Washington, DC. The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) has adopted single payer health care as a legislative priority for 2009.

A copy of the APWU’s booklet “Legislative Priorities 2009″ has just been placed on the union’s website. On page ten of the booklet, under the heading “Universal Healthcare: A Basic Human Right,” the APWU states the following:

SINGLE PAYER

The labor movement supports the “single-payer” system under which all healthcare revenue goes into a single public fund that pays for all medical services. A single-payer system would:

* Guarantee the same coverage for all citizens, regardless of employment
status or wealth;

* Provide a free choice in the selection of a caregiver;

* Reduce administrative costs; and,

* Leave decision-making tasks in the hands of the public.

And, it can be done. Systems like this have been adopted by all other
industrialized nations.
APWU will support legislation that provides affordable ­ and adequate ­
single-payer healthcare coverage for all.

The full booklet can be found at:

http://www.apwu.org/dept/legis/leg-prioritiesbrochure_feb2009.pdf

The APWU is the world’s largest postal union, representing more than
330,000 United States Postal Service employees and retirees, and nearly
2,000 private-sector mail workers. APWU has 1600 state and local unions
and retiree chapters in every state and territory.

HR 676 would institute a single payer health care system by expanding a
greatly improved Medicare system to everyone residing in the U. S.

HR 676 would cover every person for all necessary medical care including
prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services, primary and
preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental health, home health,
physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for substance abuse), vision
care, hearing services including hearing aids, chiropractic, durable
medical equipment, palliative care, and long term care.

HR 676 ends deductibles and co-payments. HR 676 would save hundreds of
billions annually by eliminating the high overhead and profits of the
private health insurance industry and HMOs.

In the current Congress, HR 676 has 72 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers.

HR 676 has been endorsed by 499 union organizations in 49 states including
123 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 state
AFL-CIO’s (KY, PA, CT, OH, DE, ND, WA, SC, WY, VT, FL, WI, WV, SD, NC, MO,
MN, ME, AR, MD-DC, TX, IA, AZ, TN, OR, GA, OK, KS, CO, IN, AL, CA, AK, MI,
MT, NE, NY, NV & MA).

For further information, a list of union endorsers, or a sample
endorsement resolution, contact:

Kay Tillow
All Unions Committee For Single Payer Health Care–HR 676
c/o Nurses Professional Organization (NPO)
1169 Eastern Parkway, Suite 2218
Louisville, KY 40217
Email: nursenpo@aol.com
http://unionsforsinglepayerHR676.org