Single Payer is good for union workers. Obviously. [View all]

[DanTex]

Yet another paper-thin attack against M4A. And I get why union leaders do things like this. They have to play politics too, need to stay right with certain politicians, I don't begrudge them doing that.

But it's also good to keep the facts straight. Single payer would greatly benefit union workers. Yes, it's true that unions have made concessions in pay in order to get good healthcare. This is not an argument against M4A, but in favor of it. With M4A, everyone, including union workers, will have good healthcare, so they won't have to give up pay concessions in order to get that. And since corporations won't have to pay for workers' healthcare, it will in fact be easier to negotiate higher pay. It's extremely shortsighted and dishonest to pretend that the current agreements unions have negotiated are eternal.

And that's not all. When employers control workers' healthcare, it gives them more power over workers' lives. And this isn't theoretical. During the recent UAW strike, GM cut off the healthcare of striking workers. With single payer, this couldn't happen, taking away this leverage that corporations can use against striking workers.

So, fine, the leadership of the culinary union in Nevada for political reasons needs to circulate fliers attacking M4A. Just lets also not forget the facts.