CWA Fights Back Against Proposed Tax on Health Care; Follow the campaign on Facebook, Twitter

As the Senate prepares to take up its health care reform bill, CWA members are making tens of thousands of phone calls to lawmakers and holding events across the country, telling Congress that taxing middle class benefits is no way to pay for health care.  

News and events are updated regularly on CWA's health care pages at Facebook.com and Twitter.com. Go to either site and search for "CWAHealthCare," all one word. You can visit the sites without registering, but you'll need to sign up to get automatic updates.

Lots of locals are posting their activities -- for example, CWA Local 9421 reported on Facebook that it partnered with local activists "in an overnight vigil, fast and phone bank for health reform in front of the federal building in downtown Sacramento."

On Oct. 28, CWA members held another national call-in day to Capitol Hill, making 3,282 calls telling senators that real reform shouldn't include a tax on health care plans. In recent weeks, CWA members have made nearly 19,000 calls.

The tax would be devastating for working families, CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill said. Employers will cut benefits or otherwise pass the tax onto workers.

CWA stresses that the House version of health care reform has it right. The House bill, H.R. 3200 calls for all employers – with an exemption for small business -- to cover their workers or pay an 8 percent payroll tax. The Senate version makes those employers that already pay, pay more. Instead, those that don't pay should pay their fair share, CWA said.

For the latest developments, go to www.healthcarevoices.org.