The Unions, Healthcare Reform, and Our Money

We all know how the insurance companies view mandatory health care...

But how about the unions?

What are Unions Doing about Healthcare reform?
Are they really a voice for the people?

It's a mixed bag; of course since money is involved some groups won't make a public statement and some ideals must be inferred.

Twenty-seven U.S. labor unions warn that the healthcare bill approved by the Senate Finance Committee is deeply flawed and they want to see some changes — or else they will oppose it.
Unions Oppose Baucus Healthcare Bill

Also...

Nurses' Super Union, NNU (150,000 front-line nurses working in 22 states), enforces nurse-patient ratio and safe staffing ratios, which could come against the new Healthcare reforms.
Nurses say yes to super Union

But...

Service Employees International Union supports Healthcare Bill
SEIU Blog supports Healthcare Bill

$$$

“We must understand that the fundamental difference between the United States and other nations are the huge profits insurance companies make. This is money which should be in the system,’’ Bleich said.
Oregon State Dean Addresses Healthcare Reform

For general info on this, another ATS thread:
Redhatty's thread "Let's discuss what's in the Health Care Bill"
A couple months old but still has significant info on the bases for the bills.


Ezra Klein's Health Reform for Beginners: The Employer Tax Exclusion
"And so here we are. If you walk out, on your own, and attempt to give your friendly neighborhood health insurer a dollar, you're taxed on that dollar. If your employer gives the health insurer that dollar on your behalf, that dollar is not taxed."


This is all about money, but the unions must at least pretend to be for the people. It's proven difficult to find any set-in-stone statements by the true unions.

So, this thread is a call to action! What do we know? What have you heard? Anyone out there have union reps who actually talk about Healthcare Reform?


Edited to fix link



[edit on 14-10-2009 by notreallyalive]

[edit on 15-10-2009 by notreallyalive]

Links fixed and ready for your next-tab reading pleasure.


[edit on 14-10-2009 by notreallyalive]

no flags, no stars, no views lol - less exciting than I thought!