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:

Dec 4, 2020 | News Story

Members of the New York City musicians’ union (AFM Local 802) have launched #SaveNYCMusicians, a campaign to share the stories of NYC musicians and ask the public for support.

Dec 4, 2020 | News Story

Approximately 200 nurses at Montefiore New Rochelle hospital participated in an Unfair Labor Practice strike this week, demanding safe staffing and a voice in patient care.

Dec 4, 2020 | News Story

Staffers at four renowned media brands — Entertainment Weekly, Martha Stewart Living, Shape Magazine and PeopleTV — announced yesterday that they have formed a union with The NewsGuild of New York. Joining their Guild-represented colleagues at PEOPLE,

Dec 4, 2020 | News Story

The fight against COVID-19 is one that we can win if we work together. Each and every one of us knows to wear a mask, wash our hands and keep a social distance. These simple steps can keep our communities safe. But did you know you can add your phone to the fight against COVID-19?

Nov 23, 2020 | Press Release

"The New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO strongly supports AFM Local 802's campaign to #SaveNYCMusicians.

Nov 20, 2020 | News Story

On Tuesday, people came together across America to celebrate the work of our public Postal Service — a pillar of our democracy and our communities. In NYC, postal workers and supporters including the NYC CLC gathered in front of the James A.

Nov 20, 2020 | News Story

Unionized workers at one of New York's largest hospital-laundry and medical-uniform companies launched a two-day strike on Wednesday to demand a fair contract and protest illegal threats of termination that are being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board.

Nov 20, 2020 | News Story

NYC Care is a health care access program that guarantees low-cost and no-cost services to New Yorkers who do not qualify for or cannot afford health insurance. All NYC Care services are provided through NYC Health + Hospitals .

Oct 1, 2020 | News Story

The fight against COVID-19 is one that we can win if we work together. Each and every one of us knows to wear a mask, wash our hands and keep a social distance. These simple steps can keep our communities safe. Now, you can add your phone to the fight against COVID-19.

Sep 9

With three weeks left to accurately count NYC’s hardest-to-reach residents, join us for a discussion on the Labor Counts! Census efforts.