UE Political Action Updates

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Obama Reiterates Support for EFCA

February 12, 2009

In a White House interview on the economic stimulus yesterday with reporters from regional newspapers, President Barack Obama reiterated his support for the Employee Free Choice Act, legislation sought by organized labor that would make it easier for workers to organize, gain bargaining rights and negotiate first contracts. He told the journalists that he would not urge Congress to delay action on the bill, and he rejected the arguments of big business groups that the bill would increase costs and is therefore bad for the economy.

Call Congress and Demand Real Healthcare Reform

February 10, 2009

In the coming weeks UE members need to phone the U.S. House of Representatives to urge their members of Congress to pass legislation to repair the broken U.S. healthcare system. Passage of the United States National Health Insurance Act/Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act (HR 676) would begin a process of sweeping healthcare reform. The health insurance companies would be removed from the system, along with their waste, redundant paperwork, second-guessing of doctors, profit greed and sky-high CEO salaries and bonuses.

UE General Executive Board Calls for End to Bloodshed in Gaza

January 16, 2009

Meeting in Pittsburgh January 15 and 16, UE’s General Executive Board adopted a statement condemning the current war in the Gaza Strip. The union’s national leadership body reiterated the position adopted by delegates to UE’s 70th Convention in 2007, which called for "replacing the lopsided pro-Israel policy of the U.S. with a good faith, even-handed effort to achieve lasting peace between Israel and Palestine based on full justice and mutual respect." The GEB called on the incoming Obama administration to move quickly to initiate such a new policy.

Senate Will Be Key Battleground For Regaining Workers' Rights

January 5, 2009

When the new president and Congress take office in January, workers in this country will have their best opportunity in decades to change the federal labor laws and make it easier to organize unions.

Throughout the presidential campaign, Barack Obama repeated his commitment to passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), which would give workers union recognition and the right to negotiate a contract when a majority of employees sign union cards. In early December an Obama spokesperson reaffirmed the president-elect’s strong support for EFCA.

Single Payer Advocates Stepping Up the Fight

December 19, 2008
While the incoming Obama administration has expressed its commitment to healthcare reform, it is not inclined to support single payer national healthcare – even though that is the only proposal that would actually reduce the country’s healthcare costs while providing coverage to everyone. That’s because single payer would eliminate the huge expense of funding the profits, excessive bureaucracy and waste of the private health insurance corporations.

UE Evaluates the Incoming Secretary of Labor

December 18, 2008

Washington, D.C.

Four-term U.S. House of Representatives member Hilda Solis (D-CA) has been chosen by President-elect Obama as the next Secretary of Labor. What do we know about Representative Solis? And what do we know about the direction in which she's likely to take the Labor Department? Let's start with a look at her background and her record in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Voters Choose Obama and Reject the McCain-Bush Program

November 4, 2008
Voters from coast-to-coast came out in massive numbers on November 4 to elect Democrat Barack Obama as our nation’s first African-American President, and Joe Biden as our next Vice President.  Despite frantic and desperate last-ditch McCain campaign attempts to confuse and inflame voters -- or derail their ability to cast ballots -- there was no stopping the Obama-Biden momentum for change.    

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