Arkansas AFL-CIO

Health Care Caroling

The next day to wrap up the vigil, we met at the Arkansas Education Association in Little Rock for coffee and doughnuts before caroling on the steps of the Capitol for health care reform. Tis the season for health care reform!

Health Care 24 Hour Vigil

Last week Thursday community and labor leaders held a 24 hour vigil for health care, starting with a press conference at noon outside Senator Lincoln's office in Little Rock and moving to the UA 155 hall all night. Thank you to everyone that participated! Read more from the Arkansas News, KATV, KTHV, Fox 16.

Health Care Citizens' Panel

Last Monday December 14th the Arkansas AFL-CIO sponsored a Citizen's Forum on Health Care at the Arkansas Studies Institute in Little Rock. The forum convened a distinguished panel of local experts and community leaders to hear testimony from Arkansans who are struggling under the current health care system. Panelists included Judge Wendell Griffen, Rev. Steve Copley, Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, Bill Kopsky, Arkansas Public Policy Panel, Elisabeth Burak, Arkansas Advocate for Children and Families, and Ricky Belk, Arkansas AFL-CIO. Witnesses included Glenn Nishimura, self-employed consultant, Anna Kay Williams, VP of Communications Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, Mary Ann Hopkins, President CWA Local 6502, Matt Fair, Business Manager UA Local 155, and Kelly Arellanes, CWA retiree. More from KATV, KARK, the Democrat Gazette, and the Arkansas Times. Read the full report.

Health Care Vigil

Last week on Tuesday evening, local residents and faith leaders held a vigil at the Quapaw Quarter Methodist Church in Little Rock to ask Senator Lincoln to place the financial security of Arkansas families and businesses ahead of insurance company profits. The room was packed as people held candles and prayed for Senator Lincoln's vote. Thank you to all that attended!

Upcoming Events

December 17 - 24-Hour "Round-the-Clock for Reform" in Little Rock
On Thursday at noon outside Senator Lincoln's office, community leaders and local residents will kick off a 24-hour marathon session urging Blanche Lincoln to support real health insurance reform, countering Republicans and insurance companies who are working overtime using scare tactics to kill it. The "Round-the-Clock for Reform" event will then move to the UA 155 Hall, and will feature a candlelight vigil and a movie series overnight highlighting the need for reform. For more information contact Justin Nickels at jnickels@afscme.org.

December 18 - Health Care Reform Caroling in Little Rock
Join us at noon on Friday for the successful conclusion to the 24 hour event. We will get hot chocolate and coffee at the AEA building on the 3rd floor, and then march to the Capitol steps singing health care Christmas carols.

January 9 - APRI Martin Luther King Birthday Breakfast in North Little Rock
The Pulaski County Chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute will host its 19th annual commemorative breakfast honoring Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday on January 9, 2010. The event will be held at Deliverance Temple Church of God in Christ, 4706 Atkins Street, North Little Rock, beginning at 8:30 a.m. The featured speaker will be Rev. Wendell Griffen. Tickets are available in advance and at the door for $20.00 per person or $200.00 for a table of ten. Tickets can be obtained by contacting Herman Bryant, APRI Chapter President at (501) 375-1348; or, you may send checks to APRI, P. O. Box 166517, Little Rock, AR 72216.

Upcoming Events

December 8 - Cost of Delay Vigil in Little Rock
Shine the spotlight on the number of bankruptcies that occur each day due to the high cost of health care in Arkansas and show Senator Lincoln health care reform cannot wait! We're holding a vigil at the QuaPaw Quarter United Methodist Church on 1601 South Louisiana St in Little Rock, at 6:30pm on Tuesday. Sponsored by the Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice, Move On, AFL-CIO, HCAN, AFSCME, and Change That Works. Call Candis Collins at 501-944-1603 for more details.

December 14 - Health Care Hearing in Little Rock
The AFL-CIO is sponsoring a hearing on health care on Monday December 14th, at noon at the Arkansas Studies Institute in Little Rock, so a distinguished group of panelists can hear from Arkansas residents who are struggling under the current system. If you have a health care story you'd like to present to the panel, please call Kevin Byrne at 202-285-2390.

January 9 - APRI Martin Luther King Birthday Breakfast in North Little Rock
The Pulaski County Chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute will host its 19th annual commemorative breakfast honoring Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday on January 9, 2010. The event will be held at Deliverance Temple Church of God in Christ, 4706 Atkins Street, North Little Rock, beginning at 8:30 a.m. The featured speaker will be Rev. Wendell Griffen. Tickets are available in advance and at the door for $20.00 per person or $200.00 for a table of ten. Tickets can be obtained by contacting Herman Bryant, APRI Chapter President at (501) 375-1348; or, you may send checks to APRI, P. O. Box 166517, Little Rock, AR 72216.

Talk Back

Last week there were more great letters in the paper, including Michael Plumbtree's letter on health care reform in the Times-Record. Thank you for taking the time to speak out! The letters to the editor sections of most local papers are packed with misinformation and untrue things about unions, the Employee Free Choice Act, and health insurance reform. One way we can spread the truth, is by sending in a letter to the editor with the facts.

Upcoming Events

December 2 - Central Arkansas Labor Council Annual Christmas Party in Little Rock
You are cordially invited to attend the Central Arkansas Labor Council Annual Christmas Party to be held at the IAMAW Union Hall (7600 Enmar Dr) on December 2th starting at 7:30 pm. Light snacks and refreshments will be available for all. For more information contact Jimmy Brewer at lu155or1@UANET.ORG.

December 5 - Family and Medical Leave Act Seminar in Pine Bluff
Sponsored by the Jefferson County Labor Council, Taught by the Labor Education Program, UALR. Find out about new regulations for the Family and Medical Leave Act. Including: - Military family leave regulations merged into FMLA regulations
- New FMLA postings and forms
- Changes in medical certification and recertification
- New deadlines for employee and employer notice
- Changes to the right to substitute vacation and personal leave
And much more. Held Saturday December 5th from 9-12:30pm at the Labor Temple in Pine Bluff. The cost is $20 for materials and instruction. Contact Crystal McDaniel at 501-375-9101 or by email, araflcio@swbell.net, to register for the class. For questions contact Diane Thomas-Holladay at the Labor Education Program at 501-569-8477.

Former Health Insurance Executive Wendell Potter Visits Little Rock

Watch Wendell Potter, part 1

Watch Wendell Potter, part 2

Watch Wendell Potter, part 3

Last Monday night at Philander Smith College, Wendell Potter, a former Cigna executive turned health insurance industry whistleblower, addressed a community forum on health insurance reform and detailed abuses of the industry. Potter spoke about his understanding of industry insider practices insurers employ to dump the sick in order to protect stock prices. Potter also gave an account of his own personal journey leading up to his decision to leave the industry and why he is now advocating for health insurance reform. Read more from the Blue Arkansas blogger interview with Wendell Potter and John Brummett's column.

Health Care Reform News

This week the debate on health care reform legislation begins in the Senate. Last month the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3962, their version of health insurance reform. After the Senate passes a bill, the two different bills will need to be reconciled in committee.

As you know, the AFL-CIO is focused on three big issues in real reform: a public option, employers paying their fair share, and no tax of working people's current plans. Health insurance reform including a public option would bring down costs and guarantee quality affordable health care for all. Giving everyone the choice of a strong public health insurance plan will inject needed competition into the market and drive lower costs and improved quality across all plans. It will also mean that health care will be there for all of us, no matter what.

Please take the time now to call Senators Lincoln and Pryor (1-877-3-AFL-CIO) to ask them to support health care reform including a public option. Senator Lincoln especially needs to hear from you that we need this choice in order to have real health insurance reform.