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...

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...

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...

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...

Cut Through the Lies About Health Care Reform

Aug 13, 2009 - 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Health Care 09: We Can't Wait

Apr 24, 2009 - [YouTube video] Read more...

Baucus Gets Things Moving on Health Care

Apr 23, 2009 - The crowd spilled into the overflow room Monday, as the Senate Finance Committee, Chaired by Montana Senator Max Baucus, began the process of, at last, making health care reform a reality in this country. Monday's hearing was an encouraging sign that we're on the right track. Read more...

Senator Grassley Says Progress on Healthcare Depends Upon Bipartisanship

Apr 15, 2009 - "The true test of this bipartisanship process will be how we handle the details," said Senator Charles E. Grassley, ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, last week in a Mason City, Iowa, health forum including panelists from AARP and SEIU. Speaking about competition between insurance companies, Local 199 member and RN Mary Burke commented, "I think competition would actually be meaningful if we have a public health care system. If you don't have everybody insured, we're still going to have the problem." Read more...

Dennis Rivera and Michael Bloomberg: Health Care Reform is a Must

Apr 14, 2009 - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and SEIU Healthcare Chair Dennis Rivera have published a joint op-ed on the Huffington Post with a simple message: health care reform must happen this year, period. Read more...

President Obama Creates Office of Health Reform

Apr 08, 2009 - By executive order, President Obama established the White House Office of Health Reform today. According to the order, it "will provide leadership to the executive branch in establishing policies, priorities, and objectives for the Federal Government's comprehensive effort to improve access to health care, the quality of such care, and the sustainability of the health care system." Read more...

NYT: We Should Have a Public Health Insurance Option

Apr 08, 2009 - The New York Times is out in front with an early endorsement of a public health insurance option as part of any plan to fix health care: A new public plan - to offer consumers greater choice, keep the private... Read more...

Ezra Klein: Fixing Health Care Shouldn't Mean Choosing Between Two Extremes

Apr 07, 2009 - Rather than deciding as a society how much will be spent in the coming year and then figuring out how best to spend it, we abdicate collective responsibility and let individuals fend for themselves. So although Britain and Canada have decided that no one will go without, even if some must occasionally wait, the U.S. has decided that most of those who can't afford care simply won't get it. Read more...

Senator Schumer: Competition Works for Health Care

Apr 06, 2009 - That's where Senator Schumer comes in. During the coming months, as the plans for health care reform unfold, his job is to make sure Congress is looking out for patients and not profits by including a public health insurance option into the mix. Backing him up will be President Obama and the soon-to-be-Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. And, of course, all of us. Read more...

Free Sebelius!

Apr 03, 2009 - It's with great disappointment that we received news this morning that an "unnamed Republican Senator" put a hold on Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' confirmation as Health and Human Services Secretary. At a time when the U.S. economy is collapsing under the elephantine costs of our broken health care system, how is it that one anonymous Senator can obstruct filling the leadership post of our nation's top health agency? Read more...

Moving Forward: Congress Passes President Obama's Budget

Apr 03, 2009 - Today, we moved a little bit closer to fixing health care. Nothing about it was easy, but Congress has passed a budget that includes a historic commitment to health care reform. It follows the president's directive to establish a health reform reserve fund to cover the cost of health care without raising the deficit. Consider this a promise to the American people that real change is coming this year. Read more...

"A Down Payment on Fixing Health Care"
Congress Passes President Obama's Budget Plan

Apr 03, 2009 - Read more...

Budget Coming As Soon As Today

Apr 02, 2009 - The AP is reporting that Congress is expected to take a final vote on a budget resolution as early as today. Both the House and Senate Budget Committees released their own proposals last week that protect the key investments President Obama had requested for fixing health care and restoring the economy. Read more...

The Union Advantage for Women

Mar 31, 2009 - In 2007, women made up 45 percent of union members--and by 2020, women will be the majority of the unionized workforce. Women have a great deal to gain from unionization, as union victories work to pave the way for workers to bargain for affordable family health care, fair wages, improved working conditions, and a better life for their families. Read more...

White House Report: The Costs of Inaction

Mar 30, 2009 - The White House issued a report on health care this morning that serves as a sobering reminder of the urgent need for reform. Released online at HealthReform.gov, the report documents the widespread effects of the health care crisis across the United States. Read more...

Tell Congress: Pass the President's Budget

Mar 26, 2009 - [banner image] Read more...

Confirm Kathleen Sebelius

Mar 23, 2009 - [YouTube video] Read more...

Congress Needs to Hear From Us

Mar 18, 2009 - There are lots of lessons to be learned from previous attempts to fix health care - and a few critical mistakes that we cannot repeat. One of those mistakes is assuming that, just because a piece of legislation doesn't say "health care reform" in the title, it isn't critical to solving the crisis. Read more...

SEIU Supports New Bill to Ease Debt for Nursing Students

Mar 13, 2009 - Iowa Congressman Tom Latham and Wisconsin Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin introduced a bill on Thursday aimed at easing the debt burden on nursing students and combating America's nursing shortage. Read more...

Ten Things You Should Know About the President's Budget

Mar 11, 2009 - President Obama recently unveiled his budget for getting America back on track - and it includes a significant downpayment toward fixing health care. As usual, opponents of reform are on the attack, attempting to turn our national discussion on health care into an uninformed, schoolyard brawl. Just check out Rep. Zach Wamp's recent appearance on MSNBC: Read more...

"Crackpot Economics" from Big Business

Mar 11, 2009 - Corporate-backed opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act are out with their latest Big Lie. A coalition of industry groups commissioned a "study" that claims the unemployment increases as more workers join unions. Read more...

Layoffs don't mean our job is done

Mar 09, 2009 - Mass layoffs make front page news seemingly every other day. A total of people filed unemployment claims between December 2007 and January 2009 - the fallout from 25,712 mass layoffs across America. More than half a million people lost their jobs in the fourth quarter of 2008 alone. Read more...

SEIU in the White House

Mar 06, 2009 - Yesterday, Andy Stern, Anna Burger, and Dennis Rivera were back at the White House for the president's forum on health care. They were there to represent the two million SEIU members that have been fighting so hard for so long to see real changes in the health care system. Check out their video from the north gate. Read more...

White House Health Summit

Mar 05, 2009 - Today, President Obama hosted a one-day health forum at the White House to officially launch a discussion on how we can bring about meaningful change in health care. The 120 participants - Republicans, Democrats, insurance companies, labor, doctors and patient advocates, including SEIU's President Andy Stern, Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger and SEIU Healthcare chair Dennis Rivera - will be working together to offer up ideas for the best way to make reform happen. Read more...

Standing Up for Homecare Workers in Washington (Video)

Mar 04, 2009 - I attended a hearing at the Rayburn building about "Family Friendly Policies". A very brave woman named Rebia Mixon Clay told a very compelling and powerful story about the vicissitudes of she faces every day as a home health care Worker. Ms. Mixon Clay, was succinct, on point and eloquent. In a very personal and uplifting way she brought home the plight of many people in this country. Read more...

Kathleen Sebelius Ready to Lead Healthcare Reform in 2009

Mar 02, 2009 - Read more...

Speaker Pelosi: We Will Fix Health Care This Year

Feb 26, 2009 - Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was on the Rachel Maddow Show last night to discuss, among other things, the timeline for health care reform. Read more...

Who Dares Mess With GOP Chairman Michael Steele?

Feb 26, 2009 - The GOP's new chairman, Michael Steele, has been making the media circuit rounds over the last few days. One of his TV tactics has been to throw red meat at the conservative wing of the Republican Party. Take a look at this FOX News interview where Steele reveals he's open to retribution for Republicans who are brave enough to choose the best interests of their constituents over obstruction: Read more...

Andy Stern Interviews on USA Today and Huffington Post

Feb 25, 2009 - Today, interviews with SEIU President Andy Stern have been published in both USA Today and the Huffington Post. In both, Stern talks about the Employee Free Choice Act, discussing timeline and strategy for the piece of legislation. Read more...

White House Budget Suggests "Health Care is a Go"

Feb 25, 2009 - Today, news reports suggest that the president intends to make a serious investment in fixing, once and for all, our broken health care system. According to the Associated Press, the White House budget includes $634 billion for health care over the course of 10 years. Read more...

Obama's Speech: A Health Care Milestone (Video)

Feb 24, 2009 - I just finished watching Obama's address to Congress with a group of SEIU nurses. I won't name names, but some of us have tears in our eyes right now. For us, this is a moment more than a decade in the making. When our movement started, having a president who would speak so honestly and passionately about the need to fix health care was something we dreamt about, but it was hard to imagine. Read more...

SEIU Grassroots Lobbyist: Mike Kingsbury, RN

Feb 24, 2009 - Read more...

Vote Today: Write to Your Senators

Feb 24, 2009 - During our current economic crisis, it's important that we have a strong Secretary of Labor as the voice of working people. Hilda Solis will be responsible for unemployment benefits, enforcing the minimum wage, and managing job creation and training programs. Click here to send a note to your senators in support of Hilda Solis before today's vote. Read more...

VIDEO: Health Care Dominates White House Fiscal Responsibility Summit

Feb 23, 2009 - The first-ever Fiscal Responsibility Summit took place on Monday at the White House. Advisors at the highest levels of the Obama administration hosted members of Congress as well as leaders from a wide range of organizations to discuss solutions to long-term fiscal challenges facing the nation. SEIU President Andy Stern and Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger were among the attendees at the event. Read more...

VIDEO: My First Week in Washington DC with SEIU

Feb 20, 2009 - I've always been impressed with our nation's capitol. The huge buildings, sweeping landscapes, and grand stone staircases - it's all so big, it makes me a little disoriented and, gulp, small. But all those buildings are filled with people. And if there's anything I've learned as a nurse - people are people. We all eat and sleep and want to make the world a better place. Read more...

Sebelius Rumors Spur Buzz, Reactions

Feb 19, 2009 - Last night, the New York Times broke news that Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is President Obama's top pick for heading up the Health and Human Services agency. Gov. Sebelius brings significant experience to the role - serving for eight... Read more...

Public Support for the Employee Free Choice Act

Feb 17, 2009 - Want to get an idea of the public support of the Employee Free Choice Act? The latest public poll showed 73% support the bill while only 21% oppose it; that's not quite as stark as the contrast on the Hill earlier this month, but Congress should get the picture anyway. Read more...

VIDEO: MSNBC Exposes Source of Health IT Smears

Feb 13, 2009 - Your efforts to uncover the misinformation campaign against health IT are gaining major traction in the mainstream media. MSNBC dug further into the smear tactics being used against health IT on last night's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann." Read more...

Caregivers Defend Health IT

Feb 11, 2009 - Yesterday, we told you about Rush Limbaugh's rant against the measures to improve health IT in the Economic Recovery Act. Normally, Rush goes largely unnoticed by most of the general public. But his irresponsible comments about health IT have hit... Read more...

Limbaugh Doesn't Get IT

Feb 10, 2009 - Health care professionals nationwide are writing to their newspapers today to refute claims by Rush Limbaugh on two provisions in the stimulus package: comparative effectiveness research and health IT. Both are designed to provide health care professionals with objective, up-to-date information on treatments, tests and procedures available to them. Read more...

Senate Moves Forward On Stimulus Package

Feb 10, 2009 - The Senate last night moved forward on the Stimulus Package, voting 61 to 36 to end debate and bring the measure on a vote today. Read more...

Employee Free Choice Act Rally on Capitol Hill

Feb 06, 2009 - Read more...

Good Jobs, Green Jobs: Help Wanted

Feb 05, 2009 - Green job creation and training is happening right now, all over the country, fueled by the belief that it is possible to ease the intensity of our climate crisis and employ more people to work in better jobs (all at the same time). Read more...

What We Won for Kids' Health

Feb 05, 2009 - Yesterday, health care advocates nationwide celebrated a major victory for our movement. President Obama signed the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) into law. President Obama characterized the bill as a "down payment" on winning quality, affordable health care for all Americans, not just our children. Read more...

Workers Rally for Employee Free Choice: Theo Jackson's Story

Feb 05, 2009 - Read more...

Flickr photo slideshow from Employee Free Choice petition delivery rally

Feb 04, 2009 - To see photos from the Employee Free Choice petition delivery rally, watch SEIU's Flickr slideshow here. Read more...

Contrast on the Hill: Country Club CEOs vs. Hardworking People on the Employee Free Choice Act

Feb 04, 2009 - In the halls of Congress, CEOs having their "Executive Lobby Day" are spreading lies and misinformation in order to keep wages down and perpetuate inequality. How do we know this? Because we went into one of their presentations at a CA country club and captured video of how they talk about defeating the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...

Thousands of Workers to Deliver 1.5 Million Petitions to Congress Supporting Employee Free Choice

Feb 04, 2009 - SEIU members, workers from other unions, Rep. George Miller, and Sen. Tom Harkin will join workers today in delivering 1.5 million post cards supporting the Employee Free Choice Act to Senators and other lawmakers. Read more...

Senator Daschle's Resignation

Feb 03, 2009 - Sen. Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination today for Secretary of Health and Human Services. In a statement released by the White House, Sen. Daschle stated: "If 30 years of exposure to the challenges inherent in our system has taught me anything, it has taught me that this work will require a leader who can operate with the full faith of Congress and the American people, and without distraction. Right now, I am not that leader." Read more...

Video: Tellers Make Change at Bank of America

Feb 03, 2009 - Last week, as reported on our blog, , concerned citizens across the country participated in events where they talked directly to employees and Bank of America customers on what's happening with their company and why their CEO needs to be fired. We've put together a video from some of these events. Read more...

HCAN Poll: Americans are Ready for Reform

Feb 02, 2009 - Health Care for America Now, one of SEIU's partner coalitions released the results of a poll that shows broad public support for comprehensive health care reform. According to the poll, there is "intense and widespread voter support for the choice of a public health insurance plan as part of comprehensive, national health care reform." Read more...

Vice President Biden on Employee Free Choice: "This Year"

Feb 02, 2009 - Last week, in a CNBC interview with John Harwood, Vice President Joe Biden talked about the timeline for passing the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...

Our Early Victory: By The Numbers

Feb 02, 2009 - Last week's reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program was touted by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers as an important first step to fix health care. It was our first glimpse of what happens when both parties come together around improving access to quality care. Read more...

Republicans Choose Obstructionism Over Stimulus

Jan 30, 2009 - "Many in the House Republican leadership talked a big game about hearing the message of change Americans so clearly delivered in November, but when it came time to vote they showed they care more about playing the old game of obstructionist opponents than fixing out economy," said SEIU's Anna Burger on The Hill's Congress Blog today. Read more...

SEIU Ad Praising Sen. Reid's Work on Behalf of Nevada's Working Families

Jan 30, 2009 - SEIU believes in rewarding work and in tune with motto, we're rolling out a new television ad campaign today in support of Senator Harry Reid's work on behalf of Nevada's working families. Read more...

For the Truth on Arbitration, Look at Companies' Actions - Not Words

Jan 30, 2009 - The corporations and their front groups that oppose the Employee Free Choice Act say that the use of arbitration to help workers and companies reach agreements will hurt business and put federal bureaucrats in charge. That's what they say...Now here's what they do: in fact, companies use arbitration all the time to resolve disputes because they like that it's fast, fair, and inexpensive. Read more...

Our Job Is Just Beginning

Jan 29, 2009 - "Four Million Down, 40 Million to Go:" After three days of debate on a series of amendments to the bill, the Senate passed the bipartisan Children's Health Insurance Program on Jan. 29. This program will ensure that millions of children, many of whose parents have lost their employer-provided health care coverage through layoffs and cutbacks, will be able to receive doctor check-ups, dentist visits, and preventive care. Read more...

"Four Million Down, 40 Million to Go"
President Obama signs Children's Health Insurance Plan reauthorization

Jan 29, 2009 - Read more...

In 2008, More Than 88,000 Workers United in SEIU

Jan 29, 2009 - The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its annual union membership report yesterday that showed an increase in union membership nationwide for 2008 -- the largest growth rate on record since 1983. Growth in SEIU -- 88,926 members -- accounted for nearly 21 percent of the national growth. Read more...

New TV Ad Campaign Targets House Republicans Completely Out of Touch with Working People in America

Jan 29, 2009 - SEIU and coalition groups Americans United for Change, MoveOn.org Political Action and AFSCME unveiled a new television ad campaign that aims to to pressure key and potentially deciding votes in Congress and build momentum behind President Obama's "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act". Read more...

House Republicans' Vote on Economic Recovery Package: "Completely Out of Touch with Working People in America"

Jan 28, 2009 - The only solution House Republicans offer to our economic crisis is tax cuts, but tax cuts only work for people who are working. People who have lost their jobs and watched their futures go up in smoke don't want more hot air ... they want action and got it today from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Read more...

Statement of SEIU President Andy Stern Regarding Growth in Union Membership in 2008

Jan 28, 2009 - The Bureau of Labor Statistics annual union membership report shows that the share of workers belonging to a union rose in 2008. Growth in SEIU--88,926 members--accounted for nearly 21 percent of the national growth. Read more...

SEIU's Andy Stern: "Less social dialogue and more social change"

Jan 28, 2009 - "Financial manipulation, greed and deregulation have led to economic havoc," writes SEIU President Andy Stern in a op-ed today on Reuters. Stern will join over 40 Heads of State and 1,600 of the world's most powerful CEOs at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Read more...

Union Women, Labor Leaders & Online Activists Advocate for Solis Confirmation

Jan 28, 2009 - Stop delaying confirmation of Rep. Solis as secretary of labor: As Obama said in his inaugural address, "let's put away childish things" and get on with the workings of government. Read more...

For Aliquippa Caregivers, Relief is On the Way

Jan 27, 2009 - Earlier today, we reported on a group of caregivers in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania who were fighting for weeks worth of unpaid wages from their former employer, Commonwealth Medical Center. State media outlets covered the story throughout the week, including this report... Read more...

A capitol idea: SEIU stirs things up in Sacramento

Jan 27, 2009 - To stir up the waters, hundreds of SEIU members from 1021 and other California locals converged on the State Capitol on Friday to demand an end to the legislative standoff that has made this year's budget so late it's actually early for next year. Read more...

Time to Go: Bank of America must fire CEO Ken Lewis

Jan 27, 2009 - Over the last few months, it's become abundantly clear that Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis just doesn't get it. The era of greed and irresponsibility is over. Bank of America tellers make about $24,000 a year. That's less than what the CEO of a company bought by Bank of America paid for his curtains during the $1.2 million redecoration of his personal office. Enough is enough. Today, we're calling on Bank of America to fire CEO Ken Lewis. Read more...

Nurses, Caregivers Left Out in the Cold

Jan 27, 2009 - A story is brewing in southwestern Pennsylvania. There, in a little town called Aliquippa, PA, nurses, aides and other frontline caregivers have been denied weeks in backpay, after their employer--Commonwealth Medical Center--filed for bankruptcy and had its license revoked... Read more...

Kids' Health on the Line

Jan 26, 2009 - There is strong public support for SCHIP, and strong bipartisan consensus. Our kids are our future, and if there's one message that young voters and immigrant voters sent last November, it's that they are so over the tired appeals to categories and ideologies that divide us. SEIU President Andy Stern weighs in on the reauthorization and strengthening of the Children's Health Insurance Program on the National Journal - read it here. Read more...

Stronger Economic Future for America Requires Long-range Vision

Jan 26, 2009 - "The millions of working people reeling from the severe economic recession need a recovery package that not only addresses the crisis and relieves the pain, but also lays the groundwork for a stronger and fairer future," writes SEIU International Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger on Politico's The Arena, commenting on what kind of stimulus plan this country needs to get our economy back on track. Read more...

Former US Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich on the Employee Free Choice Act

Jan 26, 2009 - In an editorial for the Los Angeles Times today, former US Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich gives his advice on how we can reverse this deepening recession and give middle class Americans the greatest opportunity for a better life. Read more...

Tell Gov. Schwarzenegger We Need Real Budget Solutions in California Now

Jan 26, 2009 - On Friday, over 1,000 SEIU members from across California came together to speak out for real solutions to the state's budget crisis. The event kicked off a full-scale effort by SEIU members and those they serve to break the political log-jam that threatens child care providers, seniors, people with disabilities, college students, and families in crisis. Read more...

Economist Paul Krugman's Open Letter to President Obama

Jan 24, 2009 - Paul Krugman, a Nobel-prize laureate in Economics, professor at Princeton University, and a columnist for the New York Times has published an extraordinary piece in the latest edition of Rolling Stone magazine. In it, he writes an open letter to President Obama, giving his advice on some steps that he'd advise the new president to take in order to get our economy back on track. Read more...

Tell Gov. Schwarzenegger We Need Real Budget Solutions in California Now

Jan 23, 2009 - Today Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina spoke at a rally in Sacramento, California where over 1,000 SEIU members from across the State came together to speak out for real solutions to the state's budget crisis. Read more...

Why Smart Investments Include Health IT

Jan 22, 2009 - This week, the National Journal asked health care advocates and experts to weigh in on the issue of health IT as part of the larger economic recovery package. Read Andy Stern's response here. Read more...

Talking Health Care with Russell Simmons

Jan 21, 2009 - Read more...

Obama's Inaugural Address: A Moment to Define A Generation

Jan 21, 2009 - Obama delivered his Inaugural Address in a decisive and inspiring manner, calling for no less than the remaking of America and summoning generations, new and old, to return "to a new era of responsibility." Read more...

Pictures: Actions at Bank of America HQs Across the Country

Jan 16, 2009 - Yesterday, activists descended on Bank of America headquarters in Los Angeles, Charlotte, New York City, and Boston to present our demands of the campaign. Read more...

Fixing COBRA Cannot Wait

Jan 16, 2009 - With unemployment at a 16-year high, expect the ranks of the uninsured to swell, putting more strain on state programs that help those in need. COBRA - if made to work - can literally be a lifeline. Read more...

New TV Ads Renew Call to Action to Make Our Economy Work for Everyone

Jan 15, 2009 - A new national TV campaign launched today by American Rights at Work in support of the Employee Free Choice Act continues the call to action that it's time our economy worked for everyone. The ads feature workers making their case for the legislation and focus on the fact that Employee Free Choice will grant working people the power to bargain for better wages, benefits and increased job security. Read more...

Video & Campaign Launch: "Tell Bank of America: Help Your Workers or Give Back the Bailout"

Jan 15, 2009 - When taxpayers gave Bank of America a $25 billion bailout, the country's largest bank was supposed to use the funds to help jumpstart the economy. Rather than using the loan to keep money flowing through the financial system to ensure that the bank continues lending to consumers, as was the original intent, Bank of America has instead misspent the money on foreign investments, executive salaries, and corporate jets. Read more...

Online Activist Report: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization

Jan 15, 2009 - Yesterday, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 passed by an overwhelming margin. If you want to see how your representative voted, click here to see the vote report by state, as well as a breakdown of your online efforts through SEIU.org to get connected to your representative. Read more...

The First Step
House Passes Children's Health Insurance Plan

Jan 14, 2009 - Read more...

Obama Transition Team Member David Bonior: "Get a Hold of Inequality" with the Employee Free Choice Act

Jan 14, 2009 - On this weekend's edition of Meet the Press, former Rep. David Bonior, a member of President-elect Barack Obama's economic transition team, talked about ways the next Administration can help get the economy back on track. One proposal sorted by President-elect Obama and 60 percent of the public is the Employee Free Choice Act, which will help employees bridge the gap of wage inequality in the country today. Read more...

The First Step: House Passes Children's Health Insurance Plan

Jan 14, 2009 - I don't often get emotional when I watch C-SPAN, but I just saw something I've been waiting to see for two years. The U.S. House of Representatives, after receiving hundreds of your phone calls, passed the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009. Read more...

Unraveling the Arguments Against a Public Plan

Jan 13, 2009 - USA Today dove head first today into the increasingly crowded pool of newspapers who are taking a stand for fixing our nation's broken health care system. The paper examines one key piece of Obama's health care proposal--: offering a public plan that would compete with private insurers to provide the best services and benefits at a competitive cost to consumers. Read more...

Act Today for Children's Health Insurance

Jan 13, 2009 - Congress is getting ready to re-introduce a bill that would extend health insurance to more than 4 million children currently without coverage. Strengthening the children's health insurance program isn't just a victory for the 9 million kids who can't afford basic care; it's a huge win in the movement to fix health care for all Americans. Read more...

Make Calls for Children's Health Insurance

Jan 13, 2009 - Read more...

Member Voices: "Giving workers a hand on the wheel"

Jan 13, 2009 - Here's a great op-ed from an SEIU nurse about the free and fair election she and her coworkers had when they formed a union at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas thirteen years ago....and why their election process experience was a "special exception to a broken rule." Read more...

Yet Another Corporate Front Group: "Save Our Secret Ballots"

Jan 12, 2009 - Meet the new Right-to-Work-for-less laws: state ballot initiatives to mandate "secret ballot" elections for union votes, trying to preempt the Employee Free Choice Act. On December 30, 2008, a new coalition calling itself the "Save Our Secret Ballot" (SOSB) coalition emerged onto the scene, announcing an under-the-radar state-level campaign to amend the state constitutions of Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, Nevada and Utah to require a secret-ballot election for union representation. Read more...

Facts Fact Roundup: Employee Free Choice Act

Jan 09, 2009 - We're already hearing - and seeing - good things from Congress about their priorities for 2009. Read more...

The Only Way to Mass Prosperity

Jan 07, 2009 - "There is no historic precedent for mass prosperity absent mass collective bargaining. The model cannot be constructed," writes Harold Meyerson, making the case Employee Free Choice in a Washington Post op-ed today. Read more...

SEIU to Unveil Major National Campaign to Bring Economic Solutions to Main Street

Jan 05, 2009 - Two million-member labor union to involve millions of Americans in an intensive state-by-state campaign to help President-Elect Obama enact Change That Works. Read more...

The Employee Free Choice Act: What's At Stake

Jan 05, 2009 - In 1980, the United Labor Unions set out to organize employees at Detroit fast food chains in the hopes of sparking a nationwide movement to unionize the workforce in this fast-growing industry. As a rookie organizer working on the campaign, I learned firsthand what is at stake when workers stand up for better wages, healthcare, and a voice on the job. Read more...

New SEIU Ads Put Focus on Employee Free Choice Act

Jan 05, 2009 - This morning SEIU unveiled online advertising to promote the New York Times' recent support of the early passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. The ads are running on the websites of The Hill, Roll Call, Politico, the Washington Post, and progressive blogs Read more...

McScrooged Actions: Flickr Photo Slideshow & Video Clips

Dec 30, 2008 - SEIU members and supporters went to almost 100 McDonald's locations around the country on December 18 to speak directly with employees about free choice. We wanted to share some photos and video with you all from McDonald's visits that took place in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Detroit and Washington, DC. Read more...

Your Health Care Meet-Ups: All Over The News

Dec 29, 2008 - Despite the busy holiday season, Americans throughout the country - from caregivers like nurses, doctors and pharmacists to ordinary health care consumers - have been gathering to hold their own health care meetings. You've brought your friends, your family, like-minded individuals, and even those who have different points of view together to share their ideas and input on health care reform that comes from the ground up. News report after news report has been gracing our inboxes over the holiday season - from national papers like the New York Times to small, local papers from your areas. Read more...

NY Times Endorses Employee Free Choice: "The Labor Agenda"

Dec 29, 2008 - There's a great editorial today from the New York Times on unions and the Obama administration's commitment to labor - giving basically a full-throated endorsement of the Employee Free Choice Act and why it is such an important part of an economic recovery program. Read more...

New Poll Shows Widespread Support for SCHIP Expansion to Cover Legal Immigrant Children

Dec 23, 2008 - Encouraging news from a poll released yesterday, which shows that more than two-thirds of the public (82 percent) supports SCHIP renewal and for extending children's health benefits to legal immigrant children. Read more...

Andy Stern on Bloggingheads.tv: The Future of Labor

Dec 22, 2008 - Andy Stern appeared on Blogging Heads TV today to talk about why we need the Employee Free Choice Act and stimulating our economy. Watch clips from the appearance below or the entire thing over at Blogging Heads TV. Read more...

Victory at McDonald's

Dec 19, 2008 - Yesterday SEIU members and supporters went to almost 100 McDonald's locations around the country to speak directly with employees about free choice. And guess what: we won! McDonald's issued a statement backing down from their previous opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act because of your work...Please share with us your thoughts and comments on how your "McScrooged" action went yesterday, and upload photos and video. Read more...

How did your McScrooged action go today at McDonalds?

Dec 18, 2008 - We hope your action at McDonald's today went well! Please tell us any comments on how it went and upload photos and video here as well. Read more...

Houston Janitors and Responsible Corporate Leaders Help Address Crisis for Thousands of Low-Wage Workers with Groundbreaking New Health Clinic

Dec 17, 2008 - Houston janitors are joining elected and community leaders today to unveil the "Houston Service Workers Clinic"--a partnership between janitors, responsible corporate leaders and health care providers that offers a groundbreaking model for providing low-cost, quality health care for low-wage workers. Read more...

"Freezin' for a Reason" in West Hartford, CT

Dec 17, 2008 - Public schools bus drivers in CT working without a contract since May protest employer's delays; demand higher wages and affordable health insurance Read more...

Corporate Front Group Americans for Job Security Airs Misleading Ad on Employee Free Choice

Dec 16, 2008 - The latest ad from Americans for Job Security, a corporate front group that has already spent millions to deny workers a voice on the job, attempts to mislead the public about the Employee Free Choice Act and the 2 million members of SEIU. Read more...

Washington Hispanic Publishes Op-Ed by SEIU Local 32BJ Director: "Giving Workers the Choice on Unions"

Dec 15, 2008 - "Although most workers would like to join a union, very few ever get the chance to vote. In fact, employers have been stifling the efforts of workers to lawfully organize a union through elections," writes Jaime Contreras, Director of the Capital Area of 32BJ. "The Employee Free Choice Act restores a fair and even balance between workers and their employers. The bill also creates a process for resolving contract disputes and cracks down on companies that punish workers for exercising their rights." Read the full op-ed. Read more...

Workers at Smithfield Meatpacking Plant Vote for Union

Dec 15, 2008 - In an incredible piece of news that's been a long time coming, workers at Smithfield Tar Heel in North Carolina, the world's largest meatpacking plant, voted for union representation yesterday with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. Read more...

More than 400 March to Support Workers Struggling for a Voice on the Job

Dec 12, 2008 - As a part of a nationwide campaign to restore the American middle class, more than 400 members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) gathered yesterday at the University of Colorado-Aurora campus for a march to highlight the need for health care reform and legislation that will protect workers' rights to have a voice on the job. Read more...

Employee Free Choice Act Fast Facts Update: Restoring the Middle Class

Dec 12, 2008 - Did you hear about the corporate CEOs who just agreed that paying themselves 344 times more than their workers was hurting our economy by undermining consumer spending power - and have decided to reduce their pay and offer workers a raise and better benefits? Read more...

Don't Overlook Dr. Lambrew, Today's "Other" Big Appointment

Dec 11, 2008 - There was much excitement today over Obama's nomination of Tom Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services and Director of the White House Office on Health Reform (as there should have been), but it overshadowed another very encouraging appointment -- Dr. Jeanne Lambrew as Deputy Director of the White House Office on Health Reform. Read more...

Daschle Officially Named as Next HHS Secretary

Dec 11, 2008 - President-elect Obama today officially nominated former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to be Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and Director of the White House's new Office on Health Reform. Read more...

Dr. L. Toni Lewis: Host a Health Care Meet-Up

Dec 10, 2008 - Read more...

Be a Health Care Leader in Your Community

Dec 10, 2008 - Read more...

McDonald's isn't lovin' free choice for its employees

Dec 10, 2008 - Read more...

Andy Stern: The Sensible Approach to Fixing Health Care

Dec 10, 2008 - Andy Stern weighed in this morning on the National Journal's health care blog. He talked about cutting through the argument between two extremes that has halted progress on health care reform and finding a middle ground solution that addresses the crisis head-on. Read more...

Employee Free Choice Act Fast Facts Update: The Facts on the Secret Ballot

Dec 10, 2008 - Hardly. Most CEOs don't want to give workers the freedom to decide for themselves whether to join together for a voice at work. It's not surprising, especially when you consider that CEOs are now paying themselves an average of 344 times more than workers. Read more...

ER Caregivers: We're A Little Concerned, Here

Dec 08, 2008 - A new study funded by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality sought to measure how truly widespread the problems that face our emergency rooms are, seeking to measure ER caregivers' opinions on physical environment, staffing, inpatient coordination, and "information coordination and consultation." The results were far from a surprise... Read more...

Employee Free Choice Act Fast Facts Update: All About Majority Sign-up

Dec 08, 2008 - The corporate misinformation campaign is already running strong--spreading lies and distortions about the Employee Free Choice Act. One blatant mischaracterization suggests that this common sense proposal is somehow a "radical" change to federal labor law. Read more...

Health Care Reform: We're Ready NOW

Dec 05, 2008 - Today, I heard the incoming Secretary of Health and Human Services talk about "word clouds" in a major policy speech. I saw the next presidential administration organizing online discussions and house parties instead of lobbyist luncheons and corporate fundraisers to... Read more...

Enemies of Change: Refuting Arguments against the Employee Free Choice Act (Pt. 1)

Dec 05, 2008 - You and I know that the same people and corporations who have destroyed our economy, shipped jobs overseas and created the largest gap in pay between workers and CEOs oppose the Employee Free Choice Act. Read more...

In Your Words: Fixing Health Care

Dec 04, 2008 - Last week, I told you about our opponents' latest low-road tactics in their fight to stop health care reform; and I invited you to shine a little light on their ploy by writing letters to your local newspapers. The response was amazing. Read more...

WaPo: 5 Myths About Our Ailing Health-Care System

Dec 02, 2008 - There's a great opinion piece in last Sunday's Washington Post that dispels 5 myths about America's health care system. Written by Shannon Brownlee and Ezekiel Emanuel (incidentally, the brother of incoming Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel), the article debunks... Read more...

Add Your Voice for Change

Nov 26, 2008 - You've probably seen that Obama's transition team has launched a website, Change.gov, to stay in touch as they prepare to move into the White House. Yesterday evening, they launched a new section inviting citizens to weigh in on the state of health care in America. Read more...

Andy Stern Testifies Before Congress on Healthcare

Nov 25, 2008 - [youtube video] Read more...

Help Take Our Health Care Movement Public

Nov 25, 2008 - Read more...

Here We Go Again

Nov 25, 2008 - You can hear the jaws dropping as people read James Pethokoukis' latest piece on health care in U.S. News' Capital Commerce blog. Pethokoukis takes partisan politics to a new level by urging Republicans to block any efforts by Obama (or any other Democrat) to fix health care. Read more...

Watch Now: Andy Stern Brings Your Voice to Congress

Nov 20, 2008 - Pointing to the combined impact of the health care and economic crises on the lives of working families nationwide, SEIU President Andy Stern called on President-Elect Barack Obama and key leaders in Washington yesterday to work together to address the nation's ailing health care system in the short-term. Read more...