Florida unions back single payer health care

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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

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