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Public Workers' Conference: Lessons from Canada: Universal Health Care Works
Meeting in a country where universal health care is a reality, 150 members attending CWA's Public, Health Care and Education Workers Conference in Toronto, Canada, learned how to fight for it here.
Shirley Douglas, an actress and health care activist, told how her father—Tommy Douglas, at the time premier of Saskatchewan—established Canada's first province-wide universal "Medicare" program in the mid-1900s. He became known as the "father of Canada's national health care system."
Canada did it one province at a time, and Shirley Douglas urged workers in the United States to go forward one state at a time.
"There are a whole lot of myths about our ability to do it, but it works very well in other parts of the world," said Brooks Sunkett, CWA vice president for public, health care and education workers. "Each year bargaining becomes more contentious, and health coverage is at the center of it. This is something we've got to get done."
The conference was hosted by four health care locals, all less than a two hours' drive from Toronto: CWA locals 1122, 1133, 1168 and IUE-CWA Local 81321.
Speakers included CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, who discussed the challenges facing the labor movement and the need to maintain union democracy in any model for change.
CWA District 4 Vice President Jeff Rechenbach spoke about disenfranchisement of Ohio voters in the last election and said union members must remain active and vigilant to ensure such a thing never happens again.
But the conference, April 28-May 1, focused mainly on health coverage and Social Security, with panel discussions, workshops and speeches. One panel approached health coverage from corporate, activist and union perspectives.
Representative Al Green (D-Texas) spoke on the importance of community activism in changing the health care system.
Maya Rockeymoore, vice president of research and programs for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, talked about how Social Security privatization would hurt American families.
Local 1180 President Art Cheliotes, a member of the union's Defense Fund Oversight Committee, explained the safety net behind every CWA strike vote. Local 1168 Organizer Jeff Lacher talked about organizing in the health care field. And CWA Legislative Representative Alfonso Pollard reported on the status of Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and the Workforce Investment Act.
Participants left energized by motivational speaker Lester Brown and better prepared to work together after a group activity racing to build and disassemble Legos projects. Other presenters taught them how to write union stories and songs.
Shirley Douglas, an actress and health care activist, told how her father—Tommy Douglas, at the time premier of Saskatchewan—established Canada's first province-wide universal "Medicare" program in the mid-1900s. He became known as the "father of Canada's national health care system."
Canada did it one province at a time, and Shirley Douglas urged workers in the United States to go forward one state at a time.
"There are a whole lot of myths about our ability to do it, but it works very well in other parts of the world," said Brooks Sunkett, CWA vice president for public, health care and education workers. "Each year bargaining becomes more contentious, and health coverage is at the center of it. This is something we've got to get done."
The conference was hosted by four health care locals, all less than a two hours' drive from Toronto: CWA locals 1122, 1133, 1168 and IUE-CWA Local 81321.
Speakers included CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, who discussed the challenges facing the labor movement and the need to maintain union democracy in any model for change.
CWA District 4 Vice President Jeff Rechenbach spoke about disenfranchisement of Ohio voters in the last election and said union members must remain active and vigilant to ensure such a thing never happens again.
But the conference, April 28-May 1, focused mainly on health coverage and Social Security, with panel discussions, workshops and speeches. One panel approached health coverage from corporate, activist and union perspectives.
Representative Al Green (D-Texas) spoke on the importance of community activism in changing the health care system.
Maya Rockeymoore, vice president of research and programs for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, talked about how Social Security privatization would hurt American families.
Local 1180 President Art Cheliotes, a member of the union's Defense Fund Oversight Committee, explained the safety net behind every CWA strike vote. Local 1168 Organizer Jeff Lacher talked about organizing in the health care field. And CWA Legislative Representative Alfonso Pollard reported on the status of Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and the Workforce Investment Act.
Participants left energized by motivational speaker Lester Brown and better prepared to work together after a group activity racing to build and disassemble Legos projects. Other presenters taught them how to write union stories and songs.