Health Care

Health care is a basic human right.  America’s labor movement has worked for more than a century for guaranteed high-quality health care for everyone.  The Affordable Care Act is a historic milestone on this journey, but we still have a long way to go.

America must continue moving forward toward a more equitable and cost-effective health care system. Moving forward means working with employers to demand health care payment and delivery reforms to control costs, allowing people of all ages to buy into the equivalent of Medicare through a public plan option and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices.  Of course, the most cost-effective and equitable way to provide quality health care is through the social insurance model (“Medicare for All”), as other industrialized countries have shown. 

The worst thing we could do is move backward by repealing the Affordable Care Act or its key provisions; privatizing Medicare or turning it into a voucher program; raising the Medicare eligibility age; increasing Medicare co-pays and deductibles or otherwise cutting Medicare benefits; or taxing employment-based health care benefits. 

More about this issue:

Oct 6, 2023 | News Story

On Thursday evening, the musicians of the New York City Ballet Orchestra (members of AFM Local 802) ralied at Lincoln Center's Fall Gala to demand a fair contract with the wages and healthcare they deserve, instead of being asked to make financial concessions once again.

Oct 6, 2023 | News Story

On Sept. 26, LaFontaine Oliver, the CEO of New York Public Radio, said he planned to lay off 12% of the organization's workforce in the coming days.

Oct 6, 2023 | News Story

NYC's Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) recently announced that since November 2020, the City of New York has completed 10 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects on City properties; doubling the City’s total capacity to a total of 22 MW.

Oct 6, 2023 | News Story

On October 5, we recognized Latina Equal Pay Day, marking the symbolic date to which Latinas have to work—almost 22 months—to catch up to what their white, non-Hispanic male co-workers earned in 2022 alone.

Oct 6, 2023 | News Story

As of last Friday, there are now

Oct 6, 2023 | News Story

October 10-October 13: SAG-AFTRA members are still out on the picket lines and need our support! This week, TWU joined the actors in solidarity, picketing in front of NBC Universal at 30 Rock.

Sep 29, 2023 | News Story

After nearly 150 days on strike, the Writers Guild of America this week reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a new three-year Minimum Basic Agreement, with the Negotiating Committee, the WGAW Board and WGAE Council all voting unanimously to

Sep 29, 2023 | News Story

With the UAW entering its third week on strike today, 5,600 workers at 38 parts distribution plants operated by Stellantis and GM have now joined the 12,900 workers at GM's Wentzville, MO plant, Ford's Michigan Assembly plant and Stellantis' Toledo, OH Jeep plant who walked off the job on Septemb

Sep 29, 2023 | News Story

It’s time for Congress to fund the government.

Sep 29, 2023 | News Story

Last week, members of the NBC News Guild marched on NBC Universal News Group chairman Cesar Conde at his Chairman’s Update, delivering a petition with more than 200 signatures from their members demanding