents delivered all 68,000 of your petitions to the NBC studios in Washington, demanding Rick Scott's phony infomercial be pulled. You should have seen the look on the producer's face when she saw the boxes of signatures waiting for her in the lobby. Read more...
Small Business Owner: Chamber of Commerce Speaks for Me like Burger King Speaks for Cows
Jun 02, 2009 - Today, Maine small business owner Ben Wootten spoke out on the congressional lobbying organized by the Chamber of Commerce against the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
"I'm too old to get rehired and too young for Social Security."
Jun 02, 2009 - This weekend, about 100 union service employees, police and firefighters in Orlando, FL, met to discuss budget cuts which would force them from their jobs. "It's not the unions causing the crisis. Read more...
Survey Results: The American Dream and the New Progressive Majority
Jun 02, 2009 - Change to Win released the results of the seventh in its ongoing series of American Dream surveys today, measuring views on how strong majorities of working Americans view the economy, the role of government, the American Dream, and the action agenda that is at the heart of the new progressive majority. Read more...
On June 6th, thousands of people are organizing for health care reform
Jun 01, 2009 - On June 6th, thousands of people just like you are beginning to organize for healthcare reform by hosting or attending a Healthcare for Organizing Kickoff with Organizing for America. We can win healthcare reform in the same way we won the election: building support one block, one neighbor, one conversation at a time. Please join us by signing up today. Read more...
155 Academics Urge Sen. Specter to Support the Employee Free Choice Act.
Jun 01, 2009 - Everyone's jumping on the train. Today 155 Pennsylvania college & university professors signed a letter asking Sen. Arlen Specter to support the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
Fighting to Protect Fresno Home Care
Jun 01, 2009 - They came from across Fresno County, California, the U.S. and Canada with one mission: to protect Fresno County home care. Between now and July 1st--the date the home care cuts are supposed to take effect--California home care workers, their families and supporters have much to fight for. Read more...
Take Action: SEIU Steps Ups with Open Left to Support a Public Healthcare Option
Jun 01, 2009 - SEIU has stepped up a campaign that allows Open Left readers a unique way to fight for the public option while simultaneously supporting Open Left: we will donate $1 to Open Left for every person who signs up for their healthcare campaign. Read more...
SEIU Members and Organizers Fight for Reform During Memorial Day Recess
Jun 01, 2009 - Across the country, SEIU members and Change that Works activists worked at a feverish pace to spotlight the value of reforming our broken healthcare system, with activities in Nebraska, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Montana, Ohio, Colorado and Delaware. Read more...
Over 68,000 Petitions Signed to Tell NBC and Meet the Press Not to Air Rick Scott's Phony "Documentary"
May 29, 2009 - This evening we received word that over 68,000 people (and counting!) have signed the petition calling for NBC not to air Rick Scott's "infomercial" attacking a public healthcare option that's set to air after Meet the Press on the network this Sunday. Read more...
Wells Fargo Officially Opposes Bid to Save Hartmarx from Liquidation
May 29, 2009 - The fight to keep creditor Wells Fargo from liquidating Hartmarx menswear factory appears to ramping up, as the bailed-out bank said today that it is opposing the $119 million bid by the British private equity firm Emerisque to save the bankrupt Chicago-based men's clothier...for the "good" of its workers. Read more...
Calling all DC Residents: Can you call the General Manager?
May 29, 2009 - Yesterday, we emailed about stopping Rick Scott's phony "documentary" from airing on Washington, DC's NBC4 after Meet the Press this weekend. Today, we're upping the ante. Read more...
Senator Vitter: You Can Run (for Re-Election) but You Can't Hide (from Your Voting Record)
May 29, 2009 - In a recent fundraising email, Senator Vitter attacked SEIU for exposing his votes against working families. But it's nothing compared to the hardships he's caused to middle and low-income Louisianans with his votes as the Junior Senator of Louisiana. Helene O'Brien, President of SEIU Local 21LA issued the following statement in response to Senator Vitter's most recent fundraising email. Read more...
Governor Schwarzenegger: Home Healthcare Is Not A Throw-Away!
May 28, 2009 - Today, SEIU home healthcare members closed their 48-hour vigil with a press conference on the steps of the California statehouse to protest drastic budget cuts which would drive home care workers into poverty and force seniors and people with disabilities into more restrictive and costly institutional settings Read more...
Blinding Greed
May 28, 2009 - An editorial in today's Wall Street Journal paints the current contract negotiation process as something that "works." Ask anyone who's been through the process, and they'll tell you that it works - but only for corporations. The employees, instead, tend to get the shaft. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of workers who form a union still don't have a contract after one year, and companies refuse to negotiate in good faith in over 28 percent of cases. Read more...
Rick Scott's 30-Minute Lie
May 28, 2009 - Rick Scott has a track record of deceit. Scott's previous ads contained blatantly false statements and misleading excerpts of interviews with health care professionals. Join us in telling NBC not to run this phony "documentary" this Sunday. Read more...
Progressive Revenue Options to Pay for Healthcare Reform
May 28, 2009 - Last week, SEIU Healthcare joined Citizens for Tax Justice and Health Care for America Now (HCAN) to release a report describing progressive revenue options to fund healthcare reform and the amount of revenue they are likely to raise. Read more...
Wal-Mart Responsible for Black Friday Trampling Death
May 28, 2009 - So what's the punishment for shocking corporate negligence that results in the death of a worker like in the case of Wal-Mart temporary employee Jdimytai Damour? OSHA hit them with the maximum fine allowable by law -- $7,000. Read more...
Healthy Families Act Would Guarantee Paid Sick Time for Workers
May 28, 2009 - Too many workers have jobs where they don't have any paid sick days for themselves, much less paid days off to care for a sick child or family members. to the introduction of The Healthy Families Act, introduced in Congress last week, to both sides of Congress last week by Senator Kennedy and Representative DeLauro. The legislation would allow workers to earn up to 7 days of paid sick time, with an accrual of one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Read more...
President Bartlett Pledges to Pass The Employee Free Choice Act
May 27, 2009 - You may have heard of President Obama's support for the Employee Free Choice Act, but today, Catholics for Working Families is launching an ad with another president's endorsement: President Bartlett (or, as he's known in the real world, Martin Sheen). Read more...
Stop Schwarzenegger's Cruel Cuts
May 27, 2009 - Two years ago, President Barack Obama walked a day in the shoes of SEIU home care worker Pauline Beck. Today, Pauline and home care workers across California face pay cuts of up to 33% -- from $12.10 an hour down to $8. Please send a message to the Governor telling him you strongly disagree with his misguided priorities--we're not going to let this happen without a fight. Read more...
24 Hours of Healthcare Stories in Nebraska
May 27, 2009 - Change that Works Nebraska kicked off their Memorial Day recess activities yesterday morning with their innovative 24 hours of Healthcare Stories Youtube campaign. Read more...
Sierra Club President Allison Chin: "An economy that treats workers fairly is fundamentally better for our planet"
May 27, 2009 - To mark the occasion of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Sierra Club President Allison Chin addressed a group of SEIU employees during a lunch lecture on the topics of grassroots activism, the Employee Free Choice Act and working together with labor in the Blue Green Alliance. Read more...
Thousands Gather in LA to Protest Cuts to California Home Care: Flickr Photo Slideshow
May 26, 2009 - Closing down streets, rally participants sent a clear message to Governor Schwarzenegger and Sacramento legislators that proposed cuts to the state's In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, which delivers in-home care to more than 400,000 seniors and people with disabilities, will not be tolerated. Check out the Flickr photo slideshow from the rally here. Read more...
Tonight in California: Thousands Begin 48-Hour Vigils to Protest Massive Cuts
May 26, 2009 - SEIU members, seniors home care givers and community supporters from across the state will hold vigils tonight on the grounds of the State Capitol to protest Schwarzenegger's proposed cutbacks that would reduce vital services to seniors and people with disabilities. Read more...
Joe the Plumber, now Jane the Patient?
May 26, 2009 - First, it was Rick Scott's Conservatives for Patients' Rights--which was essentially a front group for, um, Rick Scott. Now we've got Patients United Now (PUN), a front group of Americans for Prosperity (reminder: sponsor of the Joe the Plumber tour and world-class climate change deniers). Seems you can't have too many groups crying "CANADA!" in a crowded cable market. Read more...
Ruling of California Supreme Court to uphold Proposition 8 will not deter fight for marriage equality
May 26, 2009 - In a disappointing decision, the California Supreme Court announced on Tuesday that they are upholding the ban on same-sex marriage enacted by 52.3 percent of voters in November. "This ruling merely delays the day of regaining an important aspect of equality in California. It does not diminish the dignity of our members...or our determination to win equality in this country," said SEIU's Mary Kay Henry. Read more...
Baucus Embraces Insurance Option in Health Care Reform
May 26, 2009 - Montana's time in the political sun continues, as Sen. Max Baucus' role in national health care reform takes shape. Late last week, Baucus told reporters that he was fairly certain that health care reform with a public insurance option was very likely to be signed into law this year. Read more...
Judge Sotomayor's Nomination to the Supreme Court an Extraordinary Choice for Today and Tomorrow
May 26, 2009 - President Obama said he would appoint people to our courts who not only had brilliant legal minds, but who also understand how the law impacts the everyday lives of working families. Today he has fulfilled that promise by nominating U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Read more...
Stop Starbucks: Coffee Conglomerate Blocks Baristas from Joining Unions
May 26, 2009 - Our friends at Brave New Films are out with their latest campaign to expose corporate opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act. Next up: Starbucks. Read more...
24/7: Nebraskans Testify to the Need for Healthcare Reform (UPDATED)
May 26, 2009 - You hear it in the fields and the factories, from farmers and students and small business owners. It runs all the way from one end of our state to another, and cuts across all party lines. Nebraskans want real health care reform, and they're ready to demand action now. Read more...
SEIU Healthcare Turns Up the Heat During Memorial Day Recess
May 25, 2009 - While many will be enjoying BBQs and beach time this weekend, SEIU advocates of healthcare reform will be pushing their Members of Congress and neighbors to support measures like a public health insurance option that increases choice and reduces costs. Read more...
Remembering the DC Labor Map
May 22, 2009 - What's free and fun to do in DC over the holidays? A tour of current and historic labor sites! The brand new online DC Labor Map uses familiar Googlemaps technology to help you quickly and easily find dozens of fascinating labor art and historic labor sites, as well as union hotels and restaurants, international and local union organizations. Read more...
SEIU California Members Help Defeat Ballot Measures with Dangerous Cuts to Public Services
May 22, 2009 - By overwhelming margins, California voters rejected the false solutions on five ballot measures in the May 19th statewide special election, sending Gov. Schwarzenegger and the Legislature back to the drawing board. SEIU members helped defeat several propositions that would have hobbled the state's public services with devastating cuts to community-based mental health services, health care, education and child welfare. Read more...
43 Members of Congress Write in Support of Hartmarx Workers
May 22, 2009 - Yesterday, 43 Members of Congress issued a letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, asking him to weigh in on Wells Fargo's attempt to liquidate nearly 4,000 jobs at Hartmarx, a unionized suit manufacturer whose customers include President Obama. Read more...
Grassley Open to Public Health Care Plan Option
May 22, 2009 - Senator Grassley has been working hard to craft a health care legislation bill that works for everyone, and we applaud his considerable effort in the cause for quality, affordable health care reform. However, now is not the time to sacrifice the public health plan option for the sake of political compromise. Read more...
Big Interest Groups Throw a Hail Mary on Employee Free Choice
May 22, 2009 - A newly-formed coalition of religious leaders and people of faith--Faith Leaders for Workplace Fairness--publicly announced their support for the labor reform bill on a conference call with press last week, calling the legislation a "moral imperative" and a civil and human right. Over the last few days, several conservative websites and corporate interests have decided that such a coalition is unacceptable, because they apparently own all the stock on religion. Read more...
"Surviving the System" Lobby Day: Meet Amy Ingersoll
May 22, 2009 - On Wednesday, SEIU member lobbyists and healthcare activists joined the American Cancer Society Action Network, the Consumers Union and AARP in visiting more than 35 members of Congress to share their stories and experiences and drive home the critical need for healthcare reform. One activist came to Washington, DC all the way from North Dakota to lend her voice on the healthcare issues that matter most to her--meet Amy Ingersoll. Read more...
Job Loss Bad for Your Wallet AND Health (Employee Free Choice Act to the rescue!)
May 21, 2009 - Adding injury to insult, it turns out losing your job isn't just detrimental to your bank account: it's also bad for your physical and physiological health, according to a study in the latest issue of Demography. Read more...
No holiday for Health Care and Employee Free Choice campaigns
May 21, 2009 - Harley riders. Pancake breakfasts. Governor Howard Dean. What do they all have in common? They're just a few of the unique ways that SEIU's keeping our campaigns for health care reform and Employee Free Choice moving during the Memorial Day recess. Read more...
Sign Up and Tell Mark Fahelson: Walk A Day In Our Shoes
May 21, 2009 - On May 18th, Mark Fahelson, the Nebraska Republican Party Chairman, wrote an op-ed in Midland Voices entitled "Opposition to Employee Free Choice Act Only Sensible." We keep hearing parroted talking points and rhetoric from corporate-backed Republicans, when what we need to hear are the facts behind a bill that will help working families who are struggling to have a voice in their workplace. Read more...
Tell Governor Schwarzenegger: No more cuts to home care!
May 21, 2009 - Caring for others. It's probably the most important thing your mother ever taught you. But it's a lesson Gov. Schwarzenegger seems to have forgotten, because on May 14th the governor released a preview of his revised budget, which seeks to implement deeper cuts to the in-home care program by slicing the state's contribution toward home care worker wages by a staggering 20 to 30 percent. Read more...
Green jobs and energy are focus of President's first Economic Recovery Advisory Board meeting
May 20, 2009 - During the first quarterly meeting of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger and fifteen other board members discussed green jobs and energy with the President, sharing their expertise on the creation of a comprehensive energy plan that will generate millions of clean energy jobs. Read more...
People of Faith, Sen. Harkin Deliver Strong Message to Congress for Employee Free Choice
May 20, 2009 - Over 50 religious leaders from a range of diverse faiths and denominations came to Washington, DC to lobby members of Congress on support of the Employee Free Choice Act. The lobbying day begin with an early a.m. prayer breakfast at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center, followed a by press conference held with Sen. Tom Harkin. Check out our video of the event. Read more...
Missoulian Endorses Free Choice to Rebuild Middle Class
May 20, 2009 - Sociology professor Daisy Rooks of the University of Montana put the Employee Free Choice Act in its proper perspective with her glowing endorsement atop the editorial page of the Missoulian. Read more...
New Research Shows Rise of Corporate Intimidation and Threats Towards Workers for Supporting a Union
May 20, 2009 - The current system to form a union in the workplace is grossly slanted in favor of employers who too often use harassment and intimidation to stop unions and keep workers from getting a fair deal--and it's only gotten worse in recent years. A new EPI report reveals that employer tactics against workers' efforts to form unions have increased and become more punitive than in the past. Read more...
The GOP Health Care Proposal: More of the Same
May 20, 2009 - Republicans in Congress dusted off John McCain's health care proposal from the 2008 campaign and reintroduced it at a press conference in Washington today. The proposal, which serves as their counter to President Obama's plan for health care reform, replaces the coverage people have with an insufficient tax subsidy that doesn't even cover half of the average family's health care premiums. Read more...
Boardroom Shakeup at BofA?
May 20, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the feds are pressuring Bank of America to bring in directors that have more banking experience. What a novel idea! The folks in charge of overseeing the nation's largest bank should actually have some experience working with...banks. Read more...
Senate Overwhelmingly Passes the Credit Cardholder Bill of Rights
May 20, 2009 - Yesterday the Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass the Credit Cardholder Bill of Rights, which will strengthen consumers getting raw deals from the Big Banks. "Until we hold credit card companies accountable for intentionally trapping consumers into debt from which they cannot recover, we will continue to put the overall health of our economy at risk," said SEIU's Anna Burger after the vote. Read more...
Victory for New York City Security Officers
May 20, 2009 - After months of negotiations with national security contractors Allied Barton and FJC Security Services of Long Island, SEIU Local 32BJ security officers have won new union contracts that provide significant wage increases, employer-paid family health care and benefits for some 3,000 city-contracted security officers over the course of three years. Read more...
Proposed OSHA Standard Would Prevent Injury for Nurses and Healthcare Workers
May 19, 2009 - Last week, Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) laid the first steps toward the Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act (H.R. 2381). This legislation will require that healthcare facilities provide safe patient handling using mechanical lifts and develop injury prevention plans for healthcare workers who move patients. Read more...
The Party of No...Health Care? We Hope Not.
May 19, 2009 - Last Sunday, RNC Chair Michael Steele revealed his party's intentions when it comes to fixing our broken health care system. Watch Chairman Steele demonstrate why his party is now referred to as the "Party of No". Read more...
Hampton Worker Writes, "Level the Playing Field"
May 19, 2009 - Billy Mason works at a manufacturing company in Hampton, Virginia. After 24 years of service, Mason saw a decrease in real wages; health and retirement benefits. Mason believed that the only recourse for him and his fellow workers was to organize. The company fought him and fellow organizers steadfastly with smear and fear campaign speeches by management before each shift. Read more...
SEIU Local 721 members Turn Out to Support Mental Health Services
May 18, 2009 - At a rally held at the downtown Los Angeles state building on May 13th, SEIU Local 721 members and community advocates gathered to show support for mental health services and oppose the May 19 ballot measure, Proposition 1E. Read more...
Don't balance the budget on the backs of the mentally ill: Vote NO on Prop. 1E
May 18, 2009 - In 2004, the citizens of California voted to pass legislation intended to take a new pro-active approach to improving community-based health services for the state's most historically marginalized and vulnerable population: people struggling with mental illness. Now Gov. Schwarzenegger and state legislators want to pass a ballot measure, Prop. 1E, which raids $230 million a year from funds voters intended to direct to mental health services. Read more...
These Cuts Hurt
May 18, 2009 - Security officers who protect hospitals, medical staff, and patients at one of the nation's premier healthcare organizations just had their health coverage cut by their employer Securitas. Read more...
Making a House Call at Independence Hall
May 16, 2009 - Nearly 100 doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals gathered Friday in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in support of quality, affordable health care for all. Read more...
Dick Cheney: Wrong on Employee Free Choice (And Everything Else)
May 15, 2009 - Dick Cheney is out from his undisclosed location, this time with his sights set on the Employee Free Choice Act. In an interview with FOX News this week, Cheney criticized the Employee Free Choice Act while claiming to not be against working people. Watch our video on Dick's "greatest hits" here. Read more...
Why, What a Nice Plant You Have, Rick Berman
May 15, 2009 - You may remember Rick Berman from such corporate farces as, "Pesticides: Kids Love 'Em!" and "Second Hand Smoke: You Have Two Lungs for a Reason." Now get ready for the latest episode in Rick Berman's corporate hackery: planting a former employee and Wal-Mart lobbyist as a "Democrat against the Employee Free Choice Act." Read more...
Big Banks Liquidating Your Company? Let Us Know
May 15, 2009 - Today, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) launched a toll-free hotline and website--Keep America Working--to support small business owners and workers facing job loss because of frozen credit and liquidation at the hands of bailed-out banks. Visit www.keepworkinghotline.org if your company is facing liquidation threats from big banks. Read more...
Obama Administration Blocks Harmful Cuts to Homecare Workers
May 15, 2009 - In a victory for struggling homecare workers, the Obama Administration ruled last week that California's proposed cuts to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program violates the terms of the federal stimulus aid going to the state under the terms of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Read more...
Watch Andy Stern on the Charlie Rose Show
May 14, 2009 - SEIU President Andy Stern appeared on Charlie Rose last night to discuss the economic crisis and its impact on American workers. Watch it here. Read more...
Congress, Meet Your Partner in Health Care Reform: NURSES
May 14, 2009 - This week, hundreds of RNs flooded our nation's capitol, many of us with several decades of experience in patient care. We left our families and communities because this year-2009-is the year that Congress can finally fix our broken health care system. And it can't happen without nurses. Read more...
President Obama Reaffirms Support for the Employee Free Choice Act
May 14, 2009 - In a town hall meeting today in New Mexico, President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to passing the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would allow workers to bargain with their employers for better job security, wages and benefits. Watch Read more...
They Got the Message: CNN and Fox expose Rick Scott
May 14, 2009 - Yesterday morning, both CNN and FOX News confronted Rick Scott about his miserable record in the health care industry. It seems the nearly 20,000 emails you sent to CNN and FOX News were enough to get the message across, and now they're passing that message on to viewers: Rick Scott can't be trusted when it comes to health care. Read more...
Big Business Loves to Choose (When They Choose Themselves)
May 14, 2009 - In today's Washington Post, political columnist Harold Meyerson explains the importance of first contract arbitration in the Employee Free Choice Act, which is the second main plank of the legislation. Read more...
Artists Unite for Employee Free Choice
May 14, 2009 - Forty seven artists from the following unions: Actor's Equity; AFM; AFTRA; DGA; IATSE; SAG; WGAE and WGAW joined together with the AFL-CIO to produce this video in support of the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
New Video: The Epic Battle for Employee Free Choice
May 14, 2009 - Corporate lobbyists and executives are gearing up for their next round of attacks on the Employee Free Choice Act. But the next battle is bound to show them for who they are: greedy people who will do anything to hold onto their power. Watch our tongue-in-cheek video here. Read more...
Newt takes page out of Kanye playbook; enraged over Twitterjacking
May 14, 2009 - Lately a twitterer in the name of EFCANow has taken to trying to convert followers of Republicans Newt Gingrich and Saul Anuzis to sign a pro-Employee Free Choice petition--and Newt and Saul are so mad about it they're threatening to sue. Read more...
Georgetown Hospital Food Service Workers Beat Back Subcontracting Effort
May 14, 2009 - A proposal to subcontract out food service workers at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC was recently defeated by 1199SEIU members. Read more...
TPM Café hosting online forum on "the crime wave no one talks about"
May 14, 2009 - This week, the TPM Café Book Club is addressing the hosting a running discussion of Kim Bobo's book, Wage Theft in America: Why Millions of Working Americans Are Not Getting Paid --And What We Can Do About It. Read more...
National RN Day of Action
May 13, 2009 - Hundreds of nurses from SEIU, CNA and UAN convened in Washington, DC today for a national RN day of action. The day's activities included a morning nurses' conference, followed by a march to Upper Senate Park that grew in size along the way, gathering 500 nurses and another 500 patient advocates to rally for comprehensive health care reform. Read more...
Video: The Fight to Save Hartmarx Workers' Jobs
May 13, 2009 - On May 11, Workers United members at the Illinois Hartmarx facility voted unanimously to occupy their workplace if chief lender Wells Fargo moves to shut the factory down. Watch the short documentary released today on the events at the Hart Schaffner & Marx factory in Des Plaines, IL over the last week. Read more...
Video: Anna Burger on Labor's Role in Democracy
May 13, 2009 - "When workers had a voice on the job, when unionization was high and one in three workers had a union, not only was it good for those workers, it lifted up everybody," said SEIU's Anna Burger in an interview with the Brennan Center for Justice. "It raised the standards across America in terms of wages, healthcare, retirement security and the ability to give our kids a better life." Read more...
The Latest Victims of the Broken Health Care System: Medicare Recipients
May 13, 2009 - The big news out of Washington is that the Social Security and Medicare Trust funds are in worse shape than we thought. According to the Medicare Trustees' report released yesterday, we're going to exhaust Medicare by 2017 unless we take immediate action. Read more...
VP Biden's renewed support for Employee Free Choice: "If a union is what you want, then a union is what you should get"
May 13, 2009 - VP Joe Biden demonstrated once again today that he and the Obama administration stand firmly with working families in supporting passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Biden reiterated his opinion that labor unions are a big part of the solution in rebuilding our economy, saying there is "no way" for the administration to "level the playing field" without strengthening organized labor. Read more...
Maine's Veterans Support Employee Free Choice
May 12, 2009 - Last week, a group of Maine veterans gathered together in Portland to voice their support for the Employee Free Choice Act--and it's not only Maine's veterans who support the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
Shreveport Interfaith Leaders Fellowship for Employee Free Choice
May 12, 2009 - Faith leaders from Shreveport, LA and the surrounding areas gathered together today to rally around the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
Tell Wells Fargo: Save Jobs at Hartmarx
May 12, 2009 - The public gave Wells Fargo $25 billion in bailout funds, but rather than investing that money in American jobs by keeping credit flowing, Wells Fargo is considering cutting the cord. oment to sign a letter to Wells Fargo Executive Vice President John Stumpf asking him to choose a bidder who will save these jobs. Read more...
Is Bank of America Clueless?
May 12, 2009 - The bank was "shocked" at the Treasury's initial figure and "negotiated" to have the number lowered by about $20 billion. Of course this begs a question as to just how healthy BofA actually is. I mean, I've heard of accounting tricks, but I didn't know you can knock off 30% of your capital shortfall through "negotiations". That's one hell of an accounting trick! Read more...
Call the Senate: Support the Credit Cardholder Bill of Rights
May 12, 2009 - President Obama said he wants to sign a bill that protects credit card holders, but Big Banks are twisting the arms of your senators to get them to oppose even the most basic reforms. Make the call now: tell your senators to support the Dodd-Shelby amendment to the Credit Cardholder Bill of Rights. Read more...
SEIU Nurse Participates in White House Spanish-Language Town Hall on H1N1 Virus
May 12, 2009 - On Friday, SEIU Florida Healthcare nurse Patricia Diaz joined U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and a team of Spanish-speaking Administration officials from DHS and the CDC for a White House Town Hall to discuss Government's safety and prevention plans for the H1N1 virus. Read more...
New Hampshire Gathers for Mother's Day Delivery
May 11, 2009 - This year, we here at Change that Works decided to celebrate Mother's Day by helping out where it counts: in the battle for quality, affordable health care. Our volunteers showed their commitment to the mothers and families of New Hampshire by taking the time to hand deliver flowers and unfilled prescriptions to the offices of Senator Judd Gregg and Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Read more...
Hartmarx Workers Hold Rally with State Politicians & Labor Leaders After Sit-in Vote
May 11, 2009 - Hartmarx workers were joined by Rep. Phil Hare, Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and SEIU Illinois State Council president Tom Balanoff at a rally today at the Des Plaines, IL plant, following a unanimous vote by workers to stage a sit-in if Wells Fargo does not approve the sale of Hartmarx to a buyer that would keep it alive instead of liquidating it. Read more...
Hartmarx Workers Vote to "Sit In" to Save Their Jobs as TARP Recipient Wells Fargo Threatens to Close Factory
May 11, 2009 - Mirroring the six-day protest that helped save more than 250 Republic Windows and Doors workers from losing their jobs last December, Chicago-based Hartmarx factory workers voted unanimously this morning in favor of a "sit in" style action if chief lender Wells Fargo Bank or a new owner tries to begin liquidation or close the factory. Read more...
Why Today is a Game Changer
May 11, 2009 - SEIU is joining a diverse group of organizations at the White House today, unveiling a plan to reduce the cost of health care and jumpstart the drive toward real reform. The groups are teaming up with the Obama administration to curb health care costs through improved efficiency and higher quality of care. Read more...
As part of President Obama's Job Creation Plan, SEIU Calls for Passage of Employee Free Choice Act
May 11, 2009 - As President Obama laid out his latest plans to help the nation's unemployed millions, SEIU President Andy Stern called on Congress to implement the Employee Free Choice Act as a priority part of the President's job creation plan. Read more...
Report shows NJ food service workers get low pay, few benefits
May 08, 2009 - Thousands of school food service workers in New Jersey are living at or near poverty, according to a new report commissioned by SEIU Local 32BJ, which found that the average hourly wage for food preparation workers in educational services was only $8.15, and that most had no health benefits. Read more...
US Chamber: We Hate Arbitration. Except For When We Love It.
May 08, 2009 - In a post on the US Chamber of Commerce's blog, Brad Peck attempts to argue against our point that corporate lobby groups - such as the Chamber itself - were long for arbitration before they started assailing the process as a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad thing. Read more...
Calling It What It Is: Frank Luntz's Hit Job on Health Care
May 08, 2009 - Opponents of health care reform have been wringing their hands these last few months. Ever since America elected a president dedicated to fixing our broken system last November, it seems that no amount of spin can distract people from the fact that we're paying billions of dollars for a health care system that doesn't work. This week, as a last ditch effort, Republican spin-doctor Frank Luntz floated a confidential memo on how to scare Americans into believing health care reform is bad. The only problem: the memo was leaked. And, now, the media and members of Congress are calling his bluff. Read more...
Mayor Bloomberg walks a day in the shoes of SEIU 32BJ security officer
May 08, 2009 - "For me and for so many of my co-workers, the main issue is our healthcare," said Annie Davis, a 54-year-old New York security officer and SEIU Local 32BJ member during her day-long visit with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Read more...
Contracts Re-opening for 140,000 NYC Healthcare Workers
May 08, 2009 - Collective bargaining on behalf of some 140,000 hospital and nursing home workers are beginning this month in New York City. Representing 1199SEIU will be an elected Negotiating Committee of some 500 rank-and-file healthcare workers. They will be conducting parallel talks with representatives of the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes, and the Greater New York association of nursing homes. Read more...
Watch Live: Can the Netroots help make the Employee Free Choice Act law?
May 08, 2009 - SEIU's Michael Whitney is part of a round-table organized by Netroots Nation: "Can the Netroots help make the Employee Free Choice Act law?" It's on right now, from noon until 2pm ET, and you can watch it live. Read more...
First-time jobless claims drop
May 07, 2009 - The number of workers who filed for unemployment benefits for the first time last week fell unexpectedly---a possible sign that job losses in the U.S. could be moderating. Read more...
Corporate Lobbyists: We Were for Arbitration Before We Were Against It
May 07, 2009 - In a new round of attacks against the Employee Free Choice Act, corporate lobbyists and executives are showing their true, greedy selves. In recent weeks, corporate lobbyist groups such as the Center for Union Facts, the Chamber of Commerce, and conservatives like Newt Gingrich, have waged war to prevent workers from enjoying what CEOs take for granted: a contract. Read more...
Bank of America Fails "Stress Tests," Needs $34 Billion and Accountability
May 07, 2009 - Yesterday's federal government stress test results confirmed what concerned shareholders, taxpayers and bank employees have been saying all along--that Bank of America is failing taxpayers and our economy. Read more...
SEIU, Allies Working to Protect Community Mental Health Services in CA
May 07, 2009 - More than 200 community members joined elected officials, mental health advocacy organizations, and SEIU Local 1021 members at a forum last night to discuss the future of community mental health services in Sonoma County, CA. Read more...
New HHS Report: Decline in Patient Safety "Disturbing"
May 07, 2009 - The Department of Health and Human Services has released their National Healthcare Quality Report, which evaluates the quality of American health care based on data collected throughout 2008. This headline from the report sums it up: Health Care Quality Is Suboptimal and Continues To Improve at a Slow Pace Read more...
SEIU Members in Florida Defeat Anti-Union Ballot Initiative Designed to Undercut Workers' Rights
May 06, 2009 - SEIU members in Florida have helped beat an anti-union ballot initiative designed to undermine Employee Free Choice and deny workers their rights. Through a grassroots campaign, Florida members defeated the so-called "Save Our Secret Ballot" (SOSB) initiative, part of a national campaign led by big business and right-wing think tanks. Read more...
Point of View: What Prop. 1A really means for California
May 06, 2009 - The new rules under Prop. 1A would require massive savings even in bad years and would greatly reduce the funding available for public services. Prop. 1A won't reduce California's looming deficit for the 2009-10 budget by a single cent, and most of its provisions will not take effect for two years--years that should be spent hammering out real solutions to the state's budget and fiscal challenges. Read more...
Fixing Health Care: Put Your Hand In
May 06, 2009 - Sitting among the insurance executives, business leaders, and Washington lobbyists in the audience of yesterday's roundtable on health care reform were a handful of frontline caregivers from SEIU. They came from across the country to be on Capitol Hill yesterday, and they served as a powerful reminder of the people the debate over health care reform is really about - patients and their caregivers. Read more...
YouTube Video Contest: Why the Employee Free Choice Act & being in a union is important to LGBT workers
May 06, 2009 - To help give discrimination the "one two" punch, Stonewall Democrats and Pride At Work recently launched SharedAgenda.org to build support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the Employee Free Choice Act. Join this campaign by submitting a video that explains to Americans why we need to quickly pass both pieces of pro-equality legislation. Read more...
Recap & Pics: May 1st Immigration Rallies in NYC and Chicago
May 06, 2009 - Gray skies and rainy conditions in NYC and Chicago didn't deter thousands of community and labor activists from marching on May 1st to call on Congress and the Obama administration to reform the immigration system by providing a path to citizenship for 12 million undocumented workers. Read more...
On National Nurses Week, We're Calling a Code On Our Healthcare System
May 06, 2009 - We've decided today isn't going to be like any Nurses Day before it. This year, you can keep your flowers and candy because this year, RNs are demanding something real. We're calling a code on our broken health care system. Read more...
Andy Stern's Testimony to Congress: The Face of the Health Care Crisis
May 06, 2009 - SEIU President Andy Stern visited Capitol Hill Tuesday in one of the last official opportunities to provide input on health care reform before a final piece of legislation is drafted next month. Learn about the standards SEIU uses to measure the success of the healthcare system that works for America's working families. Read more...
Politico labels SEIU's Dennis Rivera a key player in healthcare debate
May 05, 2009 - This week, Politico dubbed SEIU Healthcare Chair Dennis Rivera "The Organizer" on their list of five people who could play a prime time role in affecting the course of health care reform. Read more...
Go Chuck!
May 05, 2009 - Today, SEIU President Andy Stern joined with a panel of health care advocates, insurance industry reps and other stakeholders at Sen. Baucus' second roundtable on health reform. The topic: reforming health care coverage. Read more...
Our Letter to Bank of America's New Chairman
May 05, 2009 - Last week, Bank of America's CEO, Ken Lewis, was ousted by the company's shareholders from his position as chairman of the board. At the same time, nearly 100,000 of you signed "taxpayer proxy cards" calling for Lewis' removal as CEO. Read more...
How (Not) to Join a Union
May 05, 2009 - Ever wonder how, exactly unions are formed? The Center for American Progress is out with a new video that explains the process step-by-step. Read more...
Illinois Workers United Suit Makers' Jobs On the Cutting Table
May 05, 2009 - Workers United members at the Hart Schaffner & Marx (known as Hartmarx) menswear factory in Des Plaines, IL, make suits for President Obama, but their jobs may not make the cut. Read more...
"Kids Can't Wait" Campaign Launch: Free Healthcare on Wheels
May 04, 2009 - Last weekend, SEIU Healthcare Michigan members and their families attended the Detroit launch of a national initiative called "Kids Can't Wait," a campaign which seeks to draw attention to the impact of the economic crisis on children's healthcare and expand health care services to disadvantaged children. Read more...
Your Voices: What Sen. Specter's Announcement Means for Us
May 04, 2009 - If you thought that Sen. Specter's party-affiliation change from a Republican to a Democrat meant an automatic endorsement from labor unions for his 2010 election...think again. In the memo Andy Stern sent to PA members late last week, he affirmed that we will maintain our ramped-up efforts to reach out to the Senator and let our concerns be known on the need for reform to our nation's labor laws. Read more...
What a week for immigration reform!
May 04, 2009 - This Friday, May 1, I joined SEIU Local 32BJ, SEIU members and thousands of immigration advocates from around the country to march from Malcolm X Park to the White House. What I saw was a group of workers standing up and standing together for better treatment. People who know that the labor they provide carries more value than they are receiving for it, and are raising their voices to call for real reforms now. Read more...
Who is Rick Scott?
May 04, 2009 - Recently, Rick Scott bought ads for his group "Conservatives for Patients' Rights" on CNN and FOX News networks. Join SEIU in calling on FOX News and CNN to adhere to their own policies and immediately cease running CPR's distortions. Read more...
This has to stop
May 03, 2009 - Next week, SEIU President Andy Stern will be going toCapitol Hill for a Senate roundtable on fixing health care and he wants to use your voice to tell the real story of this health care crisis. Will you take a moment to share your health care story? Read more...
New video shows anti-worker tactics Wal-Mart uses against employees
May 01, 2009 - A new documentary by UFCW that tells the story of Wal-Mart's war on their own workers. In the video, ten workers from coast-to-coast detail the company's response to their organizing efforts (hint: it's not exactly warm and fuzzy). Read more...
California: Interfaith Leaders Support Employee Free Choice Act
May 01, 2009 - Interfaith leaders gathered outside of Wal-Mart in Los Angeles to "renew a covenant with workers" and call for Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act. Wal-Mart has doggedly pursued anti-worker policies and is currently spending millions of dollars... Read more...
CPR Responds With No Refutation of Our Case
May 01, 2009 - Rick Scott's group, Conservatives for Patients' Rights (CPR), responded today to SEIU's written request to CNN and FOX News for removal of the group's ads. The ads, which were created by the same PR firm behind the now widely-discredited "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" ads in 2004, contain false statements and distortions that are intended to mislead the viewing public. Read more...
Los Angeles City Council Votes 13 to 1 in favor of Employee Free Choice
May 01, 2009 - Hours before the Bank of America: Enough action in Los Angeles April 28, the city council voted 13 to 1 for a resolution supporting the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...
May 1st marches across the country signal "new day" for immigration reform
Apr 30, 2009 - This May 1st, thousands of workers, labor leaders and community activists are taking it to the streets to demand justice for all workers and pressure Congress to pass humane reform that puts an end to the Bush administration's immigration policies. Read more...
Today's Hearing on Immigration Reform is Big Step Forward
Apr 30, 2009 - Today, SEIU Vice President Eliseo Medina testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security at a hearing on the need for passing comprehensive immigration reform in 2009. Read more...
Home Care Workers Unite With SEIU in Ontario and Nevada
Apr 30, 2009 - Home care workers from Ontario and Nevada are the latest workers to join SEIU in their growing campaign to raise standards and improve the quality of home care across North America and and set higher standards for thousands of home care aides. Read more...
SEIU Calls on CNN and FOX News to Pull Ads
Apr 30, 2009 - Yesterday, SEIU sent letters to FOX News and CNN requesting they pull a grossly misleading ad by Rick Scott's "Conservatives for Patients Rights." The ads, which contain false statements and misleading quotes from doctors, were produced by the same PR firm that created the now-widely discredited "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" ads against Sen. John Kerry in 2004. Read more...
The Big News - And What You Can Do NOW
Apr 30, 2009 - Senator Arlen Specter joined hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians who have left the Republican Party and announced that he would become a Democrat. In the past, he's risen above above partisanship to support working people - and we've worked with him on many important issues. Read more...
Huge News at Bank of America: Watch the Video
Apr 30, 2009 - Something remarkable happened yesterday. A majority of Bank of America's shareholders voted to oust Ken Lewis as Chairman of the company's board. This is huge. Shareholders cast an unprecedented vote of no confidence on Ken Lewis' leadership at Bank of America. It's the first step to real accountability at the financial giant. Read more...
Sounds and Silence: Workers Memorial Day
Apr 30, 2009 - Every April 28, the international labor movement stops to commemorate the lives and sacrifices of workers who never made it home, and to renew the struggle for safer and healthier workplaces. Read more...
Obama's First 100 Days: What he's done for workers
Apr 29, 2009 - Today marks the 100th day Obama has been in the Oval Office. "President Obama has made it clear from day one that we will not be able to rebuild our economy stronger than it was without a greater voice, and greater prosperity, for American workers," said SEIU's Anna Burger, highlighting workers' engagement during the Administration's first 100 days. Read more...
Video: 90,000 "Taxpayer Proxy Cards" Delivered to Bank of America
Apr 29, 2009 - Earlier, we delivered your 90,000 "Taxpayer Proxy Cards" to Bank of America, directly before the annual shareholder meeting. Read more...
Pictures from San Francisco with Mary Kay Henry
Apr 29, 2009 - SEIU Executive Vice President Mary Kay Henry led a rally and protest outside of Bank of America in San Francisco yesterday. It was a windy day, but 50+ activists gathered to call for reform at Bank of America. Read more...
Pictures from Today's Rally in Charlotte
Apr 29, 2009 - Fresh in from North Carolina, here are some picture's from today's event outside of the Bank of America annual shareholder's meeti