Nurses Know Best: Obamacare Benefits Everyone
Jan 31, 2013 - Thanks to Obamacare finally being the law of the land, a whopping 28 million more Americans could gain affordable, secure healthcare by the end of President Obama's second term. Unfortunately, too many Republican governors are still putting their partisan agenda before the health of their citizens and dragging their feet on delivering the beneifts of the healthcare law. Read more...
The Fiscal Cliff: Our Healthcare at Risk
Dec 17, 2012 - Medicaid is the most efficient healthcare program in the country. Read more...
Congressional Health Care Heroes Stand Up for Medicaid
Dec 12, 2012 - One day after a national day of action where thousands of SEIU members took a stand to protect Medicaid and Medicare, Democrats and healthcare advocates united at a press conference on Capitol Hill to share a public call to protect Medicaid funding during fiscal cliff negotiations. Read more...
Leader Pelosi Draws Line in the Sand: No Raising Medicare Eligibility Age
Dec 06, 2012 - SEIU stands with courageous members of Congress like Nancy Pelosi, who never stop fighting against cuts to services that millions of working families depend on like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Read more...
Four Pennsylvania Generations Against Cuts
Nov 28, 2012 - Amy Walker will let Pennsylvania's Representatives and Senators know today that her mother, four daughters and granddaughter can't afford cuts to Medicaid, Social Security and Head Start. Read more...
How much more will women have to pay for birth control if Romney wins the election?
Nov 05, 2012 - Throughout this election cycle, Republicans have done their best to spin the media and women voters to believe that birth control is not an economic issue for women in this election. This could not be less true -- and our new birth control calculator will show you why. Read more...
Women's Health: Americans Won't Stand for GOP's Medical Malpractice and Political Extremism
Oct 26, 2012 - Taking away free preventive screening and maternity care, access to abortion, defunding Planned Parenthood and attempting to deny millions of women access to contraception is not a vision that makes women or their families healthier. Read more...
What's At Stake This Election: Our Healthcare
Oct 23, 2012 - Read more...
Where do the candidates stand on healthcare? New resources on SEIU.org
Oct 23, 2012 - From recent polls, it's clear that some voters still have serious questions about the candidates' healthcare plans. Our new SEIU.org resource offers a candidate comparison, key facts on Medicare and Medicaid, and how repealing the Affordable Care Act would impact you and your family. Read more...
Presidential Debate Watch: A Nurses' Reflections on Obamacare
Oct 17, 2012 - Watching the debate with my colleagues from Planned Parenthood brought home what a historic step forward the Affordable Care Act was for women's health. I felt proud to hear President Obama defend this law and talk about the benefits and... Read more...
Moderate Mitt wants women to know he totally supports our reproductive rights. For now.
Oct 17, 2012 - Governor Romney has made it abundantly clear over the past couple of months with how comfortable he is having politicians decide the health care choices that women are making. But now he's changing his story to mislead voters on where he stands on women's health issues. Read more...
President Obama came out swinging for us
Oct 16, 2012 - I was so pleased to see the presidential debate tonight. It was refreshing to see President Obama come out swinging when Mitt Romney attacked him. The president called him out on his lies and got his point across on healthcare... Read more...
Nurses know Obamacare is the right prescription for a healthy America
Oct 16, 2012 - My colleagues and I at Allegheny General in Pittsburgh, PA are dealing with challenging economic times just like the rest of our neighbors, and we are trying to do more with less. We watch the debates with great interest to... Read more...
White House Recognizes SEIU Nurses for Educating Patients About Obamacare
Oct 05, 2012 - Registered nurses Cathy Stoddart and Michelle Boyle, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, were recognized for their work educating patients, staff and their communities about the Affordable Care Act by administration officials at a recent White House Health Forum. Helping staff, patients and their families understand the benefits and protections they won with the passage of the healthcare law is a top priority for the Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare. Read more...
Medicaid truths that Mitt Romney doesn't understand
Oct 03, 2012 - The truth about Medicaid that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan don't understand? It's not a program that caters to the "entitled" in this country. Many of our children, elderly parents, friends and neighbors count on Medicaid to get the care they need. Read more...
SEIU Nurses and Doctors Share Outreach Success Stories at White House Forum on Healthcare Law
Oct 01, 2012 - SEIU Healthcare Chair Dr. L. Toni Lewis joined more than a dozen nurses from SEIU locals and physicians from the Committee of Interns and Resident of SEIU Healthcare at a White House Healthcare Forum last Friday focusing on outreach to patients and continuing implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Read more...
This video is short, but its impression is lasting
Sep 13, 2012 - What would it mean for everyday people if Mitt Romney were elected president and went on to repeal the Affordable Care Act? Watch this short video for a glimpse into devastating impact taking away the benefits of the law would have on American families and children. Read more...
Romney/Ryan Healthcare Plan: The Wrong Prescription for America
Aug 31, 2012 - With only 10 weeks until Election Day, November 6, let's make sure that we can echo the messages of those at the Democratic National Convention and on the Doctors for America Patients Over Politics Tour so we can help move the country forward with strong healthcare policies that take the burdens off the backs of seniors and the middle class. Read more...
A day in the life of a SEIU/CIR doctor volunteering in Haiti
Aug 24, 2012 - When a powerful earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, SEIU members joined relief efforts to put our union's resources to work and help our neighbors in Haiti, and scores of SEIU member nurses and resident physicians volunteered for relief efforts. Two years later, SEIU members continue to deploy to meet the ongoing medical needs of the Haitian community. Read more...
SEIU HCII stands in solidarity with striking Caterpillar machinists
Aug 08, 2012 - JOLIET, Ill.-In a show of solidarity within the labor movement, Illinois' largest union donated financial support to striking Caterpillar workers in Joliet Wednesday, vowing to stand with them in their struggle for economic justice. Leaders of SEIU Health Care Illinois... Read more...
A Catholic nurse's response to access to affordable birth control
Aug 03, 2012 - Cathy Glasson is a healthcare professional who was raised Catholic, went to a Catholic School, and sent her child to a Catholic School. From where she stands, the birth control with no co-pay policy does not have any religious underpinning--it is simply sound health policy. Even 98% of Catholic women use birth control as some point in their lives. Read more...
August 1st: A New Day For Women's Health
Aug 01, 2012 - Starting August 1st, 47 million American women gain access to expanded coverage of preventive services -- including birth control -- without co-pays. Spread the news by sharing our infographic here. Read more...
Congressional Republicans' obsessive opposition to Obamacare
Jul 11, 2012 - The Republican leadership in the House will vote today to repeal the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. "Obamacare"). It will the 33rd vote held in the last 18 months to repeal, defund or dismantle parts or all of the law. Tell House Republicans to stop wasting our time by attacking our healthcare. Read more...
SEIU Members Celebrated Obamacare In More Than 35 Locations Nationwide
Jul 02, 2012 - Last week, SEIU members joined with healthcare activists to celebrate the Supreme Court's healthcare law decision with rallies, marches and press events in dozens of states across the U.S. Check out our Storify compilation to see all the action. Read more...
Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare
Jun 28, 2012 - The Court's decision today is vitally important because now is not the time to slow down the benefits of the law that is making healthcare more affordable. Now is the time to keep America moving forward. Read more...
Healthcare Law Leads to Better Care, Better Lives
Jun 18, 2012 - As a nurse practitioner and certified diabetes educator, Carmen witnesses daily the devastating effects of unmanaged chronic disease on the patients in her care. The Affordable Care Act removes financial barriers to front-line care by eliminating co-payments for basic healthcare services. Read more...
California homecare workers turn up the heat ahead of state budget deadline
Jun 12, 2012 - Thousands of home care providers and their clients in California are taking action for the fight to win a better alternative to short-sighted budget cuts. Read more...
White House townhall highlights how Obamacare has improved seniors' health
Jun 11, 2012 - As a nurse who provides care to seniors at a community-based clinic, RN Linda Bock can tell you what a tremendous impact the healthcare law has had on her patients. At a White House townhall on seniors' health, Linda joined caregivers and other supporters, including HHS Secretary Sebelius, for a dialogue on the benefits of the healthcare law for seniors. Read more...
SEIU Nurse Travels to White House To Highlight Maternity Care Provisions of Healthcare Law
Jun 07, 2012 - In 38 years RN Bonnie Chappell has delivered a lot of babies, and now with the Affordable Care Act, mothers and babies are getting the care they need to start off life with the best possible odds. At the White House townhall today, I was surrounded by citizens, practitioners and champions of the healthcare law like HHS Secretary Sebelius. Read more...
Give and It Will Be Given to You
May 30, 2012 - A lot of politicians seem like they're up in the clouds, and I don't mean heaven. They're out of touch, looking down on the 99% like we're a bunch of little ants. Read more...
Workforce Champions
May 30, 2012 - Now, more than ever, we need to elect real leaders who will stand with us and fight for affordable, quality healthcare and fight healthcare injustice in all its forms. We will hold accountable members of Congress who want to repeal the Affordable Care Act and take away its benefits and protections. Read more...
A Feeling of Family
May 28, 2012 - I decided that homecare was my calling after caring for my grandmother for six years. I saw how important it was for her to be able to live safely and independently in her home without worrying about getting her next meal, her medication, a bath, or even being institutionalized. Read more...
SEIU Hosts Public Health Expo to Promote Healthy Living, Chronic Disease Prevention
May 27, 2012 - Fulfilling the urgent need for accessible and affordable healthcare for every man, woman, and child in America is an essential part of winning for working families. Read more...
I Am SEIU Healthcare ... and I care!
May 22, 2012 - In an effort to share a little more about who they are and what they're about, some members of our union's Healthcare Division - nurses, homecare workers, doctors, nursing home staffers, hospital workers, nursing assistants and other healthcare workers - took part in the "I AM SEIU Healthcare" project. Read more...
Taking getting healthy seriously: 2012 Healthcare Expo at SEIU's Convention
May 21, 2012 - We cannot assure a thriving middle class without access to affordable, high quality health care and a healthy population. That's why we're holding a Healthcare Expo at SEIU's 2012 Convention in Denver this year with the theme building healthier communities and preventing chronic disease. Read more...
Why Obamacare is important for women's health
May 16, 2012 - Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, women will be leading longer, healthier lives because they now have access to critical services like maternity care and preventive check-ups. Read more...
Getting Heard on Workplace Violence
May 14, 2012 - Workplace violence is an epidemic that many outside our facilities or day-to-day life have no clue even happens, much less how often it happens. More healthcare professionals are either assaulted or killed on the job than any other profession or trade. Read more...
Happy Women's Checkup Day!
May 14, 2012 - Today is dedicated to highlighting the need for women to visit their health care professionals for checkups and to encourage women to schedule regular checkups. Let's empower women to make their health a top priority by urging them to participate in National Women's Check Up Day today as part of National Women's Health Week. Read more...
Nurses Know Preventive Care Saves Lives
May 10, 2012 - Norlissa Cooper, RN and member of Local 1021 in California, knows that the law's emphasis on preventive care will help people get and stay healthy. Read more...
The Healthcare Law: Bringing Relief to Nurses and Patients
May 09, 2012 - Rah Abdullah, an RN in Nevada, knows first hand how the Affordable Care Act helps save the lives of patients needing organ transplants. She and her fellow RNs are celebrating Nurses Week 2012 by spreading the good word. Read more...
It's National Nurses Week
May 07, 2012 - As Chair of SEIU Healthcare and a physician, I speak from experience when I talk about the value of nurses on the frontlines of care as champions and advocates for patients. This year the celebration of National Nurses Week is... Read more...
Nurses Week 2012: Caring for America
May 07, 2012 - Healthcare shouldn't be about politics, it should be about patients. As nurses, we want patients and their families to make the decisions about their care--not insurance companies. This National Nurses Week, we continue to work towards transforming our nation's healthcare system. Read more...
We Remember The Dead And Fight Like Hell For The Living!
Apr 28, 2012 - Workers around the world commemorate April 28th as a day of remembrance honoring those who've died or been seriously injured on the job. The date for Workers Memorial Day coincides with Congress passing the Occupational Safety and Health Act forty-one years ago. Though the Act remains a promise that every worker deserves the right to a safe job, we all know that we have a lot of work ahead us. Read more...
RN Sally O'Neill: "Why we have the healthcare law--and why we must keep it."
Apr 04, 2012 - During last Tuesday's rally for Obamacare in front of the Supreme Court, it was exciting to see everyone with brightly colored T-shirts and signs: SEIU, NARAL, AFSCME, Planned Parenthood, Our DC, Consumer Reports and folks who came out from more than a dozen organizations. There were babies, toddlers, older men and women, middle-aged guys. Teenagers. All supporting the healthcare law. Read more...
Why Nurse Vicki Neumeier supports the law: "I have seen people die for lack of healthcare"
Apr 03, 2012 - As Supreme Court justices listened to arguments on the Affordable Care Act last week, SEIU nurses and healthcare providers gathered outside the court to show solidarity and support for the landmark legislation. Vicki Neumeier, an 1199SEIUNW Endoscopy Nurse from Seattle,... Read more...
SEIU Nurses Represent Their Patients And Defend The Healthcare Law At SCOTUS Hearings
Mar 30, 2012 - Because of the Affordable Care Act, HIV Care Specialist Angela Bartels sees people better able to manage their chronic conditions. "Those who want to take away these important healthcare reforms do not have a plan that leads to better care for all Americans," says Angie. "Their motivations are political and politics has no business inside of a hospital or any patient care facility." Read more. Read more...
SEIU RNs Rally For Obamacare At Supreme Court Hearings
Mar 28, 2012 - As Supreme Court justices listened to arguments on the Affordable Care Act this week, thousands gathered in Washington, DC to show solidarity and support for the landmark legislation. SEIU nurses and healthcare workers were part of the large group that turned out on Tuesday to rally in front of the Supreme Court and voice their support for ObamaCare. SEIU RN Norberto Molina shares his thoughts on the experience here. Read more...
SEIU RN Selected As One of President Obama's "Champion of Change" For Healthcare Advocacy
Mar 23, 2012 - Nurse practitioner and SEIU Local 521 member Carmen Morales-Board was honored by the Obama administration on Wednesday as a "Champion of Change" for her work promoting the benefits of, and educating nurses about, the Affordable Care Act. Read more...
Americans are getting better healthcare at community health centers
Mar 22, 2012 - As a physician at a community health center in California, CIR/SEIU Healthcare member Dr. Michael Core has seen first hand what a difference it makes when everyone has access to primary healthcare. Read more...
Lifetime Caps On Health Insurance Coverage Are Gone.
Mar 22, 2012 - Americans no longer have to live with the fear they could max out their health coverage when they need it the most. Because of the healthcare law, insurance companies can no longer set arbitrary lifetime caps on benefits, putting millions of Americans one car accident, illness or heart attack away from bankruptcy. This healthcare law provision is something that resonates in a big way with Pennsylvania medical-surgery oncology nurse Kim Klinger. Read more...
2.5 Million Young Adults Gain Health Insurance Coverage
Mar 21, 2012 - One of the first provisions in the Affordable Care Act to take effect extended health insurance coverage to young adults up to age 26 under their parent's coverage. Since it went into effect in September 2010, 2.5 million young people have gained coverage, even if they are not students or married. Read more...
Better Care, Better Lives: Stories of the Affordable Care Act at Work
Mar 21, 2012 - While the House Republican Budget proposed by Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) would privatize Medicare and shift greater healthcare costs to working families and seniors, the Affordable Care Act is achieving its vision of delivering better healthcare to millions of Americans. As the two-year anniversary of the law approaches, the nurses, doctors, and healthcare workers of SEIU share their stories from the front lines of how the law is helping their patients and their families. Read them here. Read more...
I AM SEIU Healthcare ... and I care!
Mar 20, 2012 - Read more...
Working families and women now have access to no-cost preventative care
Mar 20, 2012 - In 2012, 54 million Americans gained access to free preventive care, with no co-pays or out-of-pocket costs. Now with the Affordable Care Act, more women will be able to get the care they need. Fort Lauderdale labor and delivery nurse Nadine White talks about why prenatal care and testing are so important. Read more...
Healthcare for older Americans is getting better. And so is Medicare.
Mar 19, 2012 - Linda Bock, SEIU member and geriatric nurse: "The healthcare law has made prescription medications and preventive care much more affordable for Americans who rely on Medicare." Read more...
An Important Reminder This Women's History Month: Women are People Too
Mar 16, 2012 - Being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. But given the "controversies" created by male lawmakers, politicians and religious leaders around women's reproductive health rights recently, a new question has arisen from the right wing discourse: Are Women People? Read more...
SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania Member Takes Part in "Nurses for Obama"
Mar 16, 2012 - Michelle Boyle, a Pittsburgh nurse and member of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, joined Congresswoman and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA) on Wednesday to take part in the national launch of "Nurses for Obama." This new initiative will unite the voices of nurses across the country to be advocates for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in their communities. Read more...
SEIU Nurses Provide Care for Marchers in Alabama!
Mar 14, 2012 - Richard Negri from the Healthcare Division was part of the many SEIU members and staffers present at the Selma to Montgomery marches. While there he spent a good amount of time with the Union's member nurses who were on hand to provide healthcare for the marchers. Read more...
Our hearts and wallets are safer
Mar 05, 2012 - On Thursday, the Blunt amendment was defeated and our access to no-cost preventive health services was protected. Thousands of activists like you spoke up for women's access to contraception these last few weeks. Your phone calls, signed petitions, letters, videos,... Read more...
To Put It Blunt(ly): Your Wallet and Your Health Are Under Attack
Feb 27, 2012 - Thanks to the healthcare law, American healthcare costs will go down with access to no-cost preventive health services, including contraception. But while working families struggle with paying for groceries, right-wing members of Congress and opponents of contraception are trying to give control of your health to corporations. Take action to put a stop to the Blunt Amendment today. Read more...
Republicans to Women: Your Health Doesn't Matter
Feb 26, 2012 - The expansion of birth control no cost-sharing will bring real economic and emotional relief to the millions of women who prior to the law, had nowhere to turn. However, many Republicans - especially those in the Senate - have not been won over by Obama's contraception compromise. Read more...
SEIU's Henry: Contraception Announcement Right Decision for Women's Health
Feb 10, 2012 - Every American has the right to make personal healthcare decisions with his or her doctor and loved ones. Employers have no place in the doctor's office. Read more...
Remembering slain healthcare provider Stephanie Moulton
Feb 08, 2012 - What would have been the 26th birthday of Stephanie Moulton, we take a minute to reflect, send a letter of condolence and remind everyone that, as Mother Jones said, "We mourn for the dead and fight like hell for the living." Read more...
Protect Women's Access To Contraception With No Co-Pay
Feb 08, 2012 - Read more...
I support women's access to no-cost contraception. Do you?
Feb 08, 2012 - 99% of all women in the U.S. will rely on contraception at some point during their lives. A majority of Americans - including Catholics - believe employers should cover birth control without co-pay. If the numbers are on our side, why are so many people trying to take birth control away? Spread the word on Facebook and find out how SEIU nurses are speaking out to protect women's access to affordable contraception. Read more...
SEIU Nurses: No Woman Should Be Denied Contraceptive Coverage Because of Where She Works.
Feb 03, 2012 - SEIU nurses and healthcare workers who care for patients everyday know that there are still too many patients who cannot afford the healthcare coverage they need, including contraception. But thanks to the nation's healthcare law, this is about to change. Starting this August, most health insurance plans will be required to cover women's preventive services, including contraception, without charging a co-pay or deductible. This is a tremendous milestone for women's health and equality in our country. Read more...
California Home Care Workers Kick-Off Living Wage Campaign
Jan 30, 2012 - More than 700 home care workers gathered in downtown Los Angeles to kick off the LA Wins campaign, which is focused on ensuring that home care workers receive a county living wage of $9.65 an hour. For many caregivers in California, an increase of .65 cents per hour would go a long way in buying food, buying gas and paying the bills. Read more...
One in five new jobs came from the healthcare sector in 2011
Jan 07, 2012 - The healthcare industry was one of the top job creating industries in 2011. "When Congress returns, Republicans must get serious about job creation instead of proposing more cuts to unemployment insurance, Medicare or Medicaid," said Mary Kay Henry. "Cutting critical programs while delivering massive tax giveaways to corporations is not a viable, long-term solution to our national jobs emergency." Read more...
Making Homecare Jobs Into Good Jobs
Dec 15, 2011 - Many homecare workers have no healthcare coverage, no sick time, and no vacation days. On December 15th, President Barack Obama and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced they are going to end this injustice and fix the law to afford homecare workers the same labor protections all other workers are granted. Read more...
The Aftermath
Dec 08, 2011 - The assault itself was just the beginning--then came the nightmares, the panic attacks, the endless cycle of doctors' and lawyers' appointments, the terrifying realization that something in her had vanished on January 31, 2011, and she couldn't get it back. Read more...
Congress And Now An NLRB Member Play Politics With Your Livelihood...And Your Rights
Nov 28, 2011 - In another reprehensible attack on workers, the sole Republican member of the National Labor Relations Board Brian Hayes has threatened to resign in order to deny the Board's three-person quorum it requires to issue any rules. Hayes' resignation threat is specifically aimed at working people, in that it would cripple the Board from adopting a modest new rule that would remove frivolous lawsuits and red tape that delay union elections which the Board intends to pass this year. Read more...
#N17: Bridge Actions Cross The Country
Nov 17, 2011 - Despite months of demands by our community, despite millions of people out of work calling for change, Congress and the Wall Street banks continue to maintain the status quo, enriching themselves at the expense of the rest of us. We'll be live-blogging throughout the day as these actions take place. You can also follow us on Twitter at @SEIU for breaking news, photos and lots of live updates from actions happening in cities including Los Angeles, DC, Portland, Detroit, Milwaukee, New York, Philadelphia, Miami, Baltimore, Boston, and many more. Read more...
People with Disabilities and Workers Team Up to Fight the "Right Fight"
Nov 16, 2011 - Today leaders from the union and disability advocacy movements joined together to sign a historic document called "Guiding Principles: For Partnerships with Unions and Emerging Worker Organizations When Individuals Direct Their Own Service and Supports." Read more...
Congress can cut the deficit without cutting healthcare
Nov 15, 2011 - Right now, Congress is considering a plan to pay down America's debt on the backs of our children, seniors and people with disabilities by drastically cutting Medicare and Medicaid. The cuts would threaten the ability of hospitals, nursing homes and homecare providers to deliver quality care, and would also threaten millions of good jobs that can't be shipped overseas. Read more...
Michigan healthcare workers urge super committee to protect healthcare jobs and stop the cuts
Nov 02, 2011 - Last week, SEIU Healthcare Michigan members and leaders and the Detroit Medical Center joined together to urge Congressional Super Committee members to reject cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid would cause severe layoffs in the healthcare industry and hurt patients. Read more...
Walking a day in the shoes of an SEIU-West continuing care aide
Nov 01, 2011 - Judy Junor, a Member of Legislative Assembly in Saskatoon Eastview, recently walked a day in the shoes of Steve Olson, an SEIU-West member and continuing care aide. Junor shadowed Olson during his workday at Cheshire Homes, a residential care... Read more...
California healthcare workers call on Congress to protect vital healthcare funding
Oct 26, 2011 - Hundreds of SEIU-UHW members in Orange County, Sacramento County and Fresno held three days of rallies last week to protect funding for Medicare and Medi-cal. With only a few weeks until Congress decides if it will make huge cuts to essential healthcare funding, healthcare workers across California joined other community members to call on Congress to protect the healthy and safety of seniors and children. Read more...
SEIU Nurses On Capitol Hill: "NO CUTS!"
Oct 25, 2011 - Read more...
Americans Take Back 'Obamacare'
Oct 25, 2011 - In the political conversation about healthcare reform, the term "Obamacare" is almost always used as a pejorative, hurled at the law in long floor speeches and short political ads deriding the Affordable Care Act. But supporters of health reform have begun to make progress towards changing that narrative and shifting the perspective on healthcare reform. Read more...
Code Blue: Nurses to sound the alarm for quality jobs and healthcare on Capitol Hill
Oct 18, 2011 - As the "supercommittee" reviews recommendations from Republican members that would harm the health of seniors, people with disabilities and children and cost America more good jobs, more than 400 SEIU nurses will fill the halls of Congress tomorrow with their voices and handwritten letters detailing how additional cuts to Medicaid and Medicare will harm patient care and cripple jobs. Read more...
SEIU Nurses Are "Empowering Patients"
Oct 14, 2011 - One of every two Americans does not know the facts of about the new healthcare law. Nearly the same numbers of uninsured Americans think the law will not do anything to help them get the healthcare they need. The Nurse Alliance of SEIU decided to change this by creating a national nurse-to-nurse initiative called "Empowering Patients" to equip frontline nurses with the facts that can help their patients get better, more affordable care. Read more...
SEIU Local 521 Nurses Take Action To "Empower Patients" About The Healthcare Law
Oct 14, 2011 - SEIU nurses at Kern Medical Center (KMC) are taking part in a national initiative created by the SEIU Nurse Alliance to educate their patients about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act. A team from Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, California recently held a training on the benefits of the new healthcare law to nurses from around Kern County in SEIU Locals 521 and 1000. Read more...
Long Term Care Workers Mourn the Loss of Union Matriarch, Trailblazer, Verdia Daniels
Oct 12, 2011 - On Saturday, October 1st, SEIU United Long Term Care Workers (ULTCW) lost its founding matriarch, Mrs. Verdia Daniels, a trailblazer in unionizing homecare workers. Her efforts led to the organizing of 80,000 homecare providers in Los Angeles in 1999, the largest union organizing victory in the United States since the heyday of auto worker organizing in the 1930's and the first of homecare providers. Today, 500,000 homecare providers have union representation. Read more...
Important legislation to protect healthcare workers and patients signed into law
Oct 11, 2011 - California nurses and healthcare workers have always lead the charge for safer working conditions and patient care, whether through Nurse-to-Patient ratios, safer needle legislation or Airborne Transmissible Disease Standards, and now Safe Patient Handling isn't just a hope, it's a reality. Read more...
How Proposed Cuts to Medicaid Would Cut Jobs
Oct 07, 2011 - In the name of reducing our federal deficit, some members of the Congressional supercommittee would rather risk jobs and the lifesaving healthcare services millions of seniors, people with disabilities and children rely on than raise taxes on the richest individuals and corporations in this country. Cuts to Medicaid would result in the loss of millions of good-paying jobs across U.S. states. Read more...
Oral Arguments Heard at Supreme Court in Case Impacting Quality Healthcare Services
Oct 03, 2011 - SEIU-UHW member Larry Burrus, a Fresno County homecare providerThe U.S. Supreme Court today heard opening oral arguments in the case of Douglas v. Independent Living Center of Southern California, which will decide whether Medicaid recipients and providers can sue the... Read more...
Cutting Medicaid Means Cutting Jobs
Sep 30, 2011 - As the Congressional supercommittee looks for places to trim the federal budget, early reports forecast that Medicaid could be on the chopping block for either direct cuts or massive cost shifting to already-strapped states. When it comes to job creation, investment in healthcare through Medicaid is one of the most effective and efficient forms of economic stimulus and job creation. Put two and two together and it's not hard to make the connection that cutting federal spending on Medicaid means cutting jobs. Read more...
Homecare Workers Join Disability Rights Activists To Rally Against Medicaid Cuts
Sep 21, 2011 - Folks have had about enough of the blatant disrespect the threat to gut Medicaid is toward our most vulnerable citizens - and the workers caring for them. It is for this reason that more than 40 home care members from 10 different states joined forces with disability rights advocates and allies today to participate in a "My Medicaid Matters" rally on Capitol Hill. Read more...
"No one can truly afford to see Medicaid cut"
Sep 19, 2011 - We all need to stand up and defend important programs that help many Americans live a dignified life. Shareen Miller, a personal care assistant (PCA) in Churchton, MD shares how cuts to Medicaid would impact her profession and the lives of the seniors and people with disabilities who receive this care. Read more...
Balancing the budget on the backs of seniors and people with disabilities?
Sep 14, 2011 - Cuts to Medicaid being considered by the Congressional supercommittee could deny medical and in-home care to the most vulnerable among us - including many of the people SEIU members care for on a daily basis. Lauralyn Clark, a homecare worker from Caroline, VA shares why Medicaid matters to her and the client she cares for every day. Read more...
Medicaid Means Quality Care And American Jobs
Sep 13, 2011 - Last week, a retired plumber attending Congressman Ryan Paul's town hall meeting in Wisconsin began to speak out about Ryan's proposed budget cuts, which would end Medicare and Medicaid as we know it. The police swiftly grabbed the man, pushed him into the hallway, threw him down and handcuffed him. As this was all taking place, Rep. Ryan joked, "I hope he took his blood pressure medicine today." Read more...
Nurse Alliance Roundup for 9/7/2011
Sep 11, 2011 - Nurses in our union continue to fight for safe staffing, safe patient handling, and among many other issues, the epidemic that is workplace violence. Our issues, unfortunately, are usually only covered in the press when tragedy happens. We need to change that and make ourselves heard BEFORE another tragedy goes down. If you know an SEIU nurse who should be getting the Nurse Alliance Roundup email newsletters, please help them get their voices heard too Read more...
Free and Fair Union Elections mean Quality Jobs
Sep 07, 2011 - In June of this year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced a pro-worker proposed rule change to the current archaic private sector union election process. About ten seconds after the announcement, the Board (and workers around the country) witnessed the beginning of an all-out assault from the opposition. The corporations, and the politicians carrying out their dirty work on the Hill did all they could to spin myths from reality, twisting truths around like a pretzel. Read more...
If Congress cuts Medicaid, homecare workers and seniors will suffer
Sep 07, 2011 - With debt negotiations set to begin this week, congressional super committee members need to fully comprehend the huge impact the decisions they make regarding job creation and our healthcare system will affect seniors, people with disabilities and children now and in the years to come. Read more...
Action, Congress, Action! SEIU Members Take To The Streets On Debt Ceiling Debate
Aug 09, 2011 - In the weeks leading up to the critical final hours of the debt ceiling debate, SEIU members in NY, IL, MN, PA, MA, OH, CA, WI, FL participated in rallies and protests to send the message to Congress that shredding the social safety net millions of Americans rely on is NOT a solution to our deficit problem. Keep reading for an inspiring reminder of why unions and progressives must keep mobilizing their core activists during this August recess for a series of bold actions on jobs that Congress can't ignore. Read more...
Save Medicare! Make Big Banks Pay Their Share!
Aug 03, 2011 - Today, United NY and SEIU Locals 1199 and 32BJ are organizing seniors and community members to hold "Knit-Ins" at bank branches throughout New York City and Long Island with the theme "Save Medicare - Make Big Banks Pay their Share." Read more...
Why Medicaid Matters to Americans
Jul 27, 2011 - As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on a plan that would raise the debt ceiling in exchange for devastating cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, we think they should keep a few things in mind. Members of Congress should remember that they too will grow old and their loved ones will grow old too. The decisions they're making right now will affect us all. Read more...
Editorial by President Mary Kay Henry in Modern Healthcare
Jul 25, 2011 - In this week's edition of Modern Healthcare, Mary Kay Henry writes about how employers, labor, and policymakers need to focus on creating good healthcare jobs that will improve the quality of care delivery as well as the lives of working women and men. Read more...
Homecare Workers: Your hands and your voices matter!
Jul 25, 2011 - Many home care workers, union and non-union alike, may not be aware that current labor regulations are denying them the same federal minimum wage and overtime protections that other workers enjoy. On Wednesday, July 27th, you have the chance to influence the conversation to help change this. Find out how → Read more...
Republican cuts to Medicaid would devastate Latino families and children
Jul 19, 2011 - A new report underscores what physicians, nurses and healthcare workers have witnessed with growing concern: If Republican plans to gut Medicaid and take away the benefits of the Affordable Care Act become reality, millions of Americans will be harmed. But the harm to Latino communities will be exponentially greater. Read more...
NLRB hears from 15,000 of us... at once!
Jul 19, 2011 - On June 21st, the National Labor Relations Board announced proposed rules to modernize the union election process. This small step forward for working people, we knew, would be met with fierce opposition, and it has. So we mobilized online to push back on the opposition by getting the Board to hear our voices. Our goal to deliver a letter co-signed by as many workers as possible during the open public comment sessions was accomplished today! Read more...
Why NLRB Should Adopt Proposed Rule
Jul 18, 2011 - Before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ended the first day of hearings about a proposed rule that would potentially remove frivolous litigation and delays in union elections, they heard from SEIU member and caregiver Veronica Tench, who knows first hand why working people deserve comprehensive labor law reform now. Read more...
SEIU Member to Testify at NLRB About 13 Year Struggle to Organize
Jul 18, 2011 - Today SEIU member Veronica Tench is testifying at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in support of the Board's recent proposed rule change to union elections. Her story is the story of many (too many) workers around the country... Read more...
Tell Congress: Stop Cuts to Social Security
Jul 15, 2011 - Social Security belongs to you. You pay for it in every paycheck. It should not be used as a piggy bank by Washington's politicians. Don't let Congress cut it or raid it. Read more...
Medicaid Matters Today and Every Day
Jul 12, 2011 - With $100 billion in healthcare funding and one million jobs hanging in the balance during the current debt ceiling debate, we're joining with labor, faith, and senior advocates to call on members of Congress to protect the Medicaid and Medicare services. Check out our list of 30 ways Medicaid matters and then take action to demand lawmakers come up with a budget plan that reduces the deficit responsibly and works for all Americans. Read more...
SEIU Home Care Members Unite to Take On the Long Term Care Crisis
Jul 12, 2011 - SEIU home care workers and consumer allies have led the fight to raise the standards for both direct caregivers and, more importantly, consumers of care. This is why we linked arms with 600 other homecare workers from around the country today to be a part of the Caring Across Generations Campaign launch in Washington, DC. Read more...
Effort to organize a union met with years of intimidation and harassment
Jul 11, 2011 - PA certified nursing assistant Trisha Meicher is not ashamed of speaking out to try to gain a voice on the job. She's proud of the effort she and her coworkers have made to try to make ManorCare nursing home a better place for seniors to receive care. What she is ashamed of is how this country continues to let employers bully workers who are trying to improve their lives. Read more...
Albany NY Nurse Attacked at Juvenile Facility Speaks Out
Jun 30, 2011 - Cheryl Huxhold had about enough of the violence at her workplace. After being severely beaten, she courageously took part in a press conference to shed light on the epidemic that is workplace violence in healthcare facilities. Read more...
Workers to Pocono Medical Center: You Can't Do That!
Jun 30, 2011 - We should file this one under: "Can they really do that?" The short answer should be: "Only if we let them." How Pocono Medical Center (PMC) thought it would get away with flagrant disregard for the law is unclear. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has filed a formal complaint against the healthcare facility for its outrageously unlawful activity against its own employees. Read more...
Affordable Care Act Delivers Better Preventive Care to Communities of Color
Jun 21, 2011 - A new report shows more than 5 million Americans with traditional Medicare took advantage of preventive benefits now available thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Find out why this announcement is particularly significant for communities of color--and how it represents an important milestone toward our ultimate goal of eradicating racial and ethnic disparities in our country's healthcare system. Read more...
41 Democratic Senators Step Up Their Defense Against Devastating Cuts to Medicaid
Jun 14, 2011 - On Thursday, Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller announced that 41 Democratic Senators are standing united with him to fight the Republican attacks on Medicaid. The public show of support is a meaningful signal that Democrats are strengthening their resolve to defend Medicaid, which has always been more politically vulnerable than Medicare. Read more...
SEIU-UHW healthcare workers unite with local families, children to protest Rep. Drier's vote that would cut healthcare for kids
Jun 09, 2011 - Yesterday, a coalition of community advocates and the healthcare workers of SEIU-UHW joined with more than 100 children to protest Congressman Drier's (R-CA) recent vote to cut children's healthcare. Rep. Dreier voted in April to support the Republican-backed budget proposal by Congressman Paul Ryan that would ration healthcare funds distributed to states. Read more...
Providers for People with Developmental Disabilities Join SEIU Local 503
Jun 06, 2011 - The newly organized workers--a majority provide support for adults with developmental disabilities, but some also work with clients who have mental health issues and still others with medically fragile children--represent the largest single influx of union members in Oregon in a decade. Read more...
New Relief For Those With Pre-Existing Conditions
Jun 01, 2011 - If you have a pre-existing medical condition, it's understandable why the promise of lower health insurance costs beginning in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act may not feel like the immediate relief you'd hoped for. Thankfully, the Department of Health and Human Services announced some very good news yesterday on the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP). PCIP will make it easier for people with pre-existing conditions who cannot obtain health insurance in the private market to access coverage through the program. Read more...
CIR Convention 2011: Improving Patient Safety and Resident Wellness
May 26, 2011 - Members of the 13,000-member Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU Healthcare) got a glimpse of the resident physician history and saw how far we've come at the 2011 CIR Convention in Chicago this past weekend. One of the highlights of the 3-day event was a speech by Dr. Carolyn Koffler, now 98, who was honored for her work advocating for residents to get paid in the 1930s. Read more...
Pocono Medical Center Workers Say Thank You!
May 25, 2011 - On May 14th when workers at the Pocono Medical Center rallied and marched in the beautiful town of East Stroudsburg, Pa., where the hospital is located, they were joined in solidarity with 5,000+ union sisters and brothers from around the country. Yesterday the workers distributed this video as a way to say thank you! Read more...
Scott Brown: The Decision
May 24, 2011 - When Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown said "Thank God" for the Ryan budget proposal which would destroy Medicare as we know it, he was only kidding. Luckily for those of us who weren't aware what a total jokester Brown can be when it comes to stripping benefits away from our nation's seniors, Brown cleared the air in a Politico op-ed on Monday. Brown is the first Senate Republican to declare he won't be supporting the House Republican budget plan to replace Medicare with a voucher system. Read more...
Where would 46 million Americans—including our grandparents—be without Medicare?
May 20, 2011 - It seems many Republicans are willing to find out. Republicans in the U.S. Senate will soon have a chance to publicly declare their support--or not--for Paul Ryan's devastating budget plan that would impose draconian and savage cuts to our Medicare and Medicaid programs. Paul Ryan's budget plan will reportedly come to the floor for a vote in the Senate sometime this week. Read more...
Inferior workplace health and safety regulations are killing us (literally!)
May 19, 2011 - It's a fact that healthcare workers have higher injury and illness rates than workers in mining, manufacturing or construction--yet very few health and safety standards for these caregiving workers exist. SEIU member Cathy Stoddart, RN, BSN recently U.S. Senate staff about how we might easily and affordably strengthen health and safety regulations to prevent injuries and illnesses, save lives, and improve patient care. Read more...
Pocono Medical Center workers and 5,000 of their union sisters and brothers rally to keep their union!
May 18, 2011 - The attack on union workers is spreading like a cancer - attempting to reach every Main Street in the U.S. Whether it is Wisconsin, Ohio, or a small town nestled in Pennsylvania, big business and their political allies are on the hunt to break unions and the middle class we've created. But as the attacks on the middle class have spread across the country, the fight back response from workers has spread just as quickly. Read more...
Pocono Medical Center workers: 'You can keep trying, but this union will not be broken!'
May 10, 2011 - Workers at the Pocono Medical Center (PMC) are in the fight of their lives to protect their union, families and good jobs. In spite of the fact the 500+ hospital employees voted in Oct. 2010 to move toward ratification of their next contract, PMC has continued to intimidate the workers and refused to settle a new contract if they don't deliberately weaken their union. On Saturday, May 14th, these workers will be joined by thousands of union members and supporters from around the country to call on the hospital to end its Wisconsin-style attacks. Read more...
Have you thanked a nurse today?
May 10, 2011 - Show your personal appreciation for our country's dedicated caregivers this Nurses Week by submitting a message of thanks here: http://nursealliance.onlineactions.org/nursesweek2011 Read more...
Celebrate SEIU Nurses
May 09, 2011 - This 2011 National Nurses Week (May 6 - 12), we want to celebrate the work of nurses everywhere and honor all the work they do for their patients, families, and communities. Have you thanked a nurse today? Read more...
A real picture of who would be hurt by Medicare and Medicaid cuts
Apr 27, 2011 - Read more...
Workers Memorial Day: Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living
Apr 27, 2011 - Workers around the world take April 28th as a day of remembrance honoring those who've died or been seriously injured on the job. SEIU, and other unions around the world, acknowledge our thousands of sisters and brothers who prematurely died or became fatally ill because of unsafe working conditions. Read more...
Protect Medicare: Don't Let Republicans Pull the Wool Over Your Eyes
Apr 27, 2011 - Republicans argue that their budget plan doesn't end Medicare as we know it. To this we say: Just because you call the Republican voucher program 'Medicare' doesn't make it Medicare. Raising the age at which Americans become eligible for Medicare, or whatever program Republicans put in its place, would make health insurance more expensive for businesses, workers, and their employees, all while leaving one-fifth of future 65- and 66-year-olds with too little insurance or none at all. Read more...
The Historic Fight for Healthcare Reform
Apr 26, 2011 - In March 2010, nearly 32 million Americans who lived without health insurance were given the option to access affordable, good-quality healthcare when President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. SEIU, the largest union of healthcare workers in North America, played a pivotal role in winning this landmark legislation that is already at work for millions of Americans. We refuse to let anyone undo decades of hard work to get the bill passed, and undo what millions of working families are depending on. Read more...
SEIU nurse tells Federal Safety officials what's what on 40th anniversary of OSHA
Apr 25, 2011 - Cathy Stoddart, RN, BSN, Chair of the Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare Policy and Politics Committee and a staff nurse at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa., took part in an informative and distinguished panel at the Center for American Progress last week, which held an event honoring the 40 year anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Read more...
The Ugly Truth: Medicaid Block Grants In The Republican Budget Proposal
Apr 13, 2011 - Living by a budget is a necessity in today's economy. So why, when members of Congress start to talk about our nation's budget, is trying to get clarity on their vision for our country's future so ridiculously confusing? So many questions, so few straightforward answers... Since so many SEIU members deliver essential services to their patients, consumers, and clients through the healthcare program called Medicaid, we thought we would start here by detailing the impact of the Republican budget proposal to convert Medicaid into a "block grant" structure would have on working families and state governments. Read more...
Republican budget plan benefits Big Business at the expense of...everyone else
Apr 12, 2011 - When looking at House Republicans' budget proposal for the next fiscal year and the next decade, there are clear winners.... and clear losers. This backward-looking proposal does not control costs, it just shifts more costs onto state budgets and middle class taxpayers. Read more...
Top 10 Reasons We Must Protect the New Healthcare Law
Apr 08, 2011 - The new right-wing budget proposal is a prescription for disaster for communities of color--economically, socially, and without regard to the health of our families and communities. As we celebrate National Minority Health Month this April - and continue to reflect on the one-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act - Latinos and African Americans must be ready to raise our voices to protect the healthcare law. Read more...
The End of Medicare
Apr 07, 2011 - On Tuesday, Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced the Republican's 10-year budget proposal. Not only will this plan repeal the Affordable Care Act and take way health insurance from more than 32 million Americans -- it will also end Medicaid and Medicare as we know it.
We've got to put the heat on members of Congress to fight this proposal tooth and nail until we have a federal budget that does not inflict egregious harm on those who can least afford it. Call your member of Congress now to reject the radical House Republican budget proposal. Read more...
Member voices: A real picture of who would be hurt by Medicaid cuts
Apr 06, 2011 - Congressman Paul Ryan's (R- Wisconsin) 10-year budget plan would end Medicare and Medicaid as we know it. More than 460,000 SEIU members provide long term care every day to seniors and people with disabilities. Read SEIU Local 503 member and Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Lisa Wriggle's thoughts on how the Republican budget proposal could harm the individuals she cares for every day. Read more...
The healthcare law "helps give working people back more personal freedom"
Apr 05, 2011 - As I talk to our members from across the country, they've shared some powerful stories of how the Affordable Care Act is helping them live healthier lives. One such story came from Mylane Hastings, an SEIU-UHW member who works as a Respiratory Therapist at CHW Mercy San Juan Medical Center. Thanks to the new healthcare law, Mylane will never again be unable to find coverage after 2014, nor will insurance companies be allowed to deny her coverage. Read more...
Member voices: A death that might have been prevented with health insurance
Mar 24, 2011 - SEIU Pennsylvania member Georgeanne Koehler tells the story of her brother Billy, who died of a heart attack in March 2009. Bill's death might have been prevented, had he not been lost through the cracks of our broken healthcare system and been denied care by every health insurance company in Pennsylvania due to his "pre-existing" heart condition. Read more...
Affordable Care Act Anniversary Week Kicks Off
Mar 21, 2011 - One year after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, millions of American seniors, young adults, women, families and communities of color are already benefitting from the law's much-needed consumer protections. Such a momentous first anniversary definitely calls for a celebration, which is why each day this week, SEIU.org will feature stories, healthcare facts and videos that highlight how the healthcare law is helping SEIU members and all Americans move forward by ensuring access to quality, affordable care. Read more...
Pocono Medical Center Strike, Day 3
Mar 18, 2011 - The energy of day 3 at the Pocono Medical Center strike line was exuberant. Horns from cars passing by were honking louder and longer. Workers from the IBEW, UFCW and AFSCME walked in solidarity, and clearly, as one person said, "the sleeping giant has woken up!" Read more...
"Below-target" nursing shifts and increased workloads signal greater risk of mortality for patients
Mar 18, 2011 - A New England Journal of Medicine study on the relationship between nurse staffing levels and patient mortality rates is "truly a game changer in measuring safe patient staffing standards in hospitals," Dian Palmer, RN, President of the Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare, said in a statement. Read more...
Pocono Medical Center Workers - Strike Update, Day 2
Mar 16, 2011 - A Pocono Medical Center (PMC) worker on the picket lines for the second day in a row said, "We refuse to be a mini-Wisconsin. We refuse to let our rights get pulled out from under us." The hospital where she works is demanding that she and 500+ coworkers, all of whom are members of SEIU Healthcare PA, give up their union shop. Read more...
Pocono Medical Center Workers Strike for Respect
Mar 15, 2011 - Like workers in Wisconsin, Ohio, and elsewhere who are standing up for the right to collective bargaining and in support of good jobs in their community, Pocono Medical Center hopsital workers are fighting back against an assault on democracy and workers' rights. As a last resort, the workers who provide care at the bedside, sanitize patients' rooms, serve their food, do the blood work and secure medical records, are holding a 3-day unfair labor practice strike beginning Tuesday, March 15th. Read more...
Republicans, 0 | Affordable, Quality Healthcare For All Americans, 1
Mar 11, 2011 - The GOP-controlled House is of the opinion that "defunding" the Affordable Care Act will reduce the deficit. They couldn't be more wrong. Dismantling the Affordable Care Act would cost the government billions of dollars over 10 years...not to mention take away coverage from 32 million Americans. Read more...
House Calls Member Q&A: Nurse Practitioners' Critical Role in Medical Homes
Mar 09, 2011 - Nurse practitioners are often the only provider in rural and underserved areas and can help expand primary care services to the millions of adults who will gain health insurance under the law with the expansion of Medicaid and more affordable healthcare options in 2014. Read more...
Don't you wish the government knew about your safety issues when working with hazardous chemicals?
Mar 08, 2011 - Well, here's your shot. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), has invited healthcare workers to take an online survey about health and safety practices when working with hazardous chemicals on the job. Help NIOSH make new and improved recommendations on health and safety practices pertaining to your work with hazardous chemicals on the job by taking the survey at www.niosh-healthcare-survey.org before March 26th. Read more...
Federal Judge: States Must Deliver Benefits and Insurance Protections of the Healthcare Law
Mar 03, 2011 - U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson ruled that the implementation of the Affordable Care Act can move forward while the Department of Justice appeals his earlier decision, which found the Act to be unconstitutional. In his ruling, Vinson agreed that halting implementation of the law would be "extremely disruptive and cause significant uncertainty." Uh, no kidding. Read more...
Pennsylvania Lawmakers: 'Just Say No' to Home Care Cuts
Feb 22, 2011 - Dina Nelson, a home care worker from Allentown, spoke up recently at a rally to tell Pennsylvania legislators not to make cuts to home care in this year's budget. With Pennsylvania's current budget crisis, and potential cuts to services statewide, the members of United Home Care Workers of Pennsylvania - a partnership between SEIU & AFSCME - are staying vocal to let lawmakers know personally why home care is important, effective and cost-efficient. Read more...
VIDEO: Wisconsin Nurse Angela Aldous: "I Love My Patients"
Feb 22, 2011 - SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin member Angela Aldous, an RN at the University of Wisconsin Hospital, talks about how having a voice at the workplace keeps her patients safe and helped her keep the job she loves, working for the patients she loves, while recovering from a multiple sclerosis attack. Read more...
Physicians spotlight how the Affordable Care Act has benefitted patients
Feb 16, 2011 - From their vantage point as frontline providers of care, physicians witness first hand how the the Affordable Care Act is changing lives. As Republicans in Congress have continued their efforts to repeal the healthcare law, CIR doctors are speaking out on behalf of all physicians, patients and healthcare advocates to condemn the political stunts of elected officials. Read more...
Hundreds of Washington State Caregivers Work to Protect Long Term Care
Feb 14, 2011 - Would Washington state lawmakers be so willing to cut the hours of personal care given to 45,000 Washingtonians who are seniors or have disabilities if they knew how badly those services are needed? More than 350 caregivers, members of SEIU Healthcare 775NW, converged on the Washington State Capitol in Olympia last week to tell legislators why cutting long term care programs is not the solution. Read more...
The Affordable Care Act: More Competition Required
Feb 14, 2011 - If GOP lawmakers get their way, Americans who've found their health insurance rates dramatically increased in the past year or so may not even have the option to shop around for a better plan for their buck. Why? Because according to the American Medical Association, there's a significant lack of competition among insurers - which results in working women and men paying much higher insurance premiums than they should. Read more...
Helping college students get good coverage through the Affordable Care Act
Feb 11, 2011 - A new rule proposed by Health and Human Services (HHS) ensures the 4.5 million students who buy insurance through their college or university receive the same strong consumer protections afforded all Americans under the Affordable Care Act. The law provides students with access to free preventative care and ensures they can't be dropped from coverage if they get sick or have an accident. Read more...
Working to Make Healthcare Disparities History
Feb 08, 2011 - Disparities in healthcare for communities of color exist in many forms, but if we all work together as fully informed patients, physicians, healthcare workers and active members of our communities, I'm confident we can turn this existing "injustice" into "justice in healthcare." We can't solve healthcare and health disparities overnight--but the new law puts us on the right path moving forward. Read more...
Largest private sector NLRB election in Oregon in over a decade
Feb 03, 2011 - On February 2nd in Bend, Oregon, the National Labor Relations Board opened ballots and 600 St. Charles Medical Center employees will now be represented by SEIU Local 49. This vote is the largest private sector NLRB election in the state since 1996. Read more...
GOP Sides With Insurance Companies Instead of Working Families
Feb 03, 2011 - Last night, Senate Democrats successfully and unanimously defeated a GOP attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, 47-51. How will Republican Senators explain to their constituents their proposal to take away coverage from the 32 million Americans who would gain it under the healthcare law? If they were being truthful about the full impact of repeal, it might look a little like this. Read more...
VIDEO: How the Affordable Care Act is extending coverage to millions of uninsured Americans
Feb 02, 2011 - Working families cannot afford to lose the benefits of the healthcare law. Find out one big way the new health reform law helps children get -- and stay -- on the path to a healthier life by providing coverage to young adults up to age 26 by watching this video with SEIU Healthcare Chair, Dr. L. Toni Lewis. Read more...
Workplace Violence Is Not Part of the Job - A Nursing Phenomenon
Feb 02, 2011 - The recent cluster of tragic events facing nurses around the country put a media spotlight on the extent of violence against nurses and other healthcare workers. Unfortunately, workplace violence won't end by media attention alone--and nurses should NOT be okay with going to work knowing there's a real possibility of getting hurt, traumatized or killed. We'd like to hear from nurses everywhere what their experiences have been - and what they think could help remedy the prevalence of violence in their hospital or care facilities. Read more...
Florida Federal District Court Ruling: Playing Politics with Our Healthcare
Jan 31, 2011 - Judge Vinson's ruling against the Affordable Care Act is a partisan attempt to protect insurance companies and delay benefits to hardworking Americans. This ruling cannot--and does not--have the ability to stop the benefits of the law that are already making a difference for millions of Americans. "The Affordable Care Act, not partisan politics, will ultimately prevail," said SEIU President Mary Kay Henry. Read more...
New health care law is making a difference
Jan 25, 2011 - Read more...
Healthcare Repeal: Too Much at Stake
Jan 21, 2011 - SEIU members placed thousands of calls to their elected officials before last week's vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Working women and men urged their members of Congress to focus on what will really help the middle class out of this recession: creating good jobs. Both sides of the aisle acknowledge that the House action to repeal won't get past the Senate, but the real danger is that opponents of the Affordable Care Act are intent on dismantling the law piece-by-piece. That's something working families simply can't afford. Read more...
CHART: What Repealing Healthcare Reform Would Take Away From American Consumers
Jan 19, 2011 - The Republican repeal bill headed for a vote in the House tonight would take away numerous benefits and important consumer protections that are making a real difference in peoples' lives. To help folks see beyond the rhetoric, Health Care for America Now has a chart demonstrating the benefits of the Affordable Care Act. Read more...
Member voices: With healthcare reform, a child can't be denied care due to a pre-existing condition
Jan 18, 2011 - As a registered nurse for the last 35 years, I have seen healthcare policies and healthcare technologies come and go. As my career made a progression from bedside nursing to case management, I became more interested in promoting justice and access to state of the art healthcare for our tiniest, most vulnerable patients. Read more...
Legal Challenges Aren't Keeping Healthcare Reform From Moving Forward
Jan 12, 2011 - Since the passage of healthcare reform -- or the Affordable Care Act -- opponents of reform have filed more than 20 different legal challenges. The good news is that judges have already granted the Obama administration's motion to dismiss 12 of these cases. More important to remember is this: anti-reform lawsuits will not slow down the active benefits of the law of all the work underway in states to get ready for the expansion of care to millions of Americans. The good news: judges have already granted the Obama administration's motion to dismiss 12 of these cases. Read more...
Minimum wage: not an option for most homecare workers
Jan 11, 2011 - Home care workers -- who provide essential services to more than 13 million seniors and people with disabilities -- are currently excluded from federal minimum wage and overtime protections many working people take for granted. With a new Department of Labor regulation, this can change. U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis has said this issue is on the DOL list of regulatory items to address, but doesn't think anything will happen before October of this year. Now is the time to keep the pressure on the DOL to finally do right by millions of home care workers. Read more...
Pennsylvania Attendants Are Fighting For Home Care Services
Jan 11, 2011 - This past fall, over 4,000 home care attendants in PA decided to form a union - United Home Care Workers of Pennsylvania - to stand up for themselves, their families and consumers. Now these workers have launched a campaign to involve every home care worker in the fight to protect home and community services in the upcoming state budget. Sign their petition in support of home care. Read more...
PROMO: Health Care Reform Is Working!
Jan 10, 2011 - How the new legislation affects your family... Read more...
New analysis: health reform law repeal would add $230 billion to deficit
Jan 06, 2011 - House Republicans' plan to repeal the health care reform law would increase the deficit by $230 billion by 2021, according to a preliminary analysis from the Congressional Budget Office. The deficit isn't the only area repealing the health reform law would hurt. Under Republicans' proposed repeal act, the CBO estimates that 32 million fewer non-elderly Americans would have health insurance in 2019. Read more...
Doctors urge house leadership to move health reform forward, not repeal it
Jan 05, 2011 - Now more than ever, Americans cannot afford to have the benefits of the new law taken away from them. No one recognizes this more than our country's physicians and medical students who serve patients across America in all 50 states. Nearly 2,000 doctors from across the country have signed a petition telling Congress that they support the Affordable Care Act and want to work with them to implement it and make it stronger--not to repeal it. Read more...
Stop violence that is too close to home
Jan 04, 2011 - On October 23, 2010, a psychiatric technician, Donna Gross, was killed by a mentally ill patient at San Francisco's Napa State Hospital. Just days later, registered nurse Cynthia Palomata was attacked at work at the Contra Costa County Jail at Martinez. These deaths are a sad reminder of the unspoken danger healthcare providers face on the job, in a country which has failed to address violence as a health care issue. Read more...
Questionable billing by nursing homes exposed in Government report
Jan 04, 2011 - In a trend first noticed by SEIU, a new report by the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that between 2006 and 2008, nursing homes may have falsified patient records and overcharged Medicare by tens of millions of dollars each year. Read more...
New year, new benefits of healthcare reform
Jan 03, 2011 - As of January 1, 2011, new benefits of the healthcare law are just taking affect now for many individuals and families. For example: young adults covered by a parents' insurance are now covered up to age 26, insurance companies can no longer drop you from your coverage if you suddenly get sick and children under the age of 19 can't be denied care due to a pre-existing condition. There are also a few things that are new in terms of strengthening Medicare benefits. Read more...
Nurse Alliance 2010: Year in review
Jan 03, 2011 - As we begin the new year, we wanted to share some memorable highlights and photos of the phenomenal accomplishments of SEIU RNs at the national level on behalf of nurses and patients this past year. Keep reading for a special roundup of Nurse Alliance highlights from 2010. Read more...
Medicare and seniors: getting stronger
Dec 31, 2010 - Change is never easy, especially change that involves a complex system of providers, government and more than 14 million nurses, doctors and healthcare workers. But one thing we can all agree on is we want this generation that has worked all their lives to have the peace of mind and security of knowing that they will have quality healthcare available when they need it--and this is where our new healthcare law comes in. Healthcare reform focuses specifically on how we can ensure that the quality of care the Medicare system is providing to seniors is improving. Read more...
New healthcare reform regulations support America's middle class, not insurance company profits
Dec 22, 2010 - New proposed draft regulations from the Department of Health and Human Services will require health insurance companies who try to raise premium rates by 10 percent or more to justify the increases to federal regulators. The rate hikes will be publicly disclosed and reviewed to determine whether or not they're reasonable. This proposed rule marks another critical way in which the new healthcare reform law is working for America's working families. Read more...
Home care workers 1, State 0
Dec 22, 2010 - In a decision issued yesterday, a Thurston County jury found that the Washington state Department of Social and Health Services had breached its contract with 22,000 Washington state home care workers when they cut benefits to in-home care recipients by about 15 percent between 2003 and 2007 under the so-called "shared living rule." Despite the budget situation, this is a great victory for thousands of home care workers and clients whose hours were illegally cut through the "shared living rule." Read more...
What's new in the new year? Introducing "House Calls"
Dec 22, 2010 - As a physician, Dr. L. Toni Lewis gets a lot of questions from her patients, family and friends about healthcare reform. In response, we've created "House Calls" - a new forum to address these questions and concerns. While Dr. Lewis can't come directly to your door, she can share the latest on the law and answer your questions healthcare issues you want to know more about. Like an "online" house call! Read more...
Talking 'Bout The Flu
Dec 21, 2010 - Announcing the Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare's completely updated and professionally redesigned influenza worker educational materials for the 2010-2011 flu season, available for review and downloading at: http://www.seiu.org/flu. In particular, we urge you to read the letter from SEIU leaders Dian Palmer, RN, Dr. Toni Lewis, MD and President Mary Kay Henry on steps we can take to protect ourselves, our family members, patients, residents and clients. Read more...
Express Scripts workers ratify agreement;
400 jobs saved at pharma benefits company
Dec 10, 2010 - The settlement resolves a months-long conflict between the company and the Union. Express Scripts is the country's 2nd largest pharmacy benefit manager, and SEIU is the largest labor union in North America. Read more...
Agreement reached with Express Scripts!
Dec 06, 2010 - This item is no longer available. Express Scripts workers in Bensalem have reached an agreement with the company that will save 400 jobs. Help more workers fight for a fair economy. Sign up for SEIU's email alerts.... Read more...
Agreement reached with Express Scripts!
Dec 01, 2010 - This item is no longer available. Express Scripts workers in Bensalem have reached an agreement with the company that will save 400 jobs. Help more workers fight for a fair economy. Sign up for SEIU's email alerts.... Read more...
Agreement reached with Express Scripts!
Nov 30, 2010 - This item is no longer available. Express Scripts workers in Bensalem have reached an agreement with the company that will save 400 jobs. Help more workers fight for a fair economy. Sign up for SEIU's email alerts.... Read more...
Agreement reached with Express Scripts!
Nov 18, 2010 - This item is no longer available. Express Scripts workers in Bensalem have reached an agreement with the company that will save 400 jobs. Help more workers fight for a fair economy. Sign up for SEIU's email alerts.... Read more...
Home care workers strive for quality care in Pennsylvania
Nov 10, 2010 - Pennsylvania's seniors and people with disabilities have long fought to maintain their independence and stay at home, in their communities, while still receiving quality home care. By creating a stable, retainable workforce providing quality care in the manner consumers choose, United Home Care Workers of Pennsylvania are ensuring a better future for healthcare in Pennsylvania. As home care attendants & consumers travel across Pennsylvania on the Independence Ride, we hope others will get on the (online) bandwagon to support them. Find out how at http://pahomecareworkers.org. Read more...
Voices of PA home care workers heard 'round the state; Internet
Oct 28, 2010 - Yesterday was, by all accounts, an amazing day for the United Home Care Workers of Pennsylvania. Why? Because they were heard loud and clear by the community they live and work in, and simultaneously, all over the interwebs. Dozens of home care workers, consumers, and advocates rallied in support of the Independence Ride, a month-long tour of the state highlighting the need for quality home care in PA. Read more...
Dr. L. Toni Lewis Joins CAP Panel to Report on Women and Alzheimer's Disease
Oct 18, 2010 - At a forum held by the Center for American Progress and the Alzheimer's Association on Monday, SEIU Healthcare Chair Dr. L. Toni Lewis joined Maria Shriver and other experts to discuss the impact Alzheimer's has on families, the economy and caregivers--especially women. Read more...
Resident Physicians Deserve Protection by Labor and Employment Laws
Oct 18, 2010 - Ask any resident physician - particularly one coming off of a 24 hour call or 80 hour workweek - whether they should be considered students or employees, and the answer will be self-evident. Residents are employees and entitled to the same rights, responsibilities, and protections as any other employee. Read more...
Why Are Millions of Workers Like Evelyn Coke Excluded From Minimum Wages?
Sep 30, 2010 - The United States is a country where hard work is supposed to be rewarded. If you agree with that, would you be shocked to learn that there are more than 1.6 million homecare workers who are being denied federal minimum wage and overtime protections under current labor laws? And it is almost 2011! Read more...
What's In the New Provisions of the Health Care Reform Bill?
Sep 23, 2010 - As of September 23rd, new provisions of the Affordable Care Act kick in that will put an end to the worst of insurance company abuses. Once the health care law is fully implemented, insurance companies will not be able to deny any of us coverage because we have a pre-existing condition--or drop us when we get sick. And that's just the beginning! Read more...
Labor is theme of Dropkick Murphys new rock music video
Sep 22, 2010 - A new music video from Dropkick Murphys delivers a timely social justice message in support of healthcare workers fighting for free and fair union elections. The Boston rock icons teamed up with 1199SEIU to make this video in support of blue collar and frontline workers in Boston's largest industry: healthcare. Read more...
New union contract is a winning scenario for everyone
Sep 08, 2010 - Over the Labor Day weekend the Internet buzzed with union pride. Workers from every trade and sector wrote about what being a union member meant to them and their families. It is following those public displays of union pride... Read more...
Victory in Midwest! Nearly 600 Missouri Hospital Workers Join SEIU
Sep 03, 2010 - By a more than 2-to-1 margin, workers at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, MO voted this week to make SEIU Healthcare Missouri/Kansas their union. Read more...
Labor Day 2010: 'I'm committed to restoring fairness to our economy.'
Sep 02, 2010 - SEIU Healthcare Minnesota member Mark Freeman talks about Labor Day and restoring fairness to our economy. Read more...
Basic federal labor regulations would definitely help
Sep 02, 2010 - You are deep in mandatory overtime (which you don't get OT pay for) and you're so exhausted that you start making really bad mistakes - dangerous mistakes. Resident physicians work shifts as long as 30 hours as often as three times a week, which can lead to physician fatigue and medical errors. We've all been there in one way or another in our working lives, but what if you were a patient and the exhausted worker making the mistakes was your resident physician? Obviously it can be a life or death situation for you. Resident physicians work shifts as long as 30 hours as often as three times a week, which can lead to physician fatigue and medical errors. Read more...
Former nursing home owner who engaged in unfair labor practices goes to jail
Sep 02, 2010 - Helen Sieger, the former owner and operator of Kingsbridge Heights Nursing Home in the Bronx--where two hundred 1199SEIU members held a strike for seven months in 2008--is facing grand larceny charges for allegedly bribing a hospital official in exchange for referrals to her nursing home. Read more...
Agreement reached with Express Scripts!
Aug 30, 2010 - This item is no longer available. Express Scripts workers in Bensalem have reached an agreement with the company that will save 400 jobs. Help more workers fight for a fair economy. Sign up for SEIU's email alerts.... Read more...
David Bennett, SEIU Member and RN, running for Rhode Island State House
Aug 27, 2010 - "David Bennett, RN with colleague Sukie Ream David Bennett is a psychiatric nurse and member of SEIU Healthcare Rhode Island and this year he is running for State Representative in District 20. A native of Warwick, David was born... Read more...
Dan Onorato Walks a Day in a Pennsylvania Nursing Home Worker's Shoes
Aug 27, 2010 - Dan Onorato, the Democratic nominee for Governor, spent a few hours walking yesterday in the shoes of Shanrika Dukes, a CNA at the Somerton Center nursing home in northeast Philadelphia. "He did really well,' said Shanrika. "He talked with [the residents], asked lots of questions and did everything a rookie employee on the job would do." Read more...
Sick Hospitals, Sicker Patients
Aug 25, 2010 - A recent study on training attitudes and behaviors of medical students and residents during the 2009 H1N1 influenza epidemic found that more student doctors chose to work ill. But was it their first choice? Read more...
I recognize you do amazing work, but you're still not getting minimum wage
Aug 24, 2010 - Bravo to the Senate for marking a week in September to honor home care workers, but honor and a week of applause doesn't pay the bills. Surely, they must know this. While the Senate "recognizes" the contribution of our country's in-home caretaker workforce, more than 1.5 million of them currently live at near-poverty levels; earning a median income of $17,000 a year. Read more...
SEIU District 1199 organizes food drive for laid-off KDMC hospital workers
Aug 23, 2010 - This weekend, SEIU 1199 members in West Virginia organized a food bank for laid-off workers at Kings Daughter Medical Center (KDMC). Read more...
Does the Fair Labor Standards Act Hate Home Care Workers?
Aug 13, 2010 - The demand for home care services is exploding as the baby boomer generation ages and more seniors and people with disabilities choose to live at home rather than in a nursing home. But low wages, no federal minimum wage or overtime protections, and no benefits contribute to home care workers leaving their profession, with turnover rates estimated to be as high as 60 percent per year. As a result, consumers and patients have difficulty finding and keeping home care services. Read more...
Healthcare Workers at Alle-Kiski Medical Center Unite!
Aug 09, 2010 - On August 5th, 375 support staff from Alle-Kiski Medical Center in Allegheny County, PA voted to unite with SEIU Healthcare PA. "I am proud to say that we have formed our healthcare workers' union," said Sandra Schrecengost, a unit secretary in the ICU/CCU. Read more...
If your elderly or disabled family member needed homecare, would you call your babysitter?
Aug 04, 2010 - If your elderly or disabled family member, who chooses to live at home, needed assistance with daily care, would you try to get the same babysitter you call on for date-night with your spouse? Of course you wouldn't. Read more...
Illinois Nursing Home Reform Signed into Law
Jul 30, 2010 - After months of trips to Illinois's capitol to talk with legislators, hearings and negotiations, the nursing reform legislation SEIU Healthcare Illinois nursing home members and their allies fought so hard for was signed into law by Governor Quinn on July 29th. This is a great first step in our fight for quality long term care. Read more...
Evelyn Coke: Her Cause Must Become Our Own
Jul 30, 2010 - Sometimes we learn about a fantastic person after his or her death and wish that we could've known that person while he or she was still alive. When an ordinary American makes a massive impact on society with a call for fairness and equality that makes it all the way to the Supreme Court, that person and their cause must be carried on. Their fight becomes our dream for change. Read more...
Happy 45th Birthday, Medicaid and Medicare!
Jul 29, 2010 - July 30 marks the 45th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, programs that have provided a lifeline and healthcare coverage to older Americans and people with disabilities who previously had none. On Thursday, supporters gathered on Capitol Hill to celebrate the 45th anniversary, with speakers including SEIU Local 26 member Keylá Kahl, a janitor from Minneapolis, MN. Read more...
Working horses get paid sick days. Fifty million working Americans don't.
Jul 16, 2010 - New York City's Health Department allows 5 weeks of job-protected paid sick leave to horses hitched to carriages that carry tourists around town, should they fall ill or get injured. Yet more than 50 million two-legged U.S. workers get no paid sick time off at all. If horses can get it, why can't their bosses? Read more...
Why are the people caring for our older parents and grandparents excluded from minimum wage and overtime pay?
Jul 15, 2010 - In-home caregivers: Most people don't realize that these hard workers are excluded from minimum wage and overtime protections. Today, we are calling on DOL Secretary Hilda Solis to end the companionship exemption. Find out how you can be a part of our online campaign to help these workers get the justice they deserve. Read more...
The Legacy of Evelyn Coke: Honoring the Actions of a Quiet Heroine
Jul 09, 2010 - One year after Evelyn Coke's death, we continue to fight to ensure our nation's 1.5 million home care workers receive basic workplace protections the majority of private and public sector workers already enjoy under FLSA--overtime benefits and federal minimum wage. Read more...
Why HealthCare.gov Matters to Workers
Jul 06, 2010 - Last week, SEIU members and working families won a symbolic victory against health insurers. That's because HealthCare.gov launched - a resource center for Americans researching and purchasing health insurance. Never before have consumers had access to an impartial, third party source for information on health insurance policies. Read more...
Meet a Member: PCA Jacqueline O'Neal
Jun 30, 2010 - "Being a union member means I have a voice, that people care if I keep my job and get treated fairly," says Patient Care Assistant Jacqueline O'Neal, a District 1199 member who has been doing her hospital job at St. Vincent Charity for 34 years. In this video, Jacqueline discusses the importance of training union members to represent their coworkers. Read more...
Doctors at HHC'S Coney Island Hospital Join Doctors Council SEIU
Jun 24, 2010 - Doctors at New York's Coney Island Hospital voted to join Doctors Council SEIU when over 83% voted for the doctors' union. "Doctors need to stand together more than ever and advocate for resources and funding for staffing and patient services," said Barry Liebowitz, M.D., President of Doctors Council. Read more...
Nurse to Patient Ratios: The Lucky Few
Jun 23, 2010 - A recent NY Times editorial -- "Is there a nurse in the House?" -- hit a nerve with me, and probably many other registered nurses around the country. I rarely see a piece in the paper that is so on point about the challenges professional nurses face providing healthcare to our patients. Read more...
Heart of Baltimore Radio Ad with Danny Glover
Jun 21, 2010 - Actor and labor activist Danny Glover joined with writer and performer Anna Deavere-Smith to record a radio ad in support of the June 24th Heart of Baltimore rally. On this day, healthcare workers from across Baltimore will join together with 1199SEIU members to rally for better care, better jobs and a better Baltimore. Read more...
Statement by SEIU President Mary Kay Henry On the Death of John Delloro, APALA President ...And former SEIU Local Union Staff Leader
Jun 17, 2010 - Wherever John Delloro went, he not only made lasting impressions, he made lasting relationships. And because of who he was, countless people are struggling to come to grips with John's sudden passing at the age of 38. I am among them. Read more...
Vote Brings Dramatic New Future to Florida Healthcare Workers
Jun 16, 2010 - Can you imagine your union growing by 350,000...overnight? In a sense, this is what happened this week when 16,000 SEIU Healthcare Florida workers overwhelmingly voted to join 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. With this vote comes the opportunity for healthcare workers to ensure that new policies are implemented with their voices front and center. Read more...
Awesome Exchange Among Australian Unionists and SEIU1199ers in MD
Jun 16, 2010 - Though the weather was scorching on June 8th in Baltimore, the hottest ideas in the city were found right inside the air-conditioned offices of 1199SEIU. Eight union activists from Australia came to town to talk with the 1199 team that's been working on the Heart of Baltimore campaign, which is fighting to win free and fair union elections for every local caregiver. Read more...
A Nurse's View of Health Reform
Jun 14, 2010 - Today, America has a new healthcare law that is already expanding care to 32 million Americans, beginning to curb insurance company abuses, and addressing critical factors behind our nation's skyrocketing healthcare costs. While some opponents of reform might be focused on seeing the new healthcare law fail, nurses will be doing what we've always done - getting to work to improve the health of our patients. Read more...
Dr. L. Toni Lewis: New Chair of SEIU's Healthcare Division
Jun 14, 2010 - Dr. L. Toni Lewis, Immediate Past President of the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU Healthcare), has been named chair of the union's healthcare division by SEIU President Mary Kay Henry. Dr. Lewis brings a great deal of experience as a voice for resident physician rights and improved patient care to her new role, where she'll will lead efforts of SEIU's 1.2 million nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers. Read more...
Landslide Victory for St. Barnabas Hospital Residents
Jun 11, 2010 - Earlier this week the National Labor Relations Board issued a significant decision decreeing that St. Barnabas Hospital physicians and resident physicians have the right to organize and form a union. And oh boy, did they ever! Read more...
Unfinished Business: Fairness for Home Care Workers
Jun 11, 2010 - By the wages they are paid, you wouldn't think it was an important job--but home care workers are the last line of defense in helping people stay in their homes instead of nursing homes. In some cases, these workers are the closest thing to family those they care for have got. Regardless of the demands, most home care workers also receive no health insurance and no sick leave or vacation time--conditions that result in high turnover and make it difficult for home care consumers to find and keep caregivers. Read more...
SEIU Healthcare Nurses, Healthcare Workers Stand with Minnesota Nurses
Jun 10, 2010 - Since mid-March, more than 12,000 Minnesota nurses have been locked in contract negotiations with six different Twin Cities hospital systems representing 14 hospitals. After voting just eleven days ago to authorize a strike, these nurses are conducting a one-day strike today to stand up for better working conditions that will also help ensure patient safety. Read more...
Two Healthcare Florida Members Named "Nurse of the Year!"
Jun 09, 2010 - SEIU Healthcare Florida is beaming with pride following the announcement of two of its members in two different counties being named RN of the Year. In Palm Beach County, Eithne Kadri, an RN for 36 years and, in Miami... Read more...
Wage theft is not legal. Period.
Jun 09, 2010 - While Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the CareGroup, Inc. affiliates deny any wrongdoing or violation of federal or state law, they have nonetheless agreed to settle a class action lawsuit to the tune of $8.5 million. In this case, the settlement will include: payments to cover back wages for workers who claimed they were not paid overtime for working beyond their shift and workers who worked through their lunch without pay. Read more...
American Red Cross Worker, "It's their way or hit the highway."
Jun 09, 2010 - American Red Cross members in West Virginia took to the streets last week to make public their struggle with Red Cross management around safety concerns. The workers have tried to address these concerns with management for months to no avail. Read more...
St. Barnabas Hospital Resident Physicians Have the Right to Organize
Jun 08, 2010 - The National Labor Relations Board issued a ruling this week affecting physicians and resident physicians at the Bronx's St. Barnabas Hospital. While significant, the NLRB's ruling confirmed what we already knew to be true: that residents physicians are employees who deserve to have a voice in the workplace through full collective bargaining rights. Read more...
1199SEIU participates in delegation to Haiti
Jun 08, 2010 - With 4,000 Haitian union members in Massachusetts, 1199SEIU was very proactive in providing aid to the victims of the earthquake. Within days of the natural disaster, 1199SEIU set up a resource center and commissioned grief counselors to console the families of victims of the earthquake. In early May, 1199SEIU administrative organizer Herbert Jean-Baptiste accompanied a Massachusetts delegation of five legislators to Haiti to assess the damage caused by the earthquake that devastated the country. Read more...
SEIU-UHW Members at Kaiser Reach Tentative Agreement with Raises, Full Retention of All Benefits
Jun 02, 2010 - Concluding months of bargaining for a new national agreement covering 96,000 union members at Kaiser Permanente, SEIU UHW announced a tentative agreement on a new two-year contract that upholds high standards at the nation's largest not-for-profit healthcare provider. Read more...
Would you like to know if the doctor treating you has been working for 24-hours straight?
Jun 01, 2010 - Did you know that shifts of 24 hours or longer are required for resident physicians working at teaching hospitals? New findings, published in today's edition of the online journal BMC Medicine, indicates that Americans strongly favor tighter regulation of the... Read more...
VIDEO: CA Health Care Workers on How to Fix the System
May 18, 2010 - With health care reform finally a reality, Southern California health care providers are working hard to make sure their communities get the best services possible. In this video, they talk about adding enhancements to health care like new clinics, more emergency services and more bilingual services. Read more...
New Health Care Law Extends Coverage for Young Adults
May 11, 2010 - On May 10th, the Obama Administration issued regulations that will allow young adults to stay on their parents' health insurance plans until age 26. The Affordable Care Act is a boon for millions of twenty-something adults who are not established in the workforce enough to have access to employer-based health insurance--but in the past were considered "too old" by insurance companies to stay under their parents' plan. Read more...
Back Pay Victory for Connecticut Workers - 10 Years Later
May 11, 2010 - Ten years after a strike by nursing home workers began, the United States Supreme Court has rejected the operator's appeal of lower court rulings that they must pay current and former employees millions in lost wages, interest and pension contributions.... Read more...
Update on 2010 - 2011 SEIU Scholarships
May 10, 2010 - The 2010-2011 SEIU Scholarship season is now closed. Members who completed applications for any of the scholarships will receive a letter in mid-June letting them know if their application was successful or not. Read more...
SEIU Elects Mary Kay Henry to Lead 2.2 Million Member Union
May 08, 2010 - The 73-member International Executive Board (IEB) of SEIU met in Washington DC on Saturday, May 8th to elect Executive Vice President Mary Kay Henry the 10th president of the nation's fastest-growing union. Read more...
5,500 Wisconsin Home Care Providers Unite in Wisconsin's Largest Healthcare Union
May 07, 2010 - Photo by Jeff Miller Photography In one of the state's largest union elections in decades, 5,500 home care providers overwhelmingly voted 'yes' to unite in SEIU. "I love my work and I put my clients first," said home care... Read more...
SEIU Nurses Celebrate National Nurses Week
May 05, 2010 - National Nurses Week is May 6 -12. More on what SEIU RNs are doing this week here. Read more...
National Nurses Week
May 05, 2010 - Nurses Week is the perfect opportunity to review and celebrate our accomplishments, and more importantly, work toward ensuring nurses have the tools they need to improve the quality of care. Read more...
Health Care Reform Starts Now: Facts, Online Resources, Q&As
May 04, 2010 - Many of us are still wondering how healthcare reform will impact the lives of SEIU members and all working families. Well, now there's a great resource to help with that - SEIU's Health Care Reform Central. Read more...
1199SEIU Launches Mothers' Day Drive for Women of Haiti
May 04, 2010 - 1199SEIU's "We Care for Haiti" team has launched a drive to collect essential items for the women of Haiti, in the spirit of Mothers' Day and sisters-to-sisters coming together. Read more...
Violent Assaults Against Staff at Bronx Hospital Tripled from 2008 - 2009
Apr 29, 2010 - Last year, patient assaults on St. Barnabas staff jumped more than 300 percent, from 14 assaults in 2008 to 44 in 2009, a WABC investigation revealed on the eve before Workers Memorial Day. Incidents at the Bronx hospital included a security officer "punched in face," another reports being " hit with a chair," and a doctor "punched in the eye." Read more...
Broomall Presbyterian Village Workers Join SEIU Healthcare PA
Apr 16, 2010 - Fueled by the desire for more respect and the need to make improvements in resident care, nearly 140 workers at the Broomall Presbyterian Village nursing home in Delaware County voted overwhelmingly to form a union with SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania on April 14th. Read more...
Monday Moment of Silence, Donations & Candlelight Vigil Honor WV Miners
Apr 12, 2010 - Families, friends, and supporters of West Virginia's mining communities joined together on Saturday, April 10 for a candlelight prayer vigil in front of Marsh Fork Elementary School in Naoma, West Virginia -- just five miles away from the mine that claimed the lives of 29 people. Read more...
Candlelight Vigil to Honor West Virginia Miners this Saturday
Apr 09, 2010 - Families, friends, and supporters of West Virginia's mining communities will join together on Saturday, April 10, to honor the lives of those lost at Massey's Upper Big Branch coal mine. The candlelight prayer vigil will take place in front of Marsh Fork Elementary School in Naoma, West Virginia - just five miles away from the mine that claimed the lives of 29 people. Read more...
The Truth Comes Out: 16 Defendants & NUHW Ordered to Pay More than $1.5M in Damages
Apr 09, 2010 - A federal jury has found Sal Rosselli and 15 other former officials of SEIU-UHW liable for their scheme to sabotage the union and use the resources of SEIU-UHW members to start their own rival organization, NUHW. The evidence presented at the trial revealed a scheme to undermine the well-being of union members. Read more...
Industry Violence Bill Should Include ALL Healthcare Workers
Mar 31, 2010 - This morning, 1199SEIU delivered a letter to Massachusetts lawmakers advocating for the expansion of pending legislation regarding assault and battery against healthcare workers. According to BLS, workers in the healthcare industry suffer violent attacks and other incidents of workplace violence at almost twice the rate of all other private sector workers. Read more...
How Online Activists Ended Insurance Company Discrimination Against Women
Mar 30, 2010 - Thanks to thousands of online activists who rallied against insurance company discrimination, U.S. law will ban insurers from discriminating against women with higher fees, denial of coverage, and failure to provide coverage of critical procedures and services, like maternity care and c-sections. Read more...
Celebrate the Passage of Health Care Reform
Mar 29, 2010 - Read more...
Timeline of the Immediate Benefits Of Health Insurance Reform
Mar 23, 2010 - In his speech prior to the signing of the health care bill into law, Obama laid out the immediate benefits in the health care bill. To help answer the question that's likely on many folks' minds--how reform will affect every day Americans?--check out this very helpful table of when all of the major provisions go into effect. Read more...
Health Care Bill Signing: A View From the Rope Line
Mar 23, 2010 - SEIU President Andy Stern spoke to President Obama briefly after he signed the health care bill into law at the White House today. He wanted to quickly share what the President said about SEIU members. Watch his video message here. Read more...
Landmark Health Care Bill Signed Into Law
Mar 23, 2010 - At 11:15 a.m. on March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the historic health care reform legislation that passed the House of Representatives on Sunday night. Watch video of the amazing moment here. Read more...
VIDEO: Landmark Health Care Bill Signed Into Law
Mar 23, 2010 - At 11:15 a.m. today at the White House, President Obama signed into law the historic health care reform legislation that passed the House of Representatives on Sunday night. "Today, after almost a century of trying, today, after over a year of debate, today, after all the votes have been tallied, health insurance reform becomes law in the United States of America," said Obama. Watch video of the signing and check out a table outlining when reforms will be implemented here. Read more...
Still Tracking Votes and Taking Names
Mar 23, 2010 - The insurance industry thought Congress would answer to them--but on Sunday night, Congress stood up for the people. Following the historic House vote to reform the nation's healthcare system, we're going to fight harder than ever to win every possible vote. Read more...
Health Professionals' Prescription for the Senate? Follow the House and Pass Real Health Reform
Mar 22, 2010 - On the heels of a historic vote on health care reform, more than 400 doctors, nurses and health care providers turned out today to march to Washington's Freedom Plaza. The high-energy marchers didn't let the rain dampen their spirits, chanting "2,4,6,8 time to re-con-ciliate!!" as they marched to Capitol Hill to praise reform efforts for our broken health care system. Read more...
WE DID IT!
House Passes Health Care Reform
Mar 21, 2010 - The U.S. House has passed health insurance reform, 219 to 212. This historic Sunday night vote is one of the most important achievements by the U.S. Congress in a generation. And you made it happen. Read more...
CBO Scores Out, House Vote Sunday?
Mar 19, 2010 - The revised House bill was released yesterday. A vote in the U.S. House could happen as early as Sunday, with the Senate not far behind. Organizations across the country came together on Wednesday to show their support for health care reform. Small businesses, consumer organizations, faith, seniors, physicians, labor, and many more gathered to make the call for reform loud and clear. Read more...
Tell Congress To Stand Up For Us, Not The Insurance Companies
Mar 17, 2010 - Across America, we've seen our insurance premium rates go up 3x as fast as wages. It's time to hold the insurance companies--and members of Congress--accountable. SEIU has launched TV ads in partnership with HCAN, urging constituents to call their congressman and push for a "yes" vote. They're running in the districts of Reps. Jason Altmire (PA), Jim Costa (CA), Brad Ellsworth (IN), Betsy Markey (CO) and Earl Pomeroy (ND). View them here. Read more...
The Final Push for Health Care: Tracking Votes and Taking Names
Mar 17, 2010 - There's a ton of activity this week around health care reform, and more news is breaking every hour. Today, alone, we learned the Rep. Dennis Kucinich will now vote "YES" on the forthcoming House health care bill, that Republicans are now launching an effort to repeal the bill and that only 3% of progressives are against passing the Senate health bill. In addition, there's a new tool for tracking health care votes and just-released district-by-district analysis of the impact of health care legislation. Read more...
VIDEO: Explaining Reconciliation
Mar 17, 2010 - Many Republicans have been trying to define "reconciliation" as a radical alternative to the normal legislative procedure. This isn't true, and in fact, there have been 22 reconciliation bills between 1981 and 2009--14 of which were done by a Republican-controlled Congress. Watch this video explaining the reconciliation process. Read more...
Dear Teabaggers, Here's The Right Way To Hold a Rally. Love, SEANC
Mar 16, 2010 - When SEANC/SEIU Local 2008 got wind that Tea Party activists were planning an anti-reform protest at Congressman Bob Etheridge's office, they quickly started organizing with allies to hold a counter protest across the street. The result? More than 200 pro-healthcare reform supporters turned out in the streets of Raleigh to the counter protest. Read more...
New Ads - Watch: It's Happening Everywhere...
Mar 16, 2010 - It's happening everywhere. Across America, we've seen our insurance premium rates go up 3x as fast as wages--crushing small businesses and working families. SEIU has launched a new barrage of TV ads in partnership with Health Care For America Now (HCAN). The ads urge constituents to call their congressman and push for a "yes" vote. They're running in the districts of Reps. Jason Altmire (PA), Jim Costa (CA), Brad Ellsworth (IN), Betsy Markey (CO) and Earl Pomeroy (ND). View them here. Read more...
1199SEIU RNs Report Back From Haiti
Mar 15, 2010 - On February 8, two 1199SEIU RNs flew from New York to the Dominican Republic and were then transported to Haiti to attend to the victims of the earthquake that hit the capital Port-Au-Prince on January 12. Claudia Warrington and Marie Fontaine were both born in Haiti, and both still have relatives residing in the most devasted areas. Both volunteered knowing they would have to stay two weeks on their own time and would receive no monetary compensation. Read more...
Debunking Anti-Reform Ads Paid For By Insurers
Mar 15, 2010 - This weekend, Progressive Media released a new video debunking the health insurer-funded, anti-reform TV ad released by the Chamber, titled "Afford." As Media Matters notes in their fact check, it's too bad the Chamber couldn't 'afford' to pony up the dough for any actual facts in the short spot. Watch... Read more...
VIDEO: 5,000 Activists Take the Fight for Reform Right to Insurance Companies' Doorstep
Mar 10, 2010 - In DC on March 9th, thousands of union members and health care activists from across the progressive movement took the fight for health care reform right to insurance companies' doorstep. The massive protest started with a march from Dupont Circle to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, led by more than 50 major labor organizations, health care reform activists, faith leaders, and 25 survivors of health insurance abuse. Watch the video recap here. Read more...
Even the police at yesterday's AHIP protest think we need health reform
Mar 10, 2010 - Yesterday outside AHIP's anti-reform conference at the Ritz-Carlton in DC, SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger stood up for the reform she believes in--literally. As law enforcement officials swarmed the Ritz to pull back those trying to enter the hotel, the policewoman who led Anna away was overheard remarking these words to her: "Thank you so much for doing this -- we really need health care reform." Read more...
Senator Baucus Profiles SEIU Member Pat DeJong in Roll Call Op-Ed
Mar 10, 2010 - SEIU Healthcare 775NW member and Montana home care worker Pat DeJong has stood alongside Senators in the Capitol calling for healthcare reform. Her story has inspired activists and leaders about why reform cannot wait--and now, Senator Baucus has formed a centerpiece around it for a Roll-Call op-ed. Her story has inspired activists and leaders about why reform cannot wait. And today, it formed the centerpiece for an op-ed in Roll Call by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Read more...
Thousands Protest Insurers' Killer Profits
Mar 09, 2010 - SEIU members and partners across the progressive movement took the fight for health care reform right to insurance companies' doorstep on March 9th. Thousands of health care activists flooded the streets of DC, and marched from DuPont Circle to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where AHIP and insurance lobbyists were holding their annual conference to push an anti-reform agenda. Watch the video recap here. Read more...
Photo Recap: Thousands Protest AHIP Insurance Company Conference
Mar 09, 2010 - If AHIP thinks they've been getting an incredible amount of heat lately for their stunning rate increases, they haven't seen anything yet. Today, thousands took a stand to show big insurers we're not going to allow AHIP and their lobbyists bully Congress into inaction. We kicked off today's rally this morning in DuPont Circle to hear from speakers including Anna Burger and Gov. Howard Dean. Health care activists spilled off of buses that traveled from DE, CT, MD, MN, VA, NJ, NC, NY, OH, PA, RI to be here today...check out a photo recap and more details here. Read more...
Live Tweeting from DC Citizens' Arrest of Insurance Companies
Mar 09, 2010 - Together with partners across the progressive movement--HCAN, AFL-CIO, CREDO, AFSCME, True Majority, MoveOn, AFT, Democracy for America, Campaign for Community Change, Common Cause, US Action--and several thousand activists, today we're taking the fight for reform right to insurance companies' doorstep. We'll be live tweeting from the Dupont Circle rally and march to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, so you can follow all the action no matter where you are. Read more...
MARCH 9th: STOP KILLER PROFITS
Mar 09, 2010 - Big insurance talks a good game about improving health care, but their actions say otherwise. In recent weeks, insurance companies have forced double-digit increases on patients. In California, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield tried to cram through a 39% rate hike on its customers. We were able to delay Anthem's plan to increase rates, but it's time to put a stop to big insurance's greedy practices once and for all. Join us today on March 9th, as we take on big insurance. Read more...
VIDEO: Cancer Doesn't Care If You Have A 'Real Job' Or Not
Mar 03, 2010 - When insurance reform advocate Regina Holliday shared her health insurance horror story following Melanie's March for health reform on Capitol Hill last Wednesday, it had a profound and moving effect on everyone in the room--health care activists, union members, several Senators and their staffers...even the media covering the event. I challenge viewers to not get choked up listening to Regina speak about losing the love of her life because they couldn't afford to pay for a $20,000 'elective surgery procedure that would've been "no big deal"....until it was. Read more...
President Obama: No Excuses on Health Insurance Reform
Mar 03, 2010 - On Wednesday, President Obama moved the health care reform fight forward, calling on the House and Senate to give legislation a quick, straight up-or-down vote. While covering his solution, which includes increased regulation of insurance, the President pushed hard against insurance companies who have abused working Americans with obscene costs for decades. Read more...
What 14,000 Voices Strong Looks Like
Mar 02, 2010 - On Monday, SEIU Healthcare 775NW home care workers delivered 14,000 petitions to legislative leaders and the Washington state Governor's office--all in support of new revenue to avoid devastating cuts to long term care. Read more...
GOP Filibuster Kings "Taking A Stand" on Backs of Unemployed Americans
Mar 01, 2010 - Two Republican Senators have decided extending benefits programs for more than 1.1 million Americans is less important than getting their pet projects enacted. As a direct result of Sen. Bunning and Sen. Kyl "taking a stand" on the backs of the unemployed, the Senate recessed for the weekend without taking action to reauthorize UI and COBRA health benefits created by the Recovery Act. Read more...
Today is the Deadline for SEIU College Scholarships
Mar 01, 2010 - SEIU awards 52 scholarships through five different scholarship programs that enable members and their children to pursue their educational goals at accredited colleges, universities, and technical schools. The deadline for all applications is before midnight on March 1, 2010 (that's today!), so please check out the opportunities available and apply now so you don't miss out. Read more...
How Women Are Hurt More By Rate Hikes
Feb 26, 2010 - Yesterday at the White House health care summit, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) raised women's health issues in the context of reform. Specifically, she called attention to insurance companies' practices of denying coverage to women based on pre-existing conditions, calling the practice "cruel," "capricious" and "done only to enhance the bottom line." Rep. Slaughter's comments are particularly timely in light of the latest insurance premium hikes by Anthem Blue Cross. Read more...
The Misinformation Campaign Around Reconciliation
Feb 25, 2010 - Many Republicans - nervous over losing their long-fought campaign to kill health insurance reform - are attempting to define "reconciliation" as a radical alternative to the normal legislative procedure. What's worse, they're calling it "the nuclear option," which is just plain wrong. Read more...
How does the GOP spell 'bipartisan'? O-B-S-T-R-U-C-T
Feb 25, 2010 - Bipartisanship is thought to be the antidote to the obstructionism infecting Congress, but it's important to first remember that bipartisanship - and the political maneuvering to accommodate it - is already a part of health care debate. In fact, the Senate health care bill and the President's own proposal are bipartisan by design. Read more...
VIDEO: Senators, Activists Speak Out On Insurance Industry Abuses following Melanie's March
Feb 25, 2010 - It's unlikely that a Senate office building has ever been packed with such an energetic, passionate crowd. That was the scene yesterday at the Dirksen Office Building with key lawmakers Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), who joined Melanie's March walkers, union members and health care activists to discuss the need for health reform and hear several participants' personal insurance industry horror stories. Read more...
135 Mile March for Reform Ends in Washington
Feb 24, 2010 - Before the president's bipartisan health care summit, a rally of several hundred spirited activists, union members and community leaders descended upon Washington to demand Congress pass meaningful health insurance reform. It was an eye-catching procession, as hundreds of spirited marchers holding signs, balloons and carnations joined the last leg of Melanie's March, from Union Station to Capitol Hill. Read more...
Marching on Washington for Health Reform
Feb 24, 2010 - Watch yesterday's march from Union Station to Capitol Hill, as well as key Senators and working Americans speaking out on the need for reform. Read more...
Drumbeat for Health Reform: Today's Virtual March
Feb 24, 2010 - Today, progressive groups including SEIU, HCAN and MoveOn are aiming to inundate Congress with one million phone calls, email messages, blog posts, faxes, social networking updates, and in-person visits to their offices in a single day. We need as many voices as possible to push the message out to Congress that Americans can't wait any longer for health insurance reform. Read more...
Doing Nothing Is Not An Option
Feb 22, 2010 - With this Thursday's White House health reform summit, Congress has an opportunity to break the gridlock that has denied American families the health insurance reform they so desperately need. Today, several advocacy organizations, including SEIU, sent a joint letter to Senate and House leaders this morning encouraging them to make this healthcare summit really count--by enacting comprehensive health reform legislation. Read more...
Finish Reform Right: Columbus, OH Health Care Rally
Feb 22, 2010 - Due to the persistence of many Americans and SEIU members, our historic campaign to end abusive health insurance practices, expand coverage, and rein in runaway costs for all Americans is regaining momentum in Washington. In a Saturday rally in Columbus, Ohio, SEIU District 1199 President Becky Williams was joined by activists and a powerhouse lineup of Ohio officeholders urging Congress to "finish healthcare reform right." Read more...
Around the union: In case you missed it
Feb 22, 2010 - As temperatures have plummeted around the country, SEIU Locals have not let their level of engagement fighting for their members freeze--not even a little. Here's a rundown on what's been going on across the country this past week with members in California, Ohio, Oregon, Minnesota, Washington, New York, Massachusetts and Michigan. Read more...
How can 1,000 carnations illustrate the need for health insurance reform?
Feb 22, 2010 - Quite effectively, actually. For the past six days, carnations have been handed out to walkers participating in March to the Finish Line for Melanie, a 135-mile walk from Philadelphia to Washington, DC. They are being given carnations to carry with them to DC at the same rate lives are lost each week for lack of health care coverage--approximately 1,000 deaths every 8 days. Read more...
We're Marching
Feb 19, 2010 - Surround-sound. That's what we're aiming for this Wednesday, February 24th. Imagine Congress inundated with one million phone calls, email messages, blog posts, faxes, social networking updates, and in-person visits to their offices in a single day. Pretty hard to ignore, right? As we march online and on the phones, hundreds of people will also be marching through the streets of Washington to Capitol Hill in honor of Melanie Shouse. Read more...
Melanie's March: A Journey of 135 Miles
Feb 19, 2010 - On February 17th, four people set off from Philadelphia to walk 135 miles to Washington, DC, and they're doing it for Melanie Shouse. Melanie Shouse recently lost a long battle with breast cancer after missing out on critical treatment because she, like thousands of others, could not find affordable health insurance. Read more...
Taking It To The Streets for Health Reform in IL, RI, CT, CA & PA
Feb 19, 2010 - On the heels of the news that the insurance industry posted record profits last year while simultaneously cutting millions of Americans' coverage off entirely, hundreds of health care supporters are taking to the streets to rallies, vigils and marches in multiple states across the country. Here's a look at some of the many events that have taken place so far to demonstrate the dire need for reform. Read more...
Melanie's March Kick-Off: A Journey of 135 Miles
Feb 18, 2010 - More than one hundred people gathered at the historic Mother Bethel Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania yesterday to send off health care advocates who are walking 135 miles this week and next to Washington, D.C. The walk is being made in memory of health care activist Melanie Shouse. Read more...
The Faces of Health Reform: When Caregivers Can't Get Care
Feb 16, 2010 - As a nursing aide at Oak Pavilion Nursing Center in Cincinnati for almost 25 years, Willa Crew has seen coworkers and colleagues across the healthcare field increasingly struggle to afford health insurance for themselves and their families. "It's ridiculous that we even have to argue that healthcare workers should be able to afford their own healthcare. How could anyone be against that?" Read more...
While Congress Talked, Americans Grappled with a Broken System
Feb 10, 2010 - In the past year, while Congress has debated health insurance reform, millions of Americans have lost their jobs, and with it, their employer-provided health insurance. Millions more have fallen ill and fought with insurance companies over treatments, reimbursements and so-called pre-existing conditions. Read more...
The Faces of Health Reform: Insurance Crisis Hits Home
Feb 10, 2010 - SEIU District 1199 WV/KY/OH is spotlighting member stories on the need to finish healthcare reform right. This is Barbara Montgomery's story: Read more...
The Health Crisis Gets Personal
Feb 04, 2010 - While Congress has debated and re-debated, drafted and re-drafted (and don't forget, threatened to filibuster) health insurance reform, America's health care crisis has only worsened. But to understand the whole story, you've got to meet the ordinary, working Americans who've been hit hard by a double-whammy: a broken health care system and a tanking U.S. economy. Read more...
Some messages to SEIU members deployed in Haiti
Feb 02, 2010 - About a week ago we asked people to send along their thoughts and prayers for the SEIU health care professionals who have already deployed, and are getting ready to deploy, to Haiti. We've received hundreds. Here's a sampling. Read more...
The 40 Apocalyptic Seconds
Feb 01, 2010 - On January 21st, I boarded a jet with seven other SEIU Healthcare members, a group of about 100 other relief workers, many boxes of medical supplies, suitcases, food and water and flew to Haiti. Finally, we landed in Haiti--and were greeted by the smell of death, gun powder and misery. Read more...
Whipping Votes and Making Gains in Congress
Jan 29, 2010 - This week, SEIU launched a click-to-call campaign in an effort to connect our online community with members of Congress, in favor of passing comprehensive reform. After thousands of conversations with House and Senate offices, we're making some gains--and members of Congress are beginning to show some political courage. Read more...
1199SEIU Donates $1M for Haiti Relief
Jan 28, 2010 - The volume of support from SEIU members inquiring how they can help, volunteering their time, money and services following the tragedy in Haiti has been truly remarkable. In recent days, a truly humbling outpouring of monetary support from 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, who announced they were donating $1 million to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF for Haiti relief. Read more...
Wish Them Well - SEIU Healthcare Members Go To Haiti
Jan 28, 2010 - In the aftermath of the tragic earthquake, more than 1,200 SEIU health care professionals have volunteered be part of SEIU's Help Haiti Initiative. We've created an online card where you can share your thoughts and prayers for those traveling to Haiti. Read more...
Congress: Stop Letting Insurance Companies Act as Death Panels
Jan 26, 2010 - Stacie Ritter attended today's march and rally outside the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on behalf of her "special interests" -- her twin daughters, both of whom are cancer survivors. "We cannot make our children pre-existing conditions," she said, speaking to the crowd of 200+ health care advocates gathered before her today. Read more...
Andy Stern to Congress: This is "fear masquerading as a strategy"
Jan 22, 2010 - Greg Sargent of the Plumline posted an interview this afternoon with SEIU President Andy Stern. In the interview, President Stern flatly rejected the idea that Democrats should scale back their approach to reform. Read more...
Labor's Lens: Haitian Members in Boston Call Home
Jan 21, 2010 - SEIU member Gina Etiene (on right) consoles Marie St. Louis at the Haitian Crisis Referral and Support Center set up at the SEIU Local 1199 offices in Boston, MA on January 14, 2010. SEIU provided free phones to people trying to call relatives in Haiti. Read more...
4636: How four little digits are saving lives & reconnecting loved ones in Haiti
Jan 21, 2010 - A new online crisis-mapping tool could very well be the future of crisis response. Using the SMS short code 4636, Haiti earthquake survivors, aid workers and others can text their info and location to #4636, which allows Ushahihi to map out where there are Haitians in need of medical assistance and make sure that there is action being taken on the emergencies/needs reported into the system. SEIU is in collaboration with our friends at MIT and Ushahidi to publicize and recruit translators to transcribe data for the emergency text message service, which groups like FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard task force (amongst others) are using on the ground. Read more...
What We'd Lose With Market-Only Reform
Jan 21, 2010 - With the election of Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate, many in Washington are debating how to proceed on health insurance reform. Some have floated the idea that passing an entirely new bill - one that contains only insurance market reforms - is the best way forward. While there is a case to be made for expediency (yes, we're all ready for Congress to finish the job), market-only reform is not just politically timid, it's borderline reckless. Read more...
SEIU Continues to Mobilize to Help Haitian Relief Efforts
Jan 21, 2010 - Over 1,000 SEIU health care professionals have already volunteered to go to Haiti and give care to the sick and suffering from physical and psychological ailments. As SEIU mobilizes to bring relief and support to the people of Haiti and our members affected by the disaster, we've widened the scope of these efforts in several ways. Read more...
Andy Stern on the results of the Massachusetts election & health care reform
Jan 20, 2010 - Change is not a spectator sport -- and we're not ready to put our foot on the brake. It's time to finish the job and make sure that every American has quality healthcare they can afford. Watch Andy Stern speak on the Massachusetts election and where Democrats must go from here. Read more...
The Faces of Health Reform: Fixing Our Broken System Will Help Small Businesses
Jan 20, 2010 - Like many small business owners taking it on the chin with the skyrocketing cost of health insurance, home-based child care provider Melanie Collins' premiums to cover herself and her two kids have more than doubled in the last year. Small businesses are disproportionately hurt by the health care status quo, but health insurance reform would change this by allowing small businesses to negotiate the cost of coverage on a more even playing field, and ensuring that premiums are set fairly and consistently. Read more...
The Real Story on the Excise Tax Framework
Jan 15, 2010 - For the past 24 hours, the beltway press has been weaving together scraps of quotes and hearsay for stories about the excise tax. It resulted in a lot of rumors - some true, some not - but most of which was decidedly premature. That was until yesterday afternoon, when labor leaders hosted a call with reporters describing exactly what framework had emerged from their talks with the White House. Because of Labor's commitment to improving this bill, America's middle class will get a fairer shake from insurers, and will no longer be at risk of losing dental or vision coverage due to a tax on benefits. To be clear, this applies to everyone. Not just union members. Read more...
Affordability 'Key' in Final Health Bill: Jan. 13 National Day of Action
Jan 14, 2010 - Fifty 50 SEIU members attended a Health Care Affordability Summit in Washington, DC today, as part of a nation-wide day of action sponsored by SEIU and other grassroots, faith, labor, consumer and civil rights organizations. Check out photos from the event here. Read more...
Haiti Relief Initiative--How You Can Help
Jan 13, 2010 - The Red Cross estimates that about 3 million people were affected by the quake, with an untold number of people injured and killed by collapsed buildings and homes. A catastrophe of this magnitude requires everybody's help. SEIU is developing a relief initiative, Help Haiti, to direct donations from our members, our locals and the general public, as well as recruiting healthcare workers for possible deployment once more information is known. Read more...
Labor leaders meeting with Obama to discuss excise tax
Jan 11, 2010 - Late this afternoon, labor leaders from SEIU, AFL-CIO, CWA, AFSCME and other unions were scheduled to meet with President Obama to foster a discussion on the excise tax on health benefits (also known as the tax on "Cadillac" health plans). With over 60 percent of Americans still receiving their insurance through employer-provided plans, strengthening and protecting this coverage remains a central mechanism towards ensuring all Americans quality, affordable health care. Read more...
CNN Profiles SEIU's Health Care Reform Campaign
Jan 08, 2010 - CNN's "American Morning" this week took a look at how SEIU is leading the fight for meaningful healthcare reform that protects workers' benefits. "Healthcare has been our candidate and we've been trying to win the election and we're closer than ever before," said SEIU President Andy Stern. In the segment, CNN profiles SEIU member lobbyist and VA home care worker Loretta Johnson. The healthcare bills currently before Congress would greatly benefit Loretta and other older consumers. Watch the CNN segment here Read more...
A Burgeoning Consensus on Fixing Affordability
Jan 07, 2010 - Today, SEIU and more than 750 national and state-based organizations sent an open letter to the White House and Congress urging a strengthening and expansion of affordability and coverage provisions in the final health care bill. What are these groups asking for? What are these groups asking for? It's simple: The two bills should be combined. Read more...
Locals Snapshot: SEIU-UHW 2009 by the numbers
Jan 06, 2010 - For California healthcare local UHW-West, a look back over the past 12 months reveals that in spite of a downturn economy, 2009 proved to be a successful year of re-engaging members, settling contracts, and improving jobs, wages, and healthcare. UHW-West settled contracts at 68 facilities, with an average wage increase of 4.3 percent--far above the 2.3 percent average first-year wage increase, according to an analysis by the Bureau of National Affairs. Read more...
SEIU in Seventy-Two:
Health Care in the Home Stretch
Jan 06, 2010 - We're in the home stretch. We stand to win real, lasting health insurance reform. But right now, we have an opportunity to secure key improvements to the final health care package. SEIU members will be called upon during a critical 72-hour period in the weeks ahead to speak out for health insurance reform. Will you pledge to take part? By pledging one or more actions, you'll receive a notification when the clock starts on 72 hours. Read more...
The Faces of Health Reform: CNN spends time in SEIU's War Room
Jan 05, 2010 - This morning, CNN's "American Morning" took a look at how SEIU is leading the fight for meaningful healthcare reform that protects workers' benefits. In the segment, CNN profiles SEIU member lobbyist and home care worker Loretta Johnson. Read more...
2009: Remembering the Year That Was...
Jan 05, 2010 - We started the year on a high note: The Inauguration of President Barack Obama, for whom our union worked day and night to elect. As we usher in 2010, we took a closer look back at the legislation, people, stories and campaigns that made an impact on our members and all working people in 2009. Check out our timeline of the year's highlights for working families and SEIU members here. More on the SEIU campaigns that drew a lot of attention this year in our review of the top 10 SEIU Blog stories of 2009. Read more...
Hell Freezes Over: Rush Limbaugh Loves Union Hospitals and Socialized Medicine
Jan 04, 2010 - Over the past year of Obama's presidency, conservative blow-hard Rush Limbaugh has routinely mocked, distorted and even invented various health insurance reform proposals before Congress. It's hard to take Limbaugh's incessant fear-mongering seriously--or even tune in it at all. That was the case, however, until Limbaugh used his recent emergency hospital visit to show that the U.S. health care system is "working just fine." Read more...
Talking Health Care Over the Holidays
Dec 28, 2009 - This holiday season, many of you will discuss health care with loved ones. That's because health care is a family issue. Families struggle together, we care for one another when we're sick, and we face down financial hardship as one. Join us in sharing your story and helping us push for the strongest bill possible. Read more...
Senate Passes Health Care Bill, 60-39
Dec 24, 2009 - The Senate just passed their health care bill on a 60-39 party line vote. With just one exception, Republican members of Congress uniformly voted "no" on every single procedural and general vote on health insurance reform since July. This was a coordinated effort by the GOP to kill this legislation for political gain, and guess what? They failed. Read more...
The Faces of Health Reform: How Reform Will Impact SEIU Members
Dec 23, 2009 - At both bargaining tables and kitchen tables across the nation, SEIU members have faced increasingly tough decisions about their health care--often sacrificing wage increases for benefits, or going without health insurance entirely. In recent months, members have shared their personal stories with us about their struggles with accessing affordable, stable, quality health insurance. Read more...
Andy Stern on CNN: What needs improving in the Senate health care bill
Dec 23, 2009 - Read more...
SEIU's Andy Stern vows to fight to improve health bill
Dec 21, 2009 - After the vote passing the major hurdle to bring the American people one step closer to making health insurance reform a reality, SEIU President Andy Stern had much to say on behalf of our 2.2 million members--including calling out GOP for "rooting for America to fail." Read the statement here. Read more...
The Faces of Healthcare Reform
Dec 19, 2009 - Read more...
Update: Senate bill moves forward
Dec 19, 2009 - On Saturday morning, Sen. Ben Nelson announced at a press conference that he plans to vote for cloture on the current Senate health care bill. His announcement secured Sen. Harry Reid's long sought after 60th vote to end a Republican filibuster against health insurance reform. Read more...
Calling on Congress: No More Empty Chairs at Christmas
Dec 18, 2009 - SEIU Healthcare PA member Georgeanne Koehler delivered close to 1,000 holiday healthcare postcards urging the Senate's swift passage of healthcare reform to members of Congress yesterday. The holiday cards were collected sent from people across the state, asking Congress to pass health care reform before the holidays. Read more...
Q&A on the Senate's Excise Tax on High Cost (so-called Cadillac) Health Insurance
Dec 18, 2009 - Over the past few weeks, we've received many questions from members and activists about the excise tax on health benefits (also known as the tax on "Cadillac" health plans), and how it will impact everyone. It's our job to educate ourselves about this tax and understand how each of us will be affected. This Q&A also looks at the differences between the Senate bill vs. the House bill. Read more...
New report: Working caregivers as a protected class?
Dec 17, 2009 - Family Responsibilities Discrimination for working caregivers can occur in any number of unfortunate--but very real--workplace circumstances. A new report from the Center for WorkLife Law finds that while no federal law (and only a few state laws) expressly prohibit discrimination against working caregivers, at least 63 local governments in 22 states do. Read more...
Letter from President Andy Stern to SEIU members: Where do we go from here?
Dec 17, 2009 - SEIU members will continue to stand with President Obama, but he must fight for the reform we all know is possible. Now, more than ever, all of us must stand up, remember what health insurance reform is all about, and fight like hell to deliver real and meaningful reform to the American people. Read more...
Highlights Reel: SEIU 2009 Organizing Successes
Dec 16, 2009 - Watch highlights from some of SEIU's successful organizing campaigns of 2009. Campaigns highlighted include Missouri in-home caregivers, 1199SEIU Boston healthcare workers, Local 721 LA city engineers and professionals, child care workers in Illinois and Cleveland, OH 1199WV/KY/OH nursing home workers. Read more...
Update: Harkin Suggests He May Reintroduce Cloture Reform
Dec 14, 2009 - In 1995, Sen. Joe Lieberman co-sponsored legislation with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) to abolish the filibuster. Today, nearly 10,000 people have signed the petition to urge Sen. Lieberman to heed the words of his former Senate self, and quit threatening to filibuster health insurance reform. Sen. Tom Harkin told reporters this weekend he's considering re-introducing the same legislation he co-sponsored with Lieberman in 1995--creating a bill that would reform the cloture vote. Read more...
Home care worker is Sen. Dodd's 'designated hitter' on long term care
Dec 11, 2009 - Virginia home care aid Athena Jones spoke at a Capitol Hill press conference today held by Democratic Senators Chris Dodd (D-Conn), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Robert Casey (D-Pa) and Paul Kirk (D-Mass) to discuss the importance of including long term care provisions in health care reform. Read more...
The "Tweak" that Gives You a Twitch
Dec 11, 2009 - This morning, some seriously disturbing news came out about the Senate health care bill. The AP reports: A loophole in the Senate health care bill would let insurers place annual dollar limits on medical care for people struggling with costly illnesses such as cancer, prompting a rebuke from patient advocates. Read more...
Kentuckians to Mitch: "You surely jest, sir."
Dec 10, 2009 - SEIU activists joined with Health Care for America Now (HCAN) in challenging Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on his recent claim that he "has not met one" person from Kentucky in support of health insurance reform. Watch the video of Sen. McConnell's remarks. Read more...
Insurers Hire Mafia to Spam Congress
Dec 10, 2009 - It was bad enough when insurers were peddling misinformation and distortions to convince people to support a filibuster, but now they've gone to new lows: paying gamers virtual currency for their emails to Congress. The groups that make up the "Get Health Reform Right" campaign are now paying to have their campaign run on popular Facebook applications Mafia Wars and FarmVille. Read more...
Joe Lieberman wasn't always a one-man health reform filibuster
Dec 09, 2009 - Read more...
U.S. Chamber & GOP leaders hold 11th hour press conference to scrap healthcare bill
Dec 09, 2009 - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and GOP leaders are using every trick in the book to kill healthcare reform. Politico reports that today, the Chamber and 70 business leaders from across the country joined Republican leaders in a press conference to call on Congress to scrap their current healthcare bill and start over. Read more...
Joe vs. the American People
Dec 09, 2009 - In the past few weeks, Sen. Joe Lieberman has stood between a nation and its future. Despite support by a majority in the Senate, Sen. Lieberman used his power as a single U.S. Senator to delay, and ultimately decide, a critical piece of legislation - health insurance reform. Watch our new video and sign the petition here. Read more...
Georgeanne's Holiday Wish for Health Care
Dec 04, 2009 - This holiday season, Georgeanne Koehler and her family will be facing an empty chair at their Christmas dinner table. Georgeanne's brother Bill died of a heart attack in March 2009. What's even sadder is that Bill's death might have been prevented--had he not been lost through the cracks of our broken health care system. Read more...
A Health Care Busting Memo
Dec 03, 2009 - Ask any member of a union if they're familiar with with union-busting tactics by employers, and you'll not only get an affirmative answer, you'll also understand why their union is so important to them. Read more...
The Insurance Industry-Sponsored Filibuster
Dec 03, 2009 - The insurance industry has publicly endorsed the Republican filibuster against health insurance reform. That's right - insurance industry lobbyists want you to filibuster reform. (That's a ringing endorsement if I've ever heard one.) Oh, but it gets better... Read more...
The Big Medicare Lie: Send in the Clowns
Dec 03, 2009 - Since Republicans don't have a real strategy on health care (e.g. Republican Senators don't even have an alternative health care bill), they've hedged their bets on grandma. They're betting that America's seniors will believe their distortions - and frighten easily. Read more...
Sen. Mikulski's Amendment for Women's Health
Dec 01, 2009 - Sen. Mikulski, who's played a lead role in bringing women's health care to the forefront in the Senate, has introduced an amendment ensuring that all health plans cover women's preventative care - at no additional cost to women. Read more...
No sick leave for H1N1?
Nov 30, 2009 - You'd think the threat of H1N1 flu would be reason enough for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to stop its incessant lobbying. Think again. The Chamber is actually lobbying Congress to not give paid sick time for workers sick with H1N1, saying that "the problem is not nearly as great as some people say." The facts say otherwise. Read more...
Big business's skewed view on paid sick leave
Nov 25, 2009 - As Congress deliberates over a bill to expand paid sick leave as Americans suffer through a pandemic of the H1N1 virus, big business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce appear to be completely in denial over the importance of the issue. Tell THAT to the 57 million working Americans who currently have no paid sick days at all. Read more...
I'm thankful that with health insurance reform...
Nov 23, 2009 - This Thanksgiving, SEIU is advocating a show of online support for why you're thankful for health insurance reform. Please join OFA , MN SEIU and many others in posting messages on Twitter and Facebook about why you're thankful for healthcare reform, and don't forget to tack #hcr to the end of your tweets. Read more...
The U.S. Chamber wants you to take a flu vacation
Nov 23, 2009 - Approximately one-third of all workers don't get any sick leave. The U.S. Chamber's reaction to this? Quit complaining -- because according to them, 83 percent of private sector workers can simply use vacation time if they get H1N1. After all, who needs a sunny trip to the Carribean this winter when you've got body aches, a hacking cough and a high fever to keep you warm? Read more...
Senate Votes to Begin Debate on Health Insurance Reform Bill
Nov 21, 2009 - On Saturday, The U.S. Senate voted 60-39 along party lines to proceed to begin debate on the Democratic health insurance reform bill, "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." This is a major step forward in moving health insurance reform through a series of procedural hurdles in the Senate - with the ultimate goal being a full Senate vote. Read more...
Senate Approves Motion to Proceed
Nov 21, 2009 - On Saturday, The U.S. Senate voted 60-39 along party lines to proceed to begin debate on the Democratic health insurance reform bill, "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." This is a major step forward in moving health insurance reform through a series of procedural hurdles in the Senate - with the ultimate goal being a full Senate vote. 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
"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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
One Hundred Thousand Calls to Congress: It's Time to Deliver Health Care Reform That Works
Oct 19, 2009 - More than a thousand events are taking place across the country on Tuesday, October 20th, to make sure Congress knows it's time to deliver health care reform that makes quality care affordable for America's families. 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...
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...
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...
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...
Scrubs Delivery Rally
Oct 13, 2009 - Scrubs Delivery Rally 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The Latest from HAARM - Singing Health Care!
Sep 24, 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Big Insurance: 'Sick of It' Rally
Sep 20, 2009 - Along with MoveOn.org, we're organizing Big Insurance: Sick Of It rallies in front of health insurance company offices across the country. We'll hear stories of people who have suffered from our broken health insurance system, and we'll demand that the companies stop trying to kill the public health insurance option. Host your own 'Big Insurance: Sick of It' Rally or sign up for an event near you. 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Tribute to Senator Edward Kennedy
Aug 26, 2009 - Senator Ted Kennedy spoke to SEIU Healthcare in 2007 about the work of his family for working people and his dedication to passing real health care reform 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Cut Through the Lies About Health Care Reform
Aug 13, 2009 - 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...
Are You With Us For A Guarantee of Quality, Affordable Health Care For All?
Aug 13, 2009 - 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...
SEIU Granite State Activists Come Out In Numbers To Support President Obama and Healthcare Reform
Aug 11, 2009 - More than 450 of SEIU's New Hampshire activists came out to a town hall meeting with President Obama to make sure their voices were heard about the importance of passing health insurance reform that makes healthcare affordable for all Americans. 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...
Stop the Violence at Health Care Town Halls
Aug 11, 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...
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...
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...
Take Part in August Health Care Recess Events Across the U.S.
Aug 07, 2009 - 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...
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...
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...
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...
In Celebration of President Obama's Birthday this Week...
Aug 04, 2009 - 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
This Wednesday: Dr. Dean's Emergency Call with Nurses and Doctors
Jul 20, 2009 - This Wednesday, July 22, at 6:30pm EDT/3:30pm PDT, Dr. Howard Dean is hosting an emergency conference call with nurses and doctors to discuss recent developments on health care reform, and the important role that health care professionals must play. 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
HAARM: Takin' It To The Streets
Jun 23, 2009 - [YouTube video] 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
"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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Send Your Medical Bill to the Hill
Jun 10, 2009 - 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...
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...
Californians Convene for Health Care Reform
Jun 08, 2009 - This past Saturday, Organizing for America asked that Americans around the country meet to discuss what they believe health care reform should look like. President Obama's organization put out a video that organizers could show their group and use to solicit support for reform and encourage participants to share their stories dealing with the broken health care system. 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...
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...
Louisianans Answer the President's Call for Health Care Reform
Jun 08, 2009 - On Saturday, June 6, Change that Works organizers joined as dozens of activists from Organizing for America answered the President's call to meet and discuss health care reform. In house meetings across the state, Louisianans watched the President's health care reform message; shared their health care stories and found out how they could further participate in the health care reform discussion. Read more...
Right Wing Talking Points = South Park's "Blame Canada!"
Jun 08, 2009 - [YouTube video] 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...
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...
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...
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...
Richmond Small Business Owner for Health Care Reform
Jun 03, 2009 - Leonard Edloe has been running Edloe's Professional Pharmacy in Richmond, Virginia for 39 years--this African American owned business was opened by his father in 1947. As a small business owner, Mr. Edloe knows that when his customers thrive, his business thrives and that is part and parcel why he supports health care reform. 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...
"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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
A Game-Changer: The Plan to Cut Health Care Costs
May 11, 2009 - SEIU has teamed up with disparate groups like the insurance industry and pharmaceutical companies to forge an agreement toward cutting health care costs. All told, we've introduced a plan that will achieve $2 trillion in savings over the next 10 years. 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Senate Health Care Roundtable: SEIU Caregiver Reactions
May 06, 2009 - [YouTube video] 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...
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...
"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...
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...
Tell FOX News: Stop the Swift-Boating of Health Care
May 01, 2009 - Click here to take action.... 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...
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...
Congratulations, Madame Secretary
Apr 28, 2009 - The Senate has confirmed Kathleen Sebelius as the next HHS Secretary. Read more...
Swine Flu: You Have a Reason to Be Angry
Apr 27, 2009 - The swine flu outbreak has prompted news outlets and bloggers to take a harder look at the Republican obstructionism that's blocked the confirmation of an HHS Secretary. Many noticed that on Sunday, when White House officials briefed the press on the spread of the virus, the official who spoke was not the Health and Human Services Secretary (whose confirmation is stalled in the Senate), but Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security. Read more...
SURVEY: Over One-Third of Healthcare Facilities Not Prepared in Event of Pandemic Flu Outbreak
Apr 27, 2009 - Only 4 percent of surveyed union leaders representing heatlh care workers reported their workplaces as "very ready" to respond sufficiently to an influenza pandemic like swine flu, according to a new report compiled by the SEIU and six other unions. Read more...
What's the HHS got to do with it?
Apr 27, 2009 - The swine flu outbreak has prompted news outlets and bloggers to take a harder look at the Republican obstructionism that's blocked the confirmation of an HHS Secretary. Many noticed that on Sunday, when White House officials briefed the press on the spread of the virus, the official who spoke was not the Health and Human Services Secretary (whose confirmation is stalled in the Senate), but Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security. Read more...
SEIU Nurses In Florida Relay Healthcare Headaches to State Lawmakers
Apr 24, 2009 - Nurses from across Florida gathered with State Representative Alan Williams and Leon County Commissioner Cliff Thaell in Tallahassee this week to ensure elected officials understand the dire state of our healthcare system. Read more...
Health Care 09: We Can't Wait
Apr 24, 2009 - [YouTube video] Read more...
Missoula Turns Out to talk Health Care with Ezra Klein
Apr 24, 2009 - This past week, blogger and policy wonk Ezra Klein, along with Change that Works and Forward Montana, came to Missoula to discuss the current state of health care in Montana. Thanks to your support, it was a raging success. We look forward to many more successful events to come! Read more...
American Families Can't Afford Continued Delay on HHS Nominee
Apr 23, 2009 - President Obama's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services has yet to be confirmed by the Senate despite her proven commitment to bipartisanship. 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...
SEIU Healthcare Illinois Ad: Don't cut home care and child care to the bone
Apr 22, 2009 - SEIU Healthcare Illinois launched a hard-hitting advertising campaign this week, timed to coincide with the return of legislators to Springfield, calling on the General Assembly to stop deep cuts to child care and home care services in the FY10 budget. Read more...
Alameda Hospital Workers Win 18% Raises
Apr 22, 2009 - On April 17, SEIU UHW members at Alameda Hospital in Oakland ratified a new three-year contract, which is retroactive to April 2008 and covers nearly 130 workers. Read more...
Tell the Senate: Vote Immediately on Kathleen Sebelius
Apr 21, 2009 - Remember when Republicans tried to block Hilda Solis? Read more...
The Sprint Toward the Finish Line?
Apr 21, 2009 - News broke yesterday afternoon that Senators Kennedy and Baucus have pledged to have a health care bill ready for mark-up in early June. The Senators asserted that their respective Committee bills could be 'quickly merged into a single bill for consideration on the Senate floor.' For health care advocates, this ambitious timeline indicates that the next two months will be one of the most dynamic periods in recent Congressional history. Read more...
Mary Kay Henry Named Among "Top 25 Women in Healthcare"
Apr 20, 2009 - The latest issue of Modern Healthcare lists the Top 25 Women in Healthcare, naming our very own Mary Kay Henry as one of those on the front lines to reforming our healthcare system to provide quality, affordable healthcare for all. Read more...
CIR/SEIU Members Discuss Healthcare Reform during Congressional Recess
Apr 16, 2009 - Members of the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare have been participating in in-district health care reform events during the Congressional spring recess. Several events took place over the past week in New Jersey, New York and New Mexico. 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...
1199SEIU Wins Largest Union Victory in Boston-Area Hospital in Two Decades
Apr 14, 2009 - Read more...
1199SEIU Wins Largest Union Victory in Boston-Area Hospital in Two Decades
Apr 14, 2009 - More than 800 healthcare workers at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, the largest medical center in the Caritas Christi Health Care chain, voted last Thursday to unite together with thousands of healthcare workers in 1199SEIU. 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...
Service-Sector Workers Increase Wages and Benefits with Unions
Apr 14, 2009 - A new report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) shows that nationally, unionization raises service workers' pay 10.1 percent (about $2.00 per hour), compared to non-union service workers, and increases the likelihood that the worker will have health insurance and a pension. 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...
Detroit Nurses Win Wage Collusion Settlement to Boost Recruitment
Apr 02, 2009 - Nurses in the Detroit area are celebrating a $13.6 million settlement reached with St. John's Health System in a class action lawsuit brought to expose attempts by area hospitals to hold down wages for nurses despite an ongoing shortage of RNs willing to work in acute care hospitals. 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...
What happened when I talked about a union
Apr 01, 2009 - In 2007 alone, more than 29,000 workers were fired or disciplined for union activity. Trisha Miechur, a Certified Nurse Assistant at a ManorCare nursing home in Easton, PA, is one of those workers. 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...
Medical Outrage: Investigation of Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Mar 27, 2009 - One of the founding principles at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston has been the quest to "treat patients compassionately" -- a commitment that caregivers have devoted their lives to fulfilling. Unfortunately, hospital administrators at BIDMC haven't always shared the same commitment to compassion, or to the "transparency and honesty" so often touted in glowing press releases and glossy pictures provided to the media. Read more...
SEIU RN Linda Bock speaks at Obama's online town hall
Mar 27, 2009 - At the White House's online town hall yesterday, SEIU nurse Linda Bock thanked President Obama for giving her the opportunity to be heard and offer a front line perspective of the health care crisis. Bock expressed the importance of nurses having a voice in the solution to fix health care, to create a system that puts caregivers in charge of the decisions that affect their patients. Read more...
Landmark Nurse Wage Class Action Suit Moves Forward
Mar 26, 2009 - The landmark lawsuit filed by Detroit nurses over efforts by hospitals in their area to collude to hold down wages for RNs is moving forward. Federal Judge Gerald Rosen rejected arguments from Mount Clemens General Hospital in Michigan that the landmark suit has no merit and ordered the case to proceed. Read more...
Helping Laid-Off Workers Afford Health Coverage
Mar 26, 2009 - Laid-off workers can get much of their healthcare insurance paid for through a new law that makes changes to the health benefit provisions of COBRA, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Read more...
Tell Congress: Pass the President's Budget
Mar 26, 2009 - [banner image] Read more...
Landmark Nurses' Lawsuit to Improve Staffing Moves Forward
Mar 26, 2009 - A landmark lawsuit filed by registered nurses in Detroit over efforts by hospitals in their area to conspire to hold down wages for nurses-even in the face of a chronic shortage of nurses willing to work in acute care hospitals-will move forward after a federal judge rejected attempts to have the case dismissed. Read more...
Join the Movement for Healthcare Equality
Mar 24, 2009 - Read more...
Healthcare Equality Project Launches
Mar 24, 2009 - More than 20 coalition partners in 13 states and Washington, DC, launched the Healthcare Equality Project on Tuesday. The coalition--which includes Congress members, physicians, nurses and community advocates--will urge Congress to pass healthcare reform that addresses the serious and pervasive inequalities in America's health care system. Read more...
Top 5 Things to Know About Healthcare Equality
Mar 24, 2009 - The healthcare system Americans deserve will deliver quality affordable health care to ALL no matter the color of their skin, the language they speak, economic status, or geographic location. The longer we wait, the worse it gets. Read more...
Confirm Kathleen Sebelius
Mar 23, 2009 - [YouTube video] Read more...
Why Obama's Budget Matters
Mar 23, 2009 - The first step is making sure the President's budget gets the support it needs from leaders in Congress. His budget makes a huge down-payment on reforming healthcare this year, and toward erasing the disparities that have resulted in unequal care. We need to show our strong and unequivocal support for the Presidents budget. Already, Obama has done more to reform health care than George Bush did in eight years. Read more...
TN: Emergency Health Care Meetings Tomorrow
Mar 20, 2009 - We're organizing four emergency meetings tomorrow, March 21, to make a plan of action for how we can urge Tennessee Congressmen Jim Cooper and Bart Gordon to help pass President Obama's budget. Read more...
SEIU, CNA/NNOC Announce Transformative Agreement
Mar 19, 2009 - SEIU and the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC) today announced the signing of a transformative cooperation agreement. The two unions will work together to organize hospital workers throughout the country who don't yet have a union voice, with CNA/NNOC as the leading voice for RNs, and SEIU as the leading voice for all other hospital workers. Read more...
SEIU, CNA/NNOC Announce Major Accord
Mar 19, 2009 - In a dramatic agreement likely to accelerate the drive to pass the Employee Free Choice Act and rapidly promote unionization in the healthcare sector, SEIU and CNA/NNOC today announced the signing of a transformative cooperation agreement. 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...
From Reno to Capitol Hill
Mar 18, 2009 - This week has been quite the whirlwind. I left my home in Reno to join coworkers from my hospital (and hundreds of other SEIU members from across the country) to talk to our elected officials in Washington, DC about the need for the Employee Free Choice Act, and why giving workers a voice will help get our country back on track. 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...
Poll: Voters Want a Public Health Insurance Plan
Mar 10, 2009 - The numbers are in. A recent poll conducted by Lake Research indicates that 73% of voters want to see a public health insurance option as part of health care reform in 2009. And guess what? It's smart fiscal policy, too. Read more...
Nurses Watch Obama's Address to Congress
Mar 10, 2009 - Read more...
New York Nurses Celebrate Landmark Legal Settlement
Mar 09, 2009 - Nurses in Albany, NY reached a settlement in a class action case with Northeast Health, a network which has seven locations throughout the region and provides care for approximately 175,000 people each year. The $1.25 million deal is the first settlement of five national lawsuits aimed at stopping hospitals from allegedly conspiring to depress nurse wages, with similar class-action lawsuits are moving forward in Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, and San Antonio. Read more...
Can My Boss Do That?
Mar 06, 2009 - When workers face job loss, they often don't know where to turn for answers. They may be improperly denied their last paycheck, not given the proper amount of notice, or told by their employer that they cannot collect unemployment benefits. New website "Can My Boss Do That" will act as an online clearinghouse to help people understand their rights and protections on a state-by-state basis. 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...
Massachusetts Nursing Home Caregivers Overcome Union-Busting at Its Worst
Mar 04, 2009 - When executives at Northern Berkshire Healthcare received word that the nursing home staff at Massachusetts Sweet Brook Care Centers petitioned to join 1199SEIU in January, they wasted no time before launching an anti-organizing campaign. Their thinly veiled effort to strip caregivers of their voting rights didn't fool anyone--including the National Labor Relations Board, who issued its decision in favor of workers at Sweet Brook Nursing Home , ruling that the long term care workers will be eligible to vote in an upcoming union election. 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...
SEIU Homecare Member from Chicago Testifies for Family-Friendly Workplace Policies
Mar 03, 2009 - Today, Rebia Mixon Clay, a homecare worker from Chicago, testified before the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections about the need for Congress to enact family-friendly policies that make sound economic sense not only in good times, but during recessionary times as well. Read more...
Kathleen Sebelius Ready to Lead Healthcare Reform in 2009
Mar 02, 2009 - Read more...
SEIU's 'Top Choice' is Nominee
Mar 02, 2009 - Moments ago, President Obama announced his nomination of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services. SEIU has deployed unprecedented resources and staff toward winning health care reform this year--and we're excited to have a proven advocate for quality, affordable care at the helm of Health and Human Services. Read more...
Los Angeles Healthcare Unity Rally
Mar 02, 2009 - On Thursday, Feb. 26--the same day the president's budget was presented to Congress--several hundred SEIU members from around the Los Angeles area rallied to support the president's vision to fix healthcare. The workers gathered outside SEIU UHW-W's Commerce office and were joined by congressional candidate Judy Chu. Read more...
Kathleen Sebelius Ready to Lead Healthcare Reform in 2009
Mar 02, 2009 - President Obama's appointment of Governor Kathleen Sebelius confirms his commitment to health care reform. This is yet another clear signal that this is the year to make quality, affordable health care for everyone a reality. 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...
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...
Community Members, Advocates and 1199SEIU Members Fight Queens Hospital Closings; Cuts to NY Healthcare
Feb 24, 2009 - Hundreds of healthcare workers, members of 1199SEIU and elected officials marched down Queens Boulevard on Saturday to rally against the imminent closures of two local hospitals: the Saint John's Queens Hospital in Elmhurst and Mary Immaculate Hospital in Jamaica. The two hospitals are in danger of shutting down after its operator, Caritas Healthcare, filed for bankruptcy and notified the two hospitals' 2,500 employees that both facilities would close their doors by the end of February. Read more...
SEIU Grassroots Lobbyist: Mike Kingsbury, RN
Feb 24, 2009 - Read more...
What Residency Looks Like: Announcing the Winners of CIR/SEIU's Photo Contest
Feb 24, 2009 - A picture is worth a thousand words, so CIR/SEIU Healthcare decided to hold their first-ever photo contest, asking for photos submissions taken by members representing what it's like to be a resident physician on any given day. Read more...
Why Healthcare Can't Wait
Feb 23, 2009 - "Through the years, there have been many issues where labor and business don't see eye to eye. Here's one where we firmly agree: the need to fix healthcare, now, not in spite of the economic crisis, but because of it. For this reason, we are proud to stand together with President Obama as he reinforces the urgency of health care reform in the State of the Union speech before Congress," SEIU's Andy Stern and Pfizer CEO Jeff Kindler write on The Huffington Post. 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...
Members Speak Out at Oscar-eve Protest of MPTF Seniors' Home Closure
Feb 22, 2009 - More than 250 caregivers, members of the entertainment industry and family members of the facility's elderly residents gathered together outside an "The Night Before" Oscars' MPTF fund-raiser Saturday night at The Beverly Hills Hotel to protest the impending closure of the fund's long-term care facility. 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...
Thanking Members of Congress for SCHIP Support
Feb 20, 2009 - SEIU joined with several groups to launch a $10 million ad campaign to applaud Members of Congress for voting to expand and strengthen the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Read more...
New TV Ad Urges NY Gov. Paterson to Use Medicaid Stimulus Funds
Feb 19, 2009 - The Healthcare Education Project (HEP), a joint initiative of 1199SEIU and the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) has begun airing two new television ads urging Governor David Paterson to use a portion of the nearly $11 billion in Medicaid funding New York State will receive under the federal economic stimulus package to avoid massive health care cuts to hospitals, nursing homes, and home care. Read more...
Motion Picture Television Fund CEO named "World's Worst" as Silver Screen Seniors Face Eviction
Feb 19, 2009 - MSNBC's Keith Olbermann gave the Motion Picture Television Fund's president and chief executive Dr. David Tillman the title of "World's Worst" person last night, for closing the retirement home for film-industry employees for no good reason. 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...
Children's Health Care 'Birthday' Ad
Feb 18, 2009 - [YouTube video] Read more...
Editorial Highlights Health Care Reform as Top Priority for State Stimulus Funds
Feb 18, 2009 - Keep Health Care Reform on Track is the title of a Boston Globe editorial that ran today urging the need to use economic stimulus funding to protect the state's healthcare safety net Read more...
Why Health Care Reform Can't Wait
Feb 17, 2009 - Fixing health care isn't just possible this year - it's absolutely necessary. Every day, people are losing their jobs and their health care. The swelling ranks of uninsured threaten to put more strain on state programs and push the entire system to the breaking point. 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...
Celebrating Black History: special edition computer desktop wallpapers
Feb 12, 2009 - As part of SEIU's 12th annual celebration of Black History Month, our talented SEIU Creative Services team has designed four special-edition computer desktop wallpapers for use on your Mac or PC. Download them now and you can celebrate Black History Month all month at work or at home. Read more...
Update: Health Care Provisions in the Economic Recovery Act
Feb 12, 2009 - The Speaker of the House has released a report outlining the key points of the compromise the House and Senate have reached on the Economic Recovery Act. There's lots of good news for health care. Read more...
Introducing SEIU's Member Lobbyists
Feb 11, 2009 - Nine SEIU members and workers from key states across the country have relocated to Washington, DC for a three-month long stint as a grassroots lobbyist on Capitol Hill. Stay tuned for updates, as our members report to us on what they're hearing about health care, the Employee Free Choice Act and restoring economic strength to Main Street. Read more...
SEIU's Mary Kay Henry: "Equality is a Labor Value"
Feb 11, 2009 - "The fight for the freedom to marry is dear to me, for safeguarding my own partnership and for realizing the same goals of social and economic justice that we advance every day at SEIU and in the labor movement," writes SEIU's Mary Kay Henry today, in a blog post for Freedom to Marry Week. 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...
Caregivers Speak Out on Health IT
Feb 10, 2009 - 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...
Labor Union and Major Health Care Agency Renew Groundbreaking National Agreement to Protect Workers, Health Care Options, and Critical Community Services
Feb 10, 2009 - SEIU and Addus HealthCare, Inc. today signed a renewed national agreement that will further improve home care for seniors and people with disabilities by covering 10,000 Addus HealthCare, Inc. workers in 11 states -- California, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Montana, Delaware and Washington. 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...
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...
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...
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...
On Heels of Senate SCHIP Vote, SEIU Calls On Congress to Keep Rebuilding the American Dream
Jan 29, 2009 - Today, Congress took a first and important step to rebuilding the American Dream," said SEIU International Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger as Senators from both parties worked together to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). "We applaud the Senate for strengthening the children's health insurance program and ensuring no child must wait for care." 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...
Caring for the Caregivers - NY Times Editorial
Jan 28, 2009 - Informed by SEIU research and experience, a New York Times editorial this morning unfortunately reveals that one of the fastest-growing areas within the health care field - home care for the elderly - is also one of the lowest paid and most exploitable. Read more...
MEDIA ADVISORY for Jan. 29: Health Groups will Rally Hundreds to Restore Patient Services at Boston Medical Center, Cambridge Health Alliance
Jan 28, 2009 - On Thursday, January 29 at 4:00 p.m., a broad and rapidly growing coalition of health groups known as the Put Patients First coalition will rally hundreds of patients, caregivers, and advocates outside the Massachusetts State House. Read more...
1199SEIU and Boston-Area Allies Reach Historic New Accord to Improve Health Care for Community, Patients and Workers
Jan 28, 2009 - 1199SEIU, the Area Trades Council and Caritas Christi Health Care, the largest community based health system in Massachusetts, yesterday announced a historic and groundbreaking new accord ensuring fair union voting conditions for the system's employees when they are deciding whether to form unions. Read more...
Senate Poised to Vote on Children's Health Insurance
Jan 27, 2009 - 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...
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...
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...
Obama Staffing Up, Calling Meetings for Health Care
Jan 22, 2009 - Politico reports that President Barack Obama plans to convene a White House working meeting to address the nation's health care system sometime in the late winter or early spring--the latest signal from the Obama Administration that health care will be a top priority in 2009. Read more...
Talking Health Care with Russell Simmons
Jan 21, 2009 - Read more...
Talking Health Care with Russell Simmons
Jan 18, 2009 - SEIU is here at the Sundance film festival with playwright, poet, actor and activist Sarah Jones, who is camped out in the Variety Lounge to discuss health care with filmmakers and celebrities. On Friday, Jones sat down for a few minutes with hip hop pioneer and philanthropist Russell Simmons to talk about fixing our broken health care system. 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...
Manifest Hope: DC Online Contest Winners Selected for Inauguration Art Gallery
Jan 16, 2009 - SEIU partnered with Manifest Hope: DC, MoveOn PAC and Obey Giant to launch a nationwide online contest last month to gather the best artwork celebrating the grass roots campaign that helped elect Barack Obama as president. The 15 winning entries-- selected from a pool of over 1,000 submissions--have been announced. 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...
On Heels of Strong Bipartisan House Vote, SEIU Urges Senate to Vote Yes for Children's Health and Pass SCHIP
Jan 14, 2009 - "There is no time to waste. Strengthening the children's health insurance program offers a lifeline to families struggling to survive during this unprecedented economic downturn," said SEIU International Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger as Democrats and Republicans came together in the U.S. House of Representatives to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). 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...
Divided We Fail Launches Next Phase of National Campaign to Fix America's Health and Economic Crises
Jan 13, 2009 - Today leaders of the country's top consumer, business and labor groups launched the next phase of Divided We Fail, a national movement to bring health and financial security to every American. Read more...
Change That Works: Video Chat with Andy Stern (Video Feature)
Jan 08, 2009 - SEIU has set aside $10 million to jumpstart Change That Works campaign efforts and will be mobilizing more than 1,000 members and staff to work full-time in 35 targeted states. Andy Stern joined a live video chat broadcast on Ustream with bloggers and activists to discuss the campaign at 4:00 p.m. yesterday. Read more...
New SEIU Television Ad Promotes Health Care Reform as Top Domestic Priority
Jan 08, 2009 - SEIU launched a new TV ad buy today about the importance of healthcare reform in regaining the economic prosperity of this nation. Read more...
Andy Stern on 'Early Victories' in Fixing Health Care
Jan 08, 2009 - This week, the National Journal invited key health care advocates and experts to respond to the following question: What early health care victories should President-elect Obama and Congress seek before Washington works on broad health care reform legislation? Read Andy Stern's response here. Read more...
Six Diverse Groups Unite in Nationwide Call for Health Care Reform as Key to Economic Reform
Jan 08, 2009 - Six organizations representing consumers, physicians, insurers, patients and pharmaceutical research companies are banding together to launch a new multi-million dollar national television advertising buy. Read more...
Tune In for Live Video Chat with Andy Stern
Jan 08, 2009 - Join us for our Change That Works campaign roll-out today at 4:00 p.m. EST. It is an opportunity to answer any questions you have for SEIU President Andy Stern, in a live video chat that will air on www.SEIU.org. You can submit your question right now by clicking here. [Read more] Read more...
New SEIU Ad: To Help the Economy, Fix Health Care
Jan 08, 2009 - Read more...
Reports From Your Health Care House Meetings
Jan 07, 2009 - The reports are coming back from your health care meetings, and can't be more impressed. From everything you've said, it looks like your meetings were substantive, full of ideas and expertise, and were a rousing success. We thought we'd share a small sampling of the ideas that you've submitted to us from your group discussions. 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...
Reasons for Hope for the Uninsured
Dec 29, 2008 - This morning, the Philadelphia Inquirer published an editorial focusing on the uninsured and the incoming Obama Administration. The editorial board's conclusion? That "a can-do spirit and sense of urgency from a president-elect who wants 'change' are the best things America's uninsured have going for them." Read more...
SEIU's Health Care Discussion
Dec 23, 2008 - 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...
1199SEIU Website and Magazine Win National Labor Media Awards
Dec 22, 2008 - SEIU1199's Our Life and Times magazine and local union website www.1199seiu.org won a total of eight awards in this year's journalism contest of the International Labor Communications Association (ILCA). Read more...
Everyone Coming Together for Health Care House Meetings
Dec 18, 2008 - In addition to the nearly-250 SEIU discussions that have been scheduled, over 4,200 meetings have been scheduled nationwide. It's clear that the Obama team is trying to build some consensus among all parties. This makes it more than vital that caregivers like you attend these events. We're in the trenches every day, and our expertise absolutely needs to be heard. Read more...
SEIU Janitors and Business Leaders Unveil New Model for Making Health Care More Accessible And Affordable for Thousands of Low-wage Workers
Dec 17, 2008 - In a city where one in three residents live without health care, the unveiling today of a new clinic in Houston that will offer low-cost, quality care to over 5,300 of the area's commercial office janitors is an innovative step in the right direction. Read more...
Over 200 Health Care Meet-ups Scheduled And Counting
Dec 16, 2008 - Last week, we wrote about the opportunity for you to become a health care leader in your community by hosting a health care meet-up near you. Thursday, December 18th at 3pm EST, we'll be hosting a conference call for people who have signed up to be hosts. Read more...
Share Your Voice, Be a Health Care Leader in Your Community
Dec 15, 2008 - Beginning this week, SEIU health care professionals, leaders and members will hold discussions with the Obama transition team about making comprehensive, affordable health care a reality for everyone in America. Read more...
Long Island College Hospital Interns and Residents Win Vote to Join CIR/SEIU
Dec 15, 2008 - Last week, interns and residents at Long Island College Hospital (LICH) in Brooklyn, NY unanimously voted to join the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) of SEIU Healthcare. Resident physicians at LICH will work with CIR to ensure that vital services like maternity and pediatric care remain open. 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...
VIDEO: Former Senator Tom Daschle Gives Major Healthcare Speech
Dec 10, 2008 - Sen. Tom Daschle, leader of President-Elect Obama's health policy team, is speaking live right now in Denver on fixing America's health care system, at the 2008 Colorado Health Care Summit. Watch and listen now. 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...
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...
Health Care Reform: We're Ready NOW
Dec 08, 2008 - Read more...
Join the Healthcare Debate at Change.gov
Dec 05, 2008 - Already, discussions have begun, including a growing health care debate at Change.gov, the Obama transition team's website. You and I know that for any health care initiative to truly succeed, nurses need to be included - and the Gallup poll proves it. Now's the perfect time to put our credibility to use. Each of us needs to lend our much-needed caregiver expertise to the discussion 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...
Statement by SEIU Healthcare Chair Dennis Rivera Pledging Support for Former Senator Daschle, Obama Transition Team Efforts to Fix Health Care
Dec 05, 2008 - We look forward to doing our part to promote this vital effort across the country. Read the entire statement from SEIU's Dennis Rivera now. Read more...
SEIU Healthcare Launches Online Version of Newsletter
Dec 04, 2008 - Current and past issues of SEIU Healthcare News are now available online. The newsletter is issued bi-weekly to keep SEIU, members, activists and friends informed of efforts around the country to deliver quality care to patients and give healthcare workers a voice on the job. 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...
With 30-hour shifts, the doctor is ALWAYS in
Dec 04, 2008 - SEIU Healthcare members understand that long hours and little sleep are a dangerous fact of life for RNs and physicians alike. For years, we've worked to shine a light on the dangers of long hours to patient care and to the well-being of health care workers. A recent study by the Institute for Medicine (IOM) is a welcome addition to the advocacy work being done by CIR/SEIU Healthcare members to limit extended shifts for residents. Read more...
Addressing the Real Cost of Healthcare Reform
Dec 03, 2008 - "The failures of our current system are already costing us billions. If we do nothing and let health care continue on its current course, the cost would be greater than the cure," writes SEIU President Andy Stern yesterday on NationalJournal.com's Health Care Expert Blog. Read more...
SEIU Healthcare's Resident Physicians Comment on "Extended Shifts" Report
Dec 03, 2008 - In response to the Institute of Medicine report, "Resident Duty Hours: Enhancing Sleep, Supervision, and Safety," SEIU's Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) released a statement yesterday calling for stronger limits on extended resident work. 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...
Mission to Haiti, in my own words
Dec 01, 2008 - I'm from Haiti. I hadn't been there in a while. When I heard about this trip I knew I wanted to go to help, but I didn't really know what to expect. My family and my Haitian friends and co-workers... Read more...
Mission to Haiti, in my own words
Dec 01, 2008 - I've always had the luck to have what's necessary, to be able to share with others, and to feel thankful for everything and to give thanks to God. In early October, I received an email from our Union President, Monica,... Read more...
SPECIAL REPORT: Haiti Stole My Heart
Dec 01, 2008 - In light of the devastation in Haiti and the suffering of so many people in the aftermath of two hurricanes and two tropical storms, the Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare leaders made a decision to offer support. Two SEIU Healthcare Florida members volunteered to travel to Haiti on a healthcare mission - their stories are truly inspiring. Read more...
Snapshots of Our SEIU Healthcare Heroes
Dec 01, 2008 - There were thousands of SEIU Healthcare heroes that left their families and their jobs to join fellow members on the election trail. Here are just a few of their stories: Read more...
Missouri Homecare Workers Win Campaign to Improve Care at Home
Dec 01, 2008 - Homecare workers in Missouri are also celebrating an Election Day victory that gives them a new voice about their future. Read more...
Political Action: "Now is the Time to Pull up Our Sleeves"
Dec 01, 2008 - Those are the words of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW member Charlotte Anibas in a letter to the editor of the Seattle Times. She writes, "No matter if you voted for President-elect Barack Obama or Sen. John McCain, if you are a union member, small-business owner or retiree, we share one community. Read more...
A New Beginning for America's Working Families
Dec 01, 2008 - Time and time again, President-elect Obama inspired Americans with the phrase, "You are the people you have been waiting for." SEIU members took that message to heart and worked tirelessly this past election for our families, for our communities and for our future. 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...
Historic New Deal for 25,000 Massachusetts Home Care Workers to Improve Jobs; Boost Care
Nov 25, 2008 - Today, a new contract was finalized for 25,000 Massachusetts personal care attendants (PCAs) who will get a 15 percent pay raise, health insurance and paid sick time. 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...
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota Hospital Workers Stand up for Retirement Security & Health Benefits
Nov 24, 2008 - More than 200 SEIU Healthcare Minnesota members who work at Regina Medical Center begin a 2-day strike today in the face of proposed 50 percent cut to their pension and an increase in overall healthcare costs. Read more...
Former SEIU Political Leader Appointed as Obama's Political Director
Nov 21, 2008 - This afternoon, Patrick Gaspard was named the White House political director for President-elect Barack Obama. Gaspard served as national political director for much of Obama's general election campaign and was named associate personnel director for the transition effort. Read more...
1199SEIU Lawrence Hospital Workers Win 2nd Contract
Nov 20, 2008 - After more than a year of on and off negotiations, the 1199SEIU members at Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, NY finally have a second contract. 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...
Andy Stern Renews Call to Fix Nation's
Broken Health Care System
Nov 20, 2008 - Read more...
Former Senator Daschle to be Nominated for HHS Secretary
Nov 20, 2008 - Multiple news sources, including NBC News, are reporting that Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-ND) "has accepted President-elect Barack Obama's offer to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services," and will therefore be nominated to the position. In that role, Daschle would be in charge of the FDA, Medicare and Medicaid, among other programs. Read more...
SEIU President Andy Stern Addresses Health Care Activists
Nov 19, 2008 - Read more...
Andy Stern Testifying Today on Economics Of Health Care Reform
Nov 19, 2008 - SEIU President Andy Stern will be testifying at a congressional hearing on health care and the economy. He¹ll be using the comments submitted by members and activists to tell show Congress how deeply this is affecting people all across the country. Read more...
Help Andy Stern Bring Your Testimony to Congress to Fix Health Care NOW
Nov 18, 2008 - With pressure building to address the nation's ailing health care system, SEIU International President Andy Stern will offer testimony on the combined impact of the health care and economic crisis on working families and call for comprehensive health care reform at a hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 19. Read more...
SEIU President to Testify at Senate Hearing on Health Care Reform, Highlight Dual Impact of Health Care and Economic Crises on Working Families
Nov 18, 2008 - With pressure building to address the nation's ailing health care system, SEIU International President Andy Stern will offer testimony on the combined impact of the health care and economic crisis on working families and call for comprehensive health care reform at a hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance at 10AM Wednesday, November 19. Read more...
"Now is the time to roll up our sleeves..." Letter to the Editor from SEIU Healthcare Member
Nov 18, 2008 - "No matter if you voted for President-elect Barack Obama or Sen. John McCain, if you are a union member, small-business owner or retiree, we share one community. We need to play our part to help our elected leaders fulfill their campaign promises," writes SEIU Healthcare member Charlotte Anibas from Local 1199NW in a Seattle Times LTE. Read more...
Leading Massachusetts Physicians Voice Support for Free and Fair Union
Nov 17, 2008 - Free & Fair Elections = Quality Jobs, Quality Care Hospital workers across Boston are calling for free and fair union elections so they can have a voice in protecting patient care and improving jobs for working families. In an open... Read more...
SEIU Healthcare Chair Dennis Rivera Addresses Links between Nation's Failing Economy, Ailing Healthcare System
Nov 16, 2008 - "We have a president who has promised to prioritize health care and improve the lives of workers. We have a Congress that has committed to providing economic relief for families--including affordable health insurance," wrote Dennis Rivera, SEIU Healthcare chair in The Hill's Congress Blog. Read more...
A Blueprint And A Call To Action For The Nation's Ailing Healthcare System
Nov 15, 2008 - "One week since the historic election that brought a sea change of hope and energy to our country, we're already getting a clear picture of what to expect from new leadership in Washington in 2009," writes SEIU Healthcare Chairman Dennis Rivera today on The Hill's Congress blog. Read more...
SEIU Canada: Comcare Home Care Workers Vote to Join Union
Nov 13, 2008 - Sudbury area home caregivers employed by Comcare Health Services voted overwhelmingly on November 10 to form a union, becoming members of SEIU Local 1 Canada. Read more...
SEIU, Coalition Partners Urge Health Care Overhaul
Nov 13, 2008 - SEIU and its Divided We Fail partners AARP, the Business Roundtable and the National Federation of Independent Businesses published an open letter to President-elect Barack Obama in USA Today this week, calling for comprehensive healthcare reform in the new administration's... Read more...
"How do you see the outcome of the presidential election changing the health care reform debate?"
Nov 12, 2008 - "This election showed that American workers are struggling with the rising cost of everything -- from food to fuel to housing to health care. They know that skyrocketing health costs are shrinking their paychecks, and if they lose their jobs they lose their health care." Read more...
SEIU Statement in Support of New Blueprint to Solve Health Care Crisis by Senator Max Baucus
Nov 12, 2008 - SEIU, the nation's largest labor union for health care workers, issued the following statement in support of the diagnosis of and prescription for mending our broken health care system released by Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) today. Read more...
What We've Done - And What We Need to Do
Nov 12, 2008 - We did it. Together, we knocked doors, called voters, and helped move millions of Americans to the polls for President-Elect Barack Obama. While we celebrate, too many Americans still can't afford the most basic, life-saving health care for themselves and their families. Read more...
Putting Healthcare on the Map
Nov 07, 2008 - This week, we're celebrating. SEIU members, local and International staff across the country knocked on doors and called voters to help get out the vote and move millions of Americans to the polls to bring home victory for Barack Obama. Read more...
More "Why this Election Matters"
Oct 28, 2008 - "I'm a healthcare worker,first of all. I see people come into the emergency room because they have no other access to healthcare. Read more...
Politics Matters
Oct 28, 2008 - More than 3,000 SEIU members and staff have been working in battleground states - with tens of thousands volunteering on weekends and evenings. Read more...
Guess Who's Knocking: Pittsburgh, PA
Oct 28, 2008 - [youtube video] Read more...
PA Nurses, Direct Care Workers Win Big for Patients
Oct 28, 2008 - It took seven years, but earlier this month, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives joined their Senate colleagues in passing legislation against mandatory overtime for health caregivers Read more...
Why this Election Matters
Oct 28, 2008 - This election is really special. People are excited and positive about Barack Obama. But anything can happen here in Palm Beach County, as the whole world knows from the 2000 election. I've talked with traditionally Republican nurses who are for Obama because of his support for real healthcare reform and for good nursing legislation. Many are inspired for the first time. Read more...
Dear SEIU Healthcare Sisters and Brothers
Oct 28, 2008 - With only days to go before Election Day, SEIU Healthcare members are working together in cities and towns all across America to elect Barack Obama as our next president and ensure a pro-working family majority in our next Congress. Read more...
On the Ballot: Missouri Consumers and Homecare Workers Aiming for Quality Homecare
Oct 15, 2008 - When voters throughout Missouri go to the polls on November 4, they will not only be choosing a new president and a new Congress. Read more...
SEIU Healthcare New Jersey Members Vote to Join with 1199SEIU
Oct 15, 2008 - The members of SEIU Healthcare New Jersey have voted overwhelmingly to unite with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and its 300,000 members. The merger is effective immediately. Read more...
SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana: Homecare Workers Set National Standards for Help at Home Workers
Oct 15, 2008 - Nearly 5,000 members of SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana employed by Help At Home (HAH) will vote on a historic new contract that paves the way for thousands more Help At Home workers across the country to join the union. Read more...
SEIU Nevada RNs Settle Ground Breaking First Contract
Oct 15, 2008 - Registered nurses at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, NV recently reached a landmark tentative agreement with the hospital, establishing higher standards for quality patient care in Northern Nevada. Read more...
Mayo Clinic Workers Vote to Join SEIU Healthcare Minnesota
Oct 15, 2008 - Healthcare workers at four Minnesota hospitals, including three affiliated with the Mayo Clinic, voted resoundingly to merge with SEIU Healthcare Minnesota. The vote had the highest turnout in the history of UNITE HERE Local 21. Read more...
Renown Nurse Introduces Senator Obama at Reno Rally
Oct 15, 2008 - Lori Millard-Streeter, an SEIU RN at Renown Regional Medical Center, introduced Sen. Barack Obama last week at her alma mater, the University of Nevada-Reno, before more than 10,000 people. Read more...
The Facts About John McCain's Healthcare Plan
Oct 14, 2008 - [youtube video] Read more...
Pennsylvania RNs win mandatory overtime ban
Oct 10, 2008 - It's been seven years in the making, but on Wednesday, Pennsylvania state legislation against mandatory overtime for nurses and healthcare workers passed its last hurdle on its way to the Governor's desk. Read more...
Pennsylvania Nurses and Patients One Step Closer
Oct 08, 2008 - It's been seven years in the making, but on Wednesday, state legislation against mandatory overtime for nurses and healthcare workers passed its last hurdle on its way to the Governor's desk. Read more...
Vital Signs: Freda Blakerby, RN
Oct 08, 2008 - I became an LPN in 1983 and an RN in 1993. In 2003, at the age of 55, I became disabled by a genetic disease and lost my job. Read more...
SEIU DVD Exposes How McCain "Care" Leaves Seniors Behind
Oct 08, 2008 - More than 250,000 copies of the DVD "The Facts about John McCain's Health Care Plan" have been put in the hands of the nation's seniors in recent weeks, courtesy of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Read more...
Country First?
Oct 03, 2008 - [youtube video] Read more...
New Report Shows McCain Plan Would Take Away Health Benefits of 415,000 In Wisconsin
Oct 01, 2008 - A new report released today by the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAPAF) shows that Senator John McCain's proposed health care plan would threaten the employer-based health benefits of 3.3 million people in Wisconsin and that as many as 415,000 people in the state could lose their health coverage. Read more...
HHS Report Details Nursing Home Violations; Nation's Largest Health Care Union Responds
Oct 01, 2008 - A report released Monday by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finds that 94% of America's for-profit nursing homes have been cited for violating patient care standards. Read more...
New State-by-State Analyses: McCain Health Care Plan Would Hit Tens of Millions with Tax Increase, Force Others into Ranks of Uninsured
Sep 30, 2008 - A new series of state-level reports show presidential candidate John McCain's proposed health care plan would significantly raise taxes on tens of millions of working families while forcing millions of others to lose their employer-based health coverage. Read more...
NEW SEIU TELEVISION AD: Thelma Drake Is "Wrong for Veterans, Wrong For Virginia"
Sep 30, 2008 - A new television ad by SEIU details the multiple votes Congresswoman Thelma Drake has cast against improving health care for our nation's veterans, making the case that she is "Wrong for Veterans, Wrong for Virginia." Read more...
Americans for Health Care
Sep 26, 2008 - Read more...
Position Statement on BSN Requirement for RN Practice
Sep 25, 2008 - There has been long-standing debate within the nursing profession about the minimum degree required for professional nursing practice. Recently the debate re-ignited in New York with proposed legislation that would mandate the BSN for future RNs to continue practice beyond 10 years. This debate is of critical concern to the more than 17,000 SEIU registered nurses who work in New York State as well as to RNs across the country. Read more...
Nurses, Healthcare Workers Launch Massive Drive to Inform 1 Million Caregivers in Key States on Obama and McCain Healthcare Plans
Sep 24, 2008 - With women voters poised to play a pivotal role in the presidential election, a unique project of SEIU Healthcare will reach at least 1 million healthcare employees--a largely female workforce --through worker-to-worker communication on the candidates' views on healthcare issues. Read more...
Healthcare Rally at the DNC
Sep 24, 2008 - [youtube video] Read more...
Activists, Fired Worker Protest Poor Resident Care and Working Conditions at Atria Senior Living During Annual Senior Housing Conference (version 2)
Sep 23, 2008 - Activists protested poor resident care and working conditions at Atria Senior Living during the 18th Annual Conference of the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing and Care Industry (NIC) on Thurs., Sept. 11 at the swank Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. Former Atria worker Jojo Adeyemi also attempted to meet with Atria CEO John Moore to voice his concerns directly to the man at the top. Read more...
Statement By SEIU International President Andy Stern On Dual Impact of the Banking and Health Care Crisis on Working Families
Sep 23, 2008 - SEIU International President Andy Stern issued the following statement today regarding the combined impact of the banking crisis and rising health care costs on the nation's working families: Read more...
SEIU To Host Screening of Brave New Films' "Diagnosis: Now!" At Washington HQ, 40+ House Parties Nationwide
Sep 23, 2008 - On Wednesday, September 24, SEIU will host a screening of Brave New Films' documentary titled "Diagnosis: Now!" at the health care union's headquarters in Washington, D.C., kicking off a series of screenings at house parties being hosted by SEIU locals across the country. Read more...
John McCain's Health Care Plan Based on Same Policies That Are Causing Wall Street Meltdown
Sep 22, 2008 - Every day, another financial institution shutters its doors. Over 600,000 thousand U.S. jobs have been lost so far this year. Gas, food, and health care prices are through the roof. The writing is on the wall: the American economy is teetering on the edge of collapse, and American families are paying the price. Read more...
Thousands Take Back Labor Day Outside GOP Convention
Sep 14, 2008 - excerpt Read more...
Activists, Fired Worker Protest Poor Resident Care and Working Conditions at Atria Senior Living During Annual Senior Housing Conference (version 1)
Sep 11, 2008 - Activists protested poor resident care and working conditions at Atria Senior Living during the 18th Annual Conference of the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing and Care Industry (NIC) on Thurs., Sept. 11 at the swank Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. Read more...
Former US Labor Secretary Appointed Hearing Officer In Trusteeship of United Healthcare Workers-West
Sep 08, 2008 - The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) today announced the selection of nationally respected labor expert and former US Labor Secretary Ray Marshall to act as outside hearing officer in the International's proposed trusteeship over its Oakland-based local, United Healthcare Workers-West (UHW-W). Read more...
Advocates Call for Congress to Stand Up to Profit-Hungry Nursing Homes and Protect Seniors
May 15, 2008 - The nation's largest healthcare workers' union testified before Chairman Stupak's (D-MI-1) House Energy & Commerce Oversight Subcommittee today, calling for Congress to stand up to the powerful and profit-hungry nursing home industry and pass legislation that would improve the quality of care by ensuring that residents and taxpayers know who owns nursing homes, who is responsible for care at them, and how taxpayer funds are being used. Read more...
OBAMA: CLEARLY THE PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE
May 06, 2008 - "Senator Obama's commanding win in North Carolina and close showing in Indiana means he is clearly the Democratic nominee for President,"said Anna Burger, SEIU Secretary-Treasurer. "We've had a long process and the outcome is now clear. The Democratic Party should come together to focus on winning in November." Read more...
SEIU Members Endorse Sen. Barack Obama
Feb 15, 2008 - Nurses, childcare workers, janitors and other service workers endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president today, calling him the candidate with the best vision, best plan and best strategy to lead the country to a new American Dream. Read more...
Congressional Leaders Schedule Hearings on Quality of Nursing Home Care
Nov 14, 2007 - The nation's largest healthcare workers' union applauded Congressional leaders for scheduling hearings on growing problems with nursing homes. Chairman Pete Stark's (D-CA-13) House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee will examine the effects of nursing home ownership on the quality of care, especially in light of Carlyle Group's takeover of Manor Care. Read more...
Congressional Leaders Schedule Hearings on Quality of Nursing Home Care
Nov 08, 2007 - The nation's largest healthcare workers' union applauded Congressional leaders for scheduling hearings on growing problems with nursing homes. Chairman Pete Stark's (D-CA-13) House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee will examine the effects of nursing home ownership on the quality of care, especially in light of Carlyle Group's takeover of Manor Care. Read more...
Statement from Dennis Rivera, Chair of SEIU Healthcare Regarding the Passing of Cheryl Johnson, RN, President of the United American Nurses, AFL- CIO
Oct 29, 2007 - Dennis Rivera, Chair of SEIU Healthcare, today issued the following statement regarding the Passing of Cheryl Johnson, RN, President of the United American Nurses, AFL- CIO: Read more...
SEIU Leaders Applaud House Passage of Children's Healthcare, Warn Bush Against Veto
Oct 26, 2007 - Leaders of the largest healthcare union in the nation today celebrated the House passage of SCHIP legislation that would provide health coverage for nearly 10 million uninsured children, and expressing outrage at President Bush's threat to once again veto the bill. Read more...
Hearings on Private Equity Ownership of Nursing Homes Open New Front for Embattled Buyout Industry
Oct 23, 2007 - The nation's largest healthcare workers union applauded U.S. Reps. John Dingell and Barney Frank today as they announced the first Congressional hearings on private equity ownership of nursing homes. The announcement today by the Chairmen of the House Energy & Commerce Committee and the House Financial Services Committee is the latest move by Congressional leaders this month to hold private equity firms accountable for the care, staffing, and conditions at nursing homes they own. Read more...
SEIU Applauds Bipartisan Leadership of Sen. Finance Committee in Push for Greater Oversight of Private Equity Takeovers of Nursing Homes
Oct 18, 2007 - The nation's largest healthcare workers union applauded the bipartisan leadership of the Senate Finance Committee today as it took new steps to hold private equity firms accountable for the care, staffing, and conditions at nursing homes they own. Read more...
SEIU Leaders Denounce Failure To Override SCHIP Veto, Vow To Continue Fight For Children's Healthcare
Oct 18, 2007 - Leaders of the largest healthcare union in the nation today blasted Members of Congress who refused to override President Bush's SCHIP veto, and pledged to continue fighting to win healthcare for 10 million uninsured children. Read more...
MEDIA ADVISORY: SCHIP Vigil Tuesday, Oct. 16
Oct 15, 2007 - Hundreds of healthcare workers, parents, children, clergy, elected officials and concerned citizens will gather for a vigil near the Capitol this Tuesday, October 16, as part of a final push to win healthcare for nearly 10 million children. Read more...
SEIU Launches Nationwide Campaign For Kids' Healthcare
Oct 09, 2007 - Thousands of healthcare workers, parents, children, faith leaders, and concerned citizens will take to the streets in communities across the country this week as part of a nationwide effort to win healthcare for nearly 10 million children. Read more...
Statement from Dennis Rivera, Chair of SEIU Healthcare Regarding Bush's Veto of Children's Healthcare
Oct 03, 2007 - Dennis Rivera, Chair of SEIU Healthcare, the nation's largest union of health care workers, today issued the following statement regarding President Bush's veto of the bipartisan SCHIP legislation: Read more...
Kennedy Joins Children, SEIU Healthcare Workers to Deliver Message to Bush: One Million Americans Support Healthcare For 10 Million Kids
Oct 01, 2007 - Hundreds of SEIU healthcare workers, healthcare allies, and children marched to the White House today to deliver mail bags overflowing with petitions from one million Americans in support of health care for kids. Read more...
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