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Unions mobilize to demand health care

WW photo: Patricia Jackson

On June 19, several thousand universal health-care advocates, activists and supporters rallied and picketed in front of the American Health Insurance Plans convention taking place in San Francisco. Signs read “Healthcare YES, insurance companies NO,” “Single payer = public financed health insurance for all” and “Health care is a human right.” Many groups and unions carried signs and banners in support of current state and federal proposals—Senate Bill 840 in California and House Resolution 676 in the U.S. Congress—to make health care available for everyone.

In New York on the same day, hundreds turned out in front of the office of the non-profit health insurer GHI and then marched to the office of UnitedHealth. Speakers included Ralph Nader, actor Vinie Burrows, Dr. Oliver Fein of Physicians for a National Health Program and Ronald Crenshaw from District Council 37. Many people spoke against a current proposal to merge GHI and HIP into a for-profit company.

The California action was organized by many groups, including the California Universal Health Care Organizing Project, participants from the Senior Action Network, SF Gray Panthers, California Nurses Association, California Physicians’ Alliance, California School Employees Association, United Educators of San Francisco and many other unions. The New York action was organized by the Coalition Against Privatization and many others.

—Joan Marquardt and Anne Pruden