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:

Jun 16, 2023 | News Story

Mediation between the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA)—which represents the captains, assistant captains, mates, engineers and chief engineers on the Staten Island Ferry— and the City, ongoing since last year, continues, with another meeting will take place next week.

Jun 9, 2023 | News Story

NYCOSH has created a slideshow aimed at providing important information about how outdoor workers can protect themselves, including info about key terms, types of respirators, and how to conduct a "seal check.

Jun 9, 2023 | News Story

In a powerful show of solidarity, SAG-AFTRA members have voted 97.91% in favor of a strike authorization ahead of negotiations of the TV/Theatrical Contracts, with nearly 65,000 members casting ballots for a voting percentage of 47.69% of eligible voters.

Jun 9, 2023 | News Story

Wednesday night, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), announced that, by an overwhelming vote of 97% in favor of the union, workers at Barnes & Noble’s Flagship Union Square store have voted to join the RWDSU.

Jun 9, 2023 | News Story

Workers at Insider have been on a ULP strike since June 2nd over management's decision to illegally change their health insurance, saddling them with higher costs and worse coverage.

Jun 9, 2023 | News Story

The DCINY Orchestra (represented by AFM Local 802) is on strike for a fair contract—and these musicians won some high-profile support this week on their picket line.

Jun 9, 2023 | News Story

As nearly 600 postdoctoral fellows continue fighting for a first contract with Mt. Sinai, an overwhelming 80 percent of 350 student researchers have now organized and seek representation as Sinai Student Workers-UAW (SSW-UAW) at the major New York City biomedical research institution.

Jun 9

TODAY, Friday, June 9th, 12PM-2 PM: The wildfire has caused a number of health issues here in this area, especially among workers. Unfortunately many people out west have already had to frequently deal with this and we will probably be facing similar conditions in the future.

Jun 2, 2023 | News Story

Insider Union members went on strike at 12AM this morning in response to the company’s refusal to undo illegal changes it made to their health care and management’s intransigence in contract negotiations.

Jun 2, 2023 | News Story

AFM Local 802 is spreading the word that the upcoming Broadway show "Here Lies Love" by David Byrne is attempting to hire NO live musicians, which would be the first time in history for a League-produced Broadway show.