In Salem, Illinois, Paul Byars, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 0979 of
the United Transportation Union (UTU), reports the local has endorsed
HR 676, single payer health care legislation introduced by Congressman
John Conyers (D-MI).

In Booneville, Indiana, Roger Anderson, President of United Mine
Workers
(UMWA) Local 9926, reports that his local has also endorsed HR 676.

Roger Anderson said: ‘The UMWA has been at the forefront of health care.
It was one of the first unions to negotiate health care for its
working members and retirees and the only union to build hospitals in
rural areas to guarantee access to health care for its members and their families.
With the present system in place, the members of Local 9926 understand
that the health care they have fought for and were promised for life can
be taken away overnight.’

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 83 co-sponsors in addition to Conyers.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced SB 703, a single payer
bill in the Senate.

HR 676 has been endorsed by 543 union organizations in 49 states
including
128 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)