AFL-CIO Pennsylvania Labor 2008 Blog

Congressman Kanjorski on the Labor 2008 Program

Working America and Union Members Rally and Demand Better Health Care Policies

U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire, and Southwest Area Labor Federation Chairman and Allegheny CLC President Jack Shea were the featured speakers at a healthcare rally sponsored by Working American and the Allegheny Central Labor Council.  The event was hosted by the United Steelworkers at their International Headquarters in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, June 3rd. 

The event is just one in a series of events taking place across the country as part of “Working America Week,” a week of events meant to highlight the labor movement’s ability to reach non-union community members through Working America.  Union members and non-union members attended, including members from CWA, GCIU, PFT, SEIU, UFCW, UMWA, and USW.

The first speaker of the day was Del Linville, a retired member of GCIU Local 440.  After explaining that Working America is powerful because it “makes it easier for everyone to get involved in events like phone banks, labor walks, worksite leafleting, and events like this one today,” Del Linville went on to discuss the disastrous state of health care today in this country today.  He added that it is important that the labor movement “demand in this election that we get health coverage for everybody, no matter who they are” in order to save lives and do away with the current, unfair policies that leave many under or uninsured.

While the main topic of conversation was health care, other issues important to both union and non-union members were featured, as well.  As President Jack Shea emphasized in his speech, “non-union issues are the same as union issues and working families all around the state and country are concerned about their wages, pensions, health care, job security, and the education of their children.”

Congressman Altmire acknowledged the huge role that the labor movement played in his election in 2006 by saying that “through the work of the people in this room, you made a difference for me in this state.  The two million people who are gathering today all around the country, representing the AFL-CIO and Working America, are the people who made the difference all across the country.  We had a national tidal wave in 2006.”  Congressman Altmire said that health care is an issue “that comes up all the time” and that too many people are “getting left behind” under current health care policies.  He encouraged those at the event to continue being active in the election cycle this year because the labor movement “was the difference in 2006” and will be the difference again in 2008.

Last year, 87,000 workers joined unions in Pennsylvania in addition to the existing 900,000 active members.  Add Working America’s 400,000 members and growing, along with our retirees, and Pennsylvania’s labor movement of 1,800,000 members is truly in position to be the difference the Congressman suggests.