U.S. Nurses Unions Merge, Back Healthcare Overhaul
By Tim Gaynor
December 8, 2009, Phoenix, AZ

Published by Reuters.

Three nurses unions merged on Monday to form the largest-ever labor organization for U.S. medical professionals, which is expected to wield greater clout in collective bargaining and the national healthcare debate.

Leaders of the new 150,000-member National Nurses United, comprising union locals from Maine to Hawaii, said their top priority would be to seek to organize the overwhelming majority of registered nurses who remain without union representation.

Of roughly 1.5 million nurses who provide direct patient care in U.S. hospitals and clinics, about 80 percent have no union contract, NNU officials said.

Continue reading National Nurses United Formed: Goals Organize the Unorganized & Universal Healthcare →

End the U.S. Occupation & Air War in Afghanistan

WHEREAS the California Democratic Party, concerned citizens and lawmakers are calling for a U.S. exit strategy from Afghanistan that will end the occupation and air war while ensuring the safety and security of our troops, our nation, and the region;  while even the U.S. Ambassador General Karl Eikenberry expresses concern about corruption in the Afghan government and our inability to stabilize the situation; and

WHEREAS the plight of women in Afghanistan is such that they continue to bear an especially heavy price under an eight-year occupation, and that far from eradicating the Taliban and other insurgencies, the presence of foreign troops has instead strengthened them, creating greater insecurity, death and impoverishment of the Afghan, people; and

WHEREAS a majority of Americans are increasingly disturbed about the toll the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan is taking on the honorable young men and women who have been killed and wounded, on the families of these young men and women, as our involvement there continues to cost billions each month while the United States and particularly the state of California are in an economic crisis without money to fund domestic needs;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the California Democratic Party, in addition to reiterating its support for a time-table for withdrawal of our miltary personnel, calls for an end to the use of mercenary contractors, as well as an end to air strikes that cause heavy civilian casualties, and urges our President to oversee a redirection of our funding and resources to include an increase in humanitarian and developmental aid, multi-party talks aimed at ensuring a democratic and legitimate representation of the people of Afghanistan, as well as multi-party regional diplomacy for the safety and stability of neighboring  countries; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED a copy of this resolution shall be sent to the California Democratic Party Congressional delegation, as well as to President Obama.

Obama Announces Afghanistan Escalation

By Tom Hayden

The Nation

December 1, 2009

It’s time to strip the Obama sticker off my car.

Obama’s escalation in Afghanistan is the last in a string of disappointments. His flip-flopping acceptance of the military coup in Honduras has squandered the trust of Latin America. His Wall Street bailout leaves the poor, the unemployed, minorities, and college students on their own. And now comes the Afghanistan-Pakistan decision to escalate the stalemate, which risks his domestic agenda, his Democratic base, and possibly even his presidency.

The expediency of his decision was transparent. Satisfy the generals by sending 30,000 more troops. Satisfy the public and peace movement with a timeline for beginning withdrawals of those same troops, with no timeline for completing a withdrawal.

Continue reading Afghanistan Escalation: NO! →

Aetna prepares for loss of 600,000 members as it raises 2010 prices

By Emily Berry, amednews staff. Posted Nov. 30, 2009.

Back when it was the largest private health plan in the country, Aetna downsized its membership by millions but boosted profits during an overhaul of its business several years ago.

Now it looks to be making a similar — but smaller — move with a planned price increase for many of its customers in 2010.

The company figures it will lose between 600,000 and 650,000 members next year because of the price hikes.

In a conference call with investment analysts to discuss the company’s third-quarter earnings, Chair and CEO Ron Williams told analysts, “The pricing we put in place for 2009 turned out to not really be what we needed to achieve the results and margins that we had historically been delivering.”

Continue reading Aetna to Wall Street: We’ll raise prices, cut benefits, and dump 600,000 policy holders to boost 2010 profits →

Study calls Pennsylvania taxes unfair to poor and middle class

From the Erie Times-News                Published: November 20. 2009 12:01AM

Working families in Pennsylvania pay a far higher share of their income in state and local taxes than their wealthiest counterparts, according to a new study by the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy. 

In 2007, middle-class earners paid nearly double the share of their income in taxes than the very wealthiest Pennsylvanians. For minimum-wage earners, the share of family income spent on taxes was even larger. 

Continue reading PA Taxes favor the wealthy →

Group forms to save Braddock Hospital

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A working group of community leaders, elected officials and residents from the Braddock area convened last night at Heritage Health to discuss how the community might sway UPMC to reverse its decision to close the hospital there.

Since the hospital system announced the closing of UPMC Braddock, slated for Jan. 31, community members have mobilized efforts to change the hospital’s mind, starting last Thursday with a rally that drew a few hundred people.

The objective of the working group, facilitated by Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, is two-pronged. Its first priority is to lobby UPMC against closing, and its second is to create a contingency plan should the hospital close.

Continue reading Braddock group’s goal: Repeal closing of hospital →

Pennsylvania and Illinois Faculty Unions Endorse HR 676

Two faculty unions affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA) have endorsed HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI).

In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the Legislative Assembly of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) voted overwhelmingly to endorse HR 676.  ASPCUF represents 6,000 faculty members at the fourteen public university campuses across Pennsylvania.  Seth Kahn, Grievance Chair at West Chester University, said:  “APSCUF recognizes the importance of single-payer healthcare for unions everywhere.  We are pleased to offer our strong endorsement.”

In Chicago, Illinois, the Executive Board of the Roosevelt University Adjunct Faculty Organization (RAFO) also voted to endorse HR 676 reports LuAnn Swartzlander, RAFO President.  RAFO is affiliated with the Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the NEA.