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.

Watch Doug tell his story here:

Sunday was Doug's birthday. His parents told our seacoast organizer, Israel, that they had tried planning a big birthday party for Doug, but he asked them to cancel it so that he could participate in our Sunday canvass. He said he would rather spend his birthday trying to win health care reform than eating cake.

Click here to wish Doug a Happy Birthday.

Did you attend a Labor Day event, 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--we'd love to showcase your footage on the SEIU Blog in the coming days.

Here's a photo from a great healthcare event that was held yesterday in Los Angeles:

« Submit your photos, audio or video from Labor Day here.

Visit SEIU's Labor Day 2009 page for facts on labor unions and health reform.

On Tuesday September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers marched from city hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first-ever Labor Day parade. Despite the threat of losing their jobs, participants took an unpaid day off to honor American workers and draw attention to grievances they had with employers.

And the list of grievances was long. During this time, the average American worked twelve hour days, seven days a week, just to make a basic living, with children as young as six toiling alongside adults.

As years passed, more states began to hold these parades, but Congress would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later. A bloody strike by railway workers brought the issue of workers' rights to the public eye and provoked Congress to officially make the first Monday of September Labor Day.

Today, it's not uncommon to hear the phrase "Unions: The Folks Who Brought You the Weekend." And the saying is true: unions won the eight-hour day standard we all enjoy today. What many people don't realize is that workers and their unions had to fight for the eight-hour day for nearly 3/4 of a century (beginning in August 1866) before any national reform was enacted. The dream of an eight-hour work day finally became a reality in 1938, when the New Deal's Fair Labor Standards Act made it legally a full day of work throughout the United States.

The Struggle Continues

Although many Americans have now come to associate Labor Day as just a day off from work or the end of summer relaxation, it's important not to forget the sacrifices of our brothers and sisters, whose brave acts earned us the working rights we now possess. Unions have historically laid the groundwork for impressive grassroots campaigns to strengthen America's middle class and rebuild the economy in hard times. As we face the greatest recession since the Great Depression, unions continue to be at the heart of efforts to pass healthcare reform, restore economic balance and bring prosperity to all Americans.

This Labor Day, 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. Help send Congress back to DC with a mission to reform healthcare by joining us at send-off rallies across the country.

Events being held by SEIU and HCAN across the country on Labor Day, September 7th in Arkansas, Colorado, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Washington state are listed after the break.

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.

OREGON: Members of SEIU Local 49 joined Congressman Kurt Schrader as he toured Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis, Oregon on August 20th. During the tour, front-line health care workers spoke with the Congressman about health care delivery and health care reform.

IOWA: This past weekend at an event on the University of Iowa campus, area healthcare providers and SEIU Local 199 members displayed dozens of scrubs signed with the tragic stories of Americans who have suffered because of our broken healthcare system.

"We're just saying on behalf of all the people who signed these scrubs that we want change, that the status quo for our patients that we see every day is not working. And we're going to rely on our congressmen from Iowa to go back to Washington, DC and get something done so that people from Iowa have access to quality, affordable healthcare," said SEIU Local 199 president Cathy Glasson. Learn more the campaign w/ PQC to sign scrubs.

OHIO: On August 25th, SEIU District 1199 and the Ohio AARP hosted a panel on healthcare reform in Wintersville, Ohio. Hundreds of residents attended to ask questions and dispel reform myths. Watch this video of District 1199 Senior Executive Vice President Al Bacon speaking SEIU's efforts to push for reform at the town hall:

WASHINGTON: Members of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW are planning to connect with their member of Congress Rep. Jim McDermott at an upcoming town hall on Tuesday, September 1st. They're also going to be delivering several hundred surgical scrubs next week signed by members to Rep. McDermott as further proof why healthcare reform can't wait.

     

Along with SEIU locals, Change That Works teams around the country have also been hard at work.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: More than 150 people from across the state gathered in Portsmouth today to thank Representatives Paul Hodes and Carol Shea Porter for their commitment to reform--and remind them that every day health care reform is delayed, real people in New Hampshire are affected. Speakers at the rally included residents struggling to afford even bare-bones health insurance plans (like small business owner Scott Baez) and those that have been denied private health insurance because of a pre-existing conditions (like Laura Mick, who was born with a cyst on her brain).

And last week, with less then 24 hours' notice, the New Hampshire Change That Works team was able to get reform supporters to turn out to a healthcare forum with Sen. Judd Greg held at the Ingram Senior Center. During the meeting, Sen. Gregg confirmed that the 'death panels' which have been so highly touted by anti-reform activists are nothing more than an extremist scare tactic. Watch coverage of the forum here:

VIRGINIA: On August 25th, Change That Works helped bring over 2,000 healthcare reform supporters to a town hall in Reston, Virginia with Rep. Jim Moran and former DNC Chair Dr. Howard Dean. Volunteers made homemade signs with messages such as "Moms and Babies for Public Option" and "Patriots for Public Option."

NEBRASKA: An estimated crowd of 600 people gathered on the steps of the Capitol this week in Lincoln, NE for a rally in support of quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans. At the August 25th event sponsored by groups including Change to Win, the Interfaith Workers Justice, HCAN, OFA and the AFL-CIO, speakers shared their stories that highlighted the human toll of our broken healthcare system on people from all walks of life--veterans, small business owners, doctors and retired folks.

Supporters of health reform have been outnumbering opponents by large margins at events like the ones we just told you about; helping to lead honest, civil conversations with members of Congress. In the coming week, SEIU members and supporters all over the country will turn their attention to celebrating Labor Day by joining together and demanding reform.

As members of Congress head back to Washington, DC in a few days' time, do your part to help send them back to work with a clear directive on health care reform. Join us at send-off rallies across the country.

More than 150 activists come together to thank Members of New Hampshire's congressional delegation for supporting health care reform legislation and send them back to DC to get it done - quickly.

As Congress makes plans to go back to work after its August recess, New Hampshire health care reform advocates are sending their representatives off with a mission: "pass health care reform, and quick!" More than 150 people from across the state gathered in Portsmouth today as part of a nationwide effort to thank our representatives for their commitment to health insurance reform and celebrate progress towards giving every American quality, affordable health insurance.

Windam resident and small business owner Scott Baetz spoke at the event, and encouraged Congress to do whatever it takes to help New Hampshire families who are struggling to afford even bare-bones health insurance plans. "As a small business owner, I have personally watched my health care expenses literally triple in the same number of years. When we once offered a best of breed plan, we now only offer a high-deductible plan. I'm afraid that we may not even be able to afford that much longer," said Baetz.

Those in attendance thanked Representatives Paul Hodes and Carol Shea Porter for their commitment to reform, but reminded them that every day health care reform is delayed, real people in New Hampshire are affected. "Health insurance reform should not be about scoring political points. It's about people's lives. It's about people's businesses. It's about our country's future," said Laura Mick of Manchester, NH, who was born with a cyst and water around her brain and has been denied private health insurance because she has a pre-existing condition. "I have health insurance through the New Hampshire Health Plan, but I have a $10,000 deductible, have to pay $100 a month in premiums and still cannot choose which doctor I see."

Noticeably absent from the event was Senator Judd Gregg. In July, as a member of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pension Committee, Gregg voted against health care reform despite the pleas of New Hampshire's working families. Gregg continues to oppose comprehensive reform, which would protect the millions of Americans who already have insurance, but aren't getting the care they need because of sky-rocketing out of pocket expenses and unfair insurance company practices.

The event was sponsored by Health Care for America Now!, New Hampshire for Health Care and Organizing for America. This year, the Service Employees International Union's (SEIU) Change that Works/New Hampshire for Health Care campaign has taken part in thousands of events across the country, including dozens in New Hampshire, promoting health insurance reform that puts patients back in control of their health care.

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.' In the wake of this month's town hall hubbub, Judy shared with the program's listeners the important strides being made by groups that support health insurance reform.

On the recent town halls:
"I think that what we're really doing, what Change that Works is, is a real grass roots mobilizing campaign. We're really citizen-to-citizen contact. In grassroots organizing it's really about talking to people, having the conversation about why it matters...and really, we're working now more on setting the record straight, and correcting some of the misinformation out there."

On the public option:
"What we see with the public option...It would keep private insurers honest and ensure that all families have coverage."

On activism:
"When you get an invitation to do something, say yes. We're really hitting the crisis point in this battle. So when you get an email--call your congressperson, come to this rally--the most important thing you can do is say yes. That's what an ordinary, every day voter can do to help most right now."

Listen to the whole podcast here

More on Change That Works.

Thanks to the amazing dedication of our activists, our last minute call for Senator Gregg's health care town hall last week was a rousing success. Although our activists had less than 24 hours notice, we still rallied strong and more than outnumbered the opposition of which...there was one? According to the Concord Monitor's coverage of the town hall, that is: "At Salem, Charlotte Goossens was the lone person demonstrating against the reform plan pushed by Obama."

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.

Although Robin's tumor was operated on, she is left with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt due to her medical bills. These bills have greatly affected her credit and haunt her to this day. She continues to be hounded by debt collectors as her bills are passed from company to company. Says Robin, "I just don't pick up the phone."

Now Robin's brain tumor is back. But because her brain tumor was a "pre-existing condition," she has to fight the insurance company tooth and nail to get the preventative care, like MRIs, that she needs. A mother and a nurse, Robin is hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and uncertain about her future.

In the fight for health insurance reform, it is important to remember for whom we fight. People like Robin Holland remind us of that the true cost of our broken health care system is measured in people's lives.

New Hampshire has some dedicated activists. Only the most ardent supporters of any cause show up at 6:30 am, on a rainy Tuesday morning, to stand outside and wave signs; but that's who supports health care reform. From the drummers from planned parenthood, to the parents who brought their children to show them real activism in action, the passion and dedication of our activists was apparent at every turn.

Watch the video of our activists in action:

Thanks to the hard work of our pro-health care activists, over 450 people showed up to support health care reform outside the President's town hall in Portsmouth. After signing a non-violence pledge, our activists engaged in spirited support of the cause, with plenty of signs, chants of "Health care now!", drums, and a marching band to boot. Personal stories by activists like Robin Holland and Kent Russe helped drive home the importance of reform to all present--and hopefully, to those on the internet who were unable to attend.

We want you to know first...

When SEIU endorses a candidate in your backyard.

When your Senator or Congressman needs to hear our voices on the health insurance reform, Employee Free Choice, or immigration debates.

When our members require support at the workplace, the state capitol, or in the streets.

You can be the first to know by texting 'SEIU' to 787753 (PURPLE) right now, or clicking the link below to sign-up for our new mobile alerts program:

http://action.seiu.org/seiumobile

Two weeks ago, "Tea Party" protesters physically assaulted an SEIU staffer at a health care town hall event in Missouri.

Video of the event had well over 400,000 views on YouTube. And despite the fact the video showed our staffer -- dressed in purple -- on the ground at the start of the clip, Glenn Beck and his tea-bagging friends launched daily attacks on SEIU claiming we perpetrated the violence.

It's time like this that 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), or click the link to sign-up for mobile alerts right now: http://action.seiu.org/seiumobile

Name: Laura Elaine Mick

Location: Manchester, New Hampshire

Job Title: Legal Assistant / Water tester

Yearly Salary:
$13,000-$14,000 a year

Currently paying for individual premiums per month:

Paying $100/month through the New Hampshire Health Plan

Laura is already receiving a state subsidized plan

She has been denied commercial coverage because of a pre-existing conditions

Level of deductibles or co-pays:
Unknown

How does her current plan compare to the House proposal?
Laura will probably qualify for Medicaid coverage under the House proposal, because she is currently just under 133% of the poverty line, and a single working adult. Single working childless adults do not qualify for Medicaid in most states. Under the House plan she would qualify. She would not have to pay the $100/month. If she eventually has more income, she will also be able to buy commercial coverage, and not face rejection based on pre-existing conditions, nor face any higher premiums because of those conditions.

How does her current plan compare to the Senate proposal?
Under the Senate HELP proposal, Laura will not qualify for Medicaid, but she would be able to buy subsidized coverage through the Exchange. At her income level, she would not be expected to pay any monthly premium, and only have to pay up to $870 a year in out-of-pocket costs. And, like the House bill, if she increased her income and wanted to buy through the commercial market, she could not be rejected because of her pre-existing conditions, nor could she be charged a higher premium.

Both the House and the Senate bill provide Laura with coverage that requires no premium payments, but the coverage through the House would be slightly better based on access to Medicaid coverage.

Attacking a staffer? Harassing a pregnant woman? All in a day's work for the opposition to health care reform.

Now, let's be clear: we're not talking about those people willing to engage in dialogue, who recognize our health care system is broken and want to figure out the best way to fix it. We're talking about members of a group that refer to themselves as the "Tea Party Coalition." These extreme right wing activists will go to any lengths to disrupt productive dialogue, and dominate the public conversation--including harassment, intimidation, and physical violence.

Members of this "Tea Party Coalition" showed up to an event last week at the Senator Shaheen and Rep. Carol Shea-Porters' office, where we were peacefully demonstrating our appreciation for their support for health care reform. Although we had the same right to be there as they did, they yelled, shouted, and tried to make us leave.

Olivia Zink, a pregnant staffer, was also at this demonstration. 9 months pregnant, Olivia was sitting down and holding a sign demonstrating her support for Senator Shaheen's efforts to move health care reform when several members of the Tea Party Coalition approached her. They started harassing her, yelling and telling her to "stand up for what you believe in."

Watch Olivia tell her story here:

If you watched the video, you'll notice Olivia was asked, "And what happened to John?" John is our state director, who, while peaceably protesting, was struck by one of these partiers. After refusing to give in to their intimidation, his sign was grabbed, and he was hit in the head. For people who want the government to respect their rights, they seem to have an awful hard time respecting the rights of others. The best part? They gloat about it. Here's a firsthand account of the incident, from the website for their 'coalition':

I had a bit of a run in with one of those Idiots when he jumped into the middle of some of our group that were posing for a picture (with his sign) and we exchanged some up close and personal pleasantries where he accidentally got a bump on the head when I went to grab his sign. Oh well, got to have a little fun at these things.

Harassing a pregnant women, hitting someone, threats, and name-calling: all in a day's work for these so-called "patriots." We cannot let them dominate the most important conversation happening in our country today, reforming our health care system, with their shortsighted message of intimidation and fear. These extremists are not serious about anything other than their own fringe agenda.

Hey Tea Party, it's called activism, not intimidation. As we say on the internets, "Ure doing it wrong."

Fed up with disruptive tactics? Sign our pledge for civil dialogue at http://action.seiu.org/townhall.

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.

At more than 400 events, from nurse and doctor town halls to large rallies, canvasses and phone banks--wherever members of Congress are, SEIU members will be there as well. From an ambulance tour in Miles City, Mont., to bake sales in North Dakota, we are letting them know that working families need affordable, quality healthcare this year and the Employee Free Choice Act, a check on corporate greed that would allow workers to bargain with their employers for better job security, wages and benefits.

Our message this recess is clear: there are consequences to not changing the status quo -- consequences for families, consequences for our economy and consequences for members of Congress.

Here are just a few highlights from the more than 400 events taking place during the congressional recess:

• Colorado's "Rolling Rallies for Reform" will bring out activists and leaders across the state to highlight the need for healthcare reform in their communities, from Grand Junction to Durango to Glenwood Springs. Each rally will feature local leaders, small business owners, front-line caregivers and hardworking Americans sharing their personal healthcare stories.
  
• Healthcare rally in Indianapolis Aug. 29.
  
• Grassroots activists will participate in each of Senator Grassley's town hall forums in Iowa.
  
• Emails will be sent to Louisiana's congressional delegation with a new personal story each day that underscores the need for quality, affordable healthcare reform.
  
• Montana's Emergency Drive for Healthcare will highlight the need to pass healthcare reform with an ambulance tour across the state that will cover 21 sites in 15 days. The tour will rack up the miles in Miles City; attend a barbecue in Lame Deer; put on street theater in Missoula; and participate in the Relay for Life event in Libby--just to name a few stops.
  
• Rally for change at the state capitol in Lincoln, Neb., on Aug. 19.
  
• Bake Sales for Healthcare across North Dakota will take place July 29-31. During the first week of September, look out for "Losing Sleep Over Healthcare," where leaders and activists hold an evening rally followed by an all-night vigil for the reform needed by the millions of Americans who lose sleep every night over healthcare bills.

Since January 12, 2009, SEIU's Change That Works campaign has generated:

• 14,021 one-on-one meetings
  
• 3,827 letters to the editor
  
• 122,145 petition signatures
  
• 93,136 phone calls
  
• 99,814 letters to Members of Congress

With a staff of more than 400 on the ground in an ongoing 35-state campaign, these numbers continue to grow every day. Visit SEIU's Change That Works for ongoing updates.

"Let me be clear: if we do not control these costs, we will not be able to control our deficit. If we do not reform health care, your premiums and out-of-pocket costs will continue to skyrocket. If we do not act, 14,000 Americans will continue to lose their health insurance every single day. These are the consequences of inaction. These are the stakes of the debate we're having right now."

That was President Obama on Wednesday. Today, we got further proof of the cost of doing nothing. Just look at the table released this morning by the Center for American Progress.

Within ten years, if we fail to address the rising cost of health care in America, the average health insurance premiums paid by families will nearly double, from $13,500 today to $22,400 in 2019. Oh but it gets worse - because in addition to rising premiums, Americans lucky enough to have health insurance still face increasingly burdensome co-payments and out-of-pocket costs - the kinds of costs that you can't haggle away when you're in severe pain.

In New Hampshire, our premiums will increase from $14,658 in 2009 to $25,013 in 2019. Given that New Hampshire faces additional hurdles, such as an approaching $250 million budget shortfall, and $589 million because of the poor health and shorter lifespan of residents without health insurance, inaction in the face of economic danger is something we can ill afford - and yet, that's exactly what happens every day that we fail to act on this.

Here's the thing: it doesn't have to be this way! The projections that CAP outlined don't have to come true. We can write a different story. We know how to "bend the curve" of increasing health costs. We can reform our health care system so that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care.

One way we're keeping the focus on reform is by joining with our friends at Fire Dog Lake in asking New Hampshire's Representatives in Congress to stay and work on passing health care legislation like HR 3200, "America's Affordable Health Choices Act," over the August recess. You can sign their petition here. Congress shouldn't take a three-week vacation when 14,000 Americans are losing their insurance coverage every day.

Let's make this happen. New Hampshire can't afford the cost of doing nothing any longer.