[fiestynurse]

Major Breakthrough in Health Care
Florida Unions Back Single Payer Healthcare

The Florida AFL-CIO unanimously approved a resolution
supporting a statewide initiative in support of a
single-payer health care system. The resolution is
reproduced below in text and is also attached.

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RESOLUTIONS

Resolution #32 Committee
Referred: Political Action

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE

WHEREAS: Working people in Florida face a
continuing crisis in the accessibility to and
affordability of health care. After a 12% increase
this year, health insurance rates are predicted to
jump by 15-25% over the next 2 years (Florida Times
Union, September 6, 2001) with no end in sight; and

WHEREAS: Our raises are eaten up by these
increases as employers pass on the rising costs. For
example, our union, AFSCME, negotiated a 3% pay
increase for State University System employees this
year but we face a 15% increase in our health insurance
premiums at the University of Florida; and

WHEREAS: Due to the current system of job-based
insurance, our unions have to spend more and more time
bargaining for healthcare benefits, employers use
health insurance as a threat to keep us from organizing
or exercising our rights on the job, and striking or
locked-out workers face the added pressure of losing
their family coverage; and

WHEREAS: The Florida AFL-CIO "2001 Legislative
Priorities" states "Health care legislation that
provides both availability and patient protection for
all citizens of Florida is a priority for the Florida
AFL-CIO. We will continue to fight for such basic
rights" and a national AFL-CIO 1999 resolution stated
"We think that ultimately the only answer to the
nation's health care crisis is universal coverage";
and

WHEREAS: Poll after poll - including a November
2000 non-binding referendum in Alachua County, led by
the Alachua County Labor Party, which got 65% of the
vote - shows Floridians want a universal health care
system that eliminates the role of private insurance
companies and HMOs; and

WHEREAS: For the purpose of this resolution,
universal health care means the State of Florida
contracts with health care providers in Florida to
provide all necessary health care to all Floridians
(also known as "single-payer"); and

WHEREAS: Universal health care would actually
cost MUCH LESS than the private insurance system we
have now and would include benefits for the entire
family, access to quality health care whether you have
a job or not, complete choice of doctors, hospitals and
other providers, and no bills, paperwork or out-of-
pocket expenses; and

WHEREAS: The Alachua County Labor Party
proposes to reassemble a coalition to win universal
health care in Florida by encouraging nonbinding
referenda on county ballots in 2002 and a universal
health care constitutional amendment on the 2004
statewide ballot; and

WHEREAS: Such a campaign to win universal health
care in Florida will help get out the union and working
people's vote in the pivotal 2002 and 2004 elections;
and

WHEREAS: A victory on a universal health care
constitutional amendment in 2004 would be like a win at
every bargaining table across the state of Florida; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Florida
AFL-CIO and its affiliates strongly support the
Alachua County Labor Party's efforts to encourage
nonbinding referenda on universal health care on
ballots in several Florida counties for the 2002
elections.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Florida AFL-CIO
and its affiliates strongly support the Alachua County
Labor Party's efforts to build a campaign to place a
universal health care constitutional amendment on the
2004 Florida ballot.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Florida AFL-CIO
encourages all affiliated unions and bodies to actively
join in this effort. That involvement would include,
but not be limited to, helping to collect a portion of
the 480,000 signatures required to put the
constitutional amendment on the 2004 ballot.

Respectfully submitted,

Mark Piotrowski, Secretary, AFSCME
3340 Sharon Bauer, President,
AFSCME 3340 Candace Churchill,
Secretary, Graduate Assistants
United - FEA Larry Thompson,
AFSCME 3038