We already knew that nearly 50 percent of workers who get sick are forced to choose between their health and their paycheck. For low-income workers, 76 percent find themselves without something many of us take for granted:--the right to a "sick day."

For millions of workers, losing a day's wages if they stay home sick is not even the worst-case scenario. Because as New York Times columnist Jim Dyer reminds us, many workers are actually forced to choose between their health and their job. Factory worker Alda Valdez, a mother of four, was fired for catching a cold:

"I asked the boss for permission to go to the hospital. She said, 'It's fine, go - but you don't have a job anymore.' "

If passed, the Paid Sick Days bill introduced August 20 by Councilwoman Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan) would vastly improve the lives of 1.2 million workers in New York by requiring all businesses in New York City to provide their employees between five and nine paid sick days (depending on the size of the business). With support from healthcare oranizations and unions including1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and SEIU 32BJ, Intro 1059 faces opposition from business groups such business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who argue that added costs might force some businesses to cut back on hiring.

The vast majority of Americans may not agree on much, but the importance of this healthcare issue is one issue Americans come together on. A nationwide poll conducted last year by the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center showed that a whopping 86 percent of Americans believe that employers should be required by law to provide paid sick days to workers.

Put things even more in perspective by reading the Jim Dwyer column in the NY Times: Health Care? Not if You Can't Leave Work to Get It.

Patients, Caregivers, Hospitals, Neighborhood Advocates, Unions Unite in Asking Gov. Patrick to Put Patients First; Use Federal Relief Funds to Restore Care at "Safety-Net" Hospitals

BOSTON - 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. The rally is expected to be the largest demonstration on a public health policy issue since health reform legislation passed and since Governor Deval Patrick took office in November 2006.

The groups are asking Governor Patrick to restore patient services that were recently eliminated in a series of drastic funding cuts to Boston Medical Center and Cambridge Health Alliance.

The advocates say the Governor should use anticipated federal relief money to restore services at the two health networks which serve a disproportionate number of uninsured and under-insured patients. The recent "safety-net" health care funding cuts by Governor Patrick exceeded the cuts called for under Chapter 58, the law governing Massachusetts health care reform, and could financially devastate care delivery and patient services at the hospitals and clinics that low-income and minority neighborhoods depend upon the most.

WHO: Hundreds of health workers, patients, community members, and advocates united in the Put Patients First coalition.

WHEN: Thursday, January 29, 2009, 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Boston Common in front of the Massachusetts State House

WHY / MORE INFORMATION: A growing number of community organizations are asking the Patrick administration to ensure anticipated federal relief funding is directed to restoring the vital services that Boston Medical Center and Cambridge Health Alliance provide to low-income and minority residents.

The Put Patients First coalition has expanded rapidly in short time to unite a broad range of Massachusetts health, grassroots, and community advocacy organizations, in addition to the threatened safety-net hospitals. Other organizations who have joined include 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, Health Care for All, ACORN, Neighbor to Neighbor, and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, among dozens of others (see full list of coalition members below).

Based on recent reports from the House Committee on Appropriations, it is expected that an upcoming federal stimulus package could include upwards of $87 billion in aid to states intended specifically to increase, through the end of FY 2010, the share of Medicaid costs for which the federal government reimburses states, and provide other forms of relief for health care delivery. A similar approach was used in previous recessions to prevent or restore cuts to health services to meet the increasing demands at times when state revenues were declining.

Members of the Put Patients First coalition have raised concerns that the Patrick administration may divert all or part of the funds designated for Medicaid relief to other non-Medicaid purposes. The Governor was reported to have said in late December that the federal Medicaid relief could be, "displaced for other needs."
Put Patients First coalition members have pointed out that such a diversion of funds would be devastating for low-income patient services at a time when the nation is looking towards Massachusetts for leadership on health reform.

Put Patients First is a coalition of over forty-five community and health organizations advocating for protection of patient access and services at community safety-net hospitals. Members of the coalition include 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, ACORN, Aids Action Committee of Massachusetts, American Stroke Association, Artists Foundation, Boston Center for Independent Living, Boston HealthNet, Codman Square Health Center, Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU, Community Labor United, Dorchester House Multi-Service Center, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Ethos, Geiger Gibson Community Health Center, Greater Boston Labor Council, Greater Roslindale Medical and Dental Center, Harbor Health Services, Health Law Advocates, Healthcare for All, Immigrant Service Providers Group/Health, Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, Jobs With Justice, Joint Committee for Children's Health Care in Everett, MA League of Community Health Ctrs, Manet Community Health Center, Mass Association of Community Health Workers, Mass Health Council, Mass Law Reform Institute, Massachusetts Communities Action Network, Massachusetts Senior Action Council, Mattapan Community Health Center, MIRA, National Association of Social Workers, Neighbor to Neighbor, Neponset Health Center, Partners Healthcare, Project Right, Public Policy Institute, Roxbury Comprehensive Community Health Center, SEIU 509, SEIU 615, Somerville/Cambridge Elder Services, South Boston Community Health Center, South End Community Health Center, Tri-City Community Action Program, Inc., and the Whittier Street Health Center.

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.

Prior to his work with Obama, Gaspard was the executive vice president of politics and legislation for Local 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. In his role as VP, Gaspard led the union's legislative efforts in Albany, Annapolis, Boston and Washington, DC and coordinated the volunteer efforts that sent hundreds of union members to Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and other primary election states to campaign for Obama. He also led SEIU's lobbying efforts on the federal State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 2007. In 2006, Gaspard served as SEIU's acting political director. 

Read the Washington Post and Crain's coverage of this breaking news.