United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE), Northeast Region
5 Hill Street, Taunton, MA 02780
(774) 264 0110
office@uenortheast.org
United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE), Northeast Region
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) members in 35 locations throughout New England joined with thousands of other workers and community reform activists on March 4, 2004 calling for "health care for all." Members wore stickers on the job and joined public events as part of an unprecedented nationwide action to protest against cuts in medical benefits and health care services. The coordinated activities were designed to link the anger that workers and retirees feel about losing benefits and paying more for basic services with a growing movement to improve the way that health care is paid for and provided.
"With a profit based healthcare system working families are paying more — in taxes, fees, co-pays and premiums — while getting less care and fewer services," said Peter Knowlton, President of the New England-wide UE District 2.
President Bush's new Medicare law will make this trend worse. It encourages companies to cut back or drop retiree benefits and locks in high drug prices. The law undermines comprehensive job-based coverage by encouraging non-seniors to contribute to Health Savings Accounts, which will only benefit the well — and the wealthy.
Working together under the banner of the community-labor coalition Jobs with Justice, supporters of Health Care Action Day are calling for reforms to expand insurance coverage to everyone in a way that would save money by eliminating wasteful red tape and bureaucracy. A recent study estimated that if the United States improved and expanded Medicare to cover everyone, consumers could save as much as $200 billion annually through administrative simplification and more appropriate use of hospital care.