Local Union Spotlight:IBEW Local 1547
Local 1547 is also deeply concerned by the skyrocketing cost of health care. Bell illustrates the problem from his own experience, “As an apprentice coming up in the early ‘90’s, I can remember my predecessor telling me that my health insurance premium would probably be equal to my car payment. Shortly after becoming a journeyman wireman the same man stood in front of us and told us that our health and welfare premium would soon equate to our mortgage. By the time I became Business Manager a decade later, not only is that true but for many Americans who are fortunate enough to have health insurance it has surpassed the cost of our mortgages. I am excited to see candidates actually running with the recognition that our private healthcare system is broken. We’ve got to fix the foundation of health care in America.”
Mike Notar lays out the situation bluntly. “We have a failing health care system in the United States. I serve as a Health and Welfare Trustee on the IBEW/NECA Health and Welfare Trust in Anchorage. I have seen our premiums rise. We have had to cut benefits in order to keep the fund financially sound. I think that one of the most important things this election is health care for all. The IBEW has endorsed HR 676, which is John Conyers' bill for universal health care.”
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DCB--Have you been tracking what the two campaigns are telling
voters about healthcare? Other than the vague stuff? I just don't seem to be seeing coverage of it, but I don't read/see/hear everything.
It's so crucial--and where's the pol beating that drum now that Hillary's not getting heavy coverage?
I am so scared we are are going to get nothing, zip, zero, nada out of the next administration. Even with a Dem Congress. I'm also getting nervous about getting "more and better Dems."
Oh, dear, what can the matter be? I must be feeling depressed...seeing reality.....
the best I can say is
try not to let it get to you. Obama used to support single payer, but his present plan is in effect a subsidy to insurance companies along with the requirement that they cover prior conditions. However, I am confident that if we get a single payer bill to his desk he will sign it.
I have a few news alerts on key words, which is how I track this issue. At the beginning of the year days would go by and I would get nothing. Now ever day brings several stories, most of them indicating growing support for this.
I started to feel much better about the world when I ceased to care about the Presidential and concentrated on health care. The health care blogs remind me of the early days of lefty blogosphere when we still liked each other.