Unions Letter to Reid and Democrats Re: Obamacare

[Ballygrl]

Since this isn't posted at DU I thought I would perform a public service so they can be up on this issue. BTW, remember the union goons keeping those opposed to Obamacare out of townhall meetings where citizens expressed the same concerns that the unions are now expressing?

http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/07/12/union-letter-obamacare-will-destroy-the-very-health-and-wellbeing-of-workers/

Union Letter: Obamacare Will ‘Destroy The Very Health and Wellbeing’ of Workers

<snipped>

Dear Leader Reid and Leader Pelosi:

When you and the President sought our support for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), you pledged that if we liked the health plans we have now, we could keep them. Sadly, that promise is under threat. Right now, unless you and the Obama Administration enact an equitable fix, the ACA will shatter not only our hard-earned health benefits, but destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.

Like millions of other Americans, our members are front-line workers in the American economy. We have been strong supporters of the notion that all Americans should have access to quality, affordable health care. We have also been strong supporters of you. In campaign after campaign we have put boots on the ground, gone door-to-door to get out the vote, run phone banks and raised money to secure this vision.

Now this vision has come back to haunt us.

Since the ACA was enacted, we have been bringing our deep concerns to the Administration, seeking reasonable regulatory interpretations to the statute that would help prevent the destruction of non-profit health plans. As you both know first-hand, our persuasive arguments have been disregarded and met with a stone wall by the White House and the pertinent agencies. This is especially stinging because other stakeholders have repeatedly received successful interpretations for their respective grievances. Most disconcerting of course is last week’s huge accommodation for the employer community—extending the statutorily mandated “December 31, 2013” deadline for the employer mandate and penalties.

Time is running out: Congress wrote this law; we voted for you. We have a problem; you need to fix it. The unintended consequences of the ACA are severe. Perverse incentives are already creating nightmare scenarios:

First, the law creates an incentive for employers to keep employees’ work hours below 30 hours a week. Numerous employers have begun to cut workers’ hours to avoid this obligation, and many of them are doing so openly. The impact is two-fold: fewer hours means less pay while also losing our current health benefits.


Second, millions of Americans are covered by non-profit health insurance plans like the ones in which most of our members participate. These non-profit plans are governed jointly by unions and companies under the Taft-Hartley Act. Our health plans have been built over decades by working men and women. Under the ACA as interpreted by the Administration, our employees will treated differently and not be eligible for subsidies afforded other citizens. As such, many employees will be relegated to second-class status and shut out of the help the law offers to for-profit insurance plans.

And finally, even though non-profit plans like ours won’t receive the same subsidies as for-profit plans, they’ll be taxed to pay for those subsidies. Taken together, these restrictions will make non-profit plans like ours unsustainable, and will undermine the health-care market of viable alternatives to the big health insurance companies.

On behalf of the millions of working men and women we represent and the families they support, we can no longer stand silent in the face of elements of the Affordable Care Act that will destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans.

We believe that there are common-sense corrections that can be made within the existing statute that will allow our members to continue to keep their current health plans and benefits just as you and the President pledged. Unless changes are made, however, that promise is hollow.

We continue to stand behind real health care reform, but the law as it stands will hurt millions of Americans including the members of our respective unions.

We are looking to you to make sure these changes are made.

James P. Hoffa
General President
International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Joseph Hansen
International President
UFCW

D. Taylor
President
UNITE-HERE

[BadCat]

The union pukes worked for it, the union pukes paid for it, now the union pukes can ENJOY it.

Suck on it, lazy bastards.

[98ZJUSMC]

Since this isn't posted at DU I thought I would perform a public service so they can be up on this issue. BTW, remember the union goons keeping those opposed to Obamacare out of townhall meetings where citizens expressed the same concerns that the unions are now expressing?

http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/07/12/union-letter-obamacare-will-destroy-the-very-health-and-wellbeing-of-workers/

Union Letter: Obamacare Will ‘Destroy The Very Health and Wellbeing’ of Workers

<snipped>

Just had a Mom conversation about this this afternoon.

Sometimes, you just want to punch some (union) one.    We told you this.  We laid out the reasons, the problems, the pitfalls,.....everything.......

the ACA will shatter not only our hard-earned health benefits, but destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.

Oooooo...... surprise, surprise!

Are you people this stupid?  Are Marxists falling from the skies?


Yes, El Guapo.

[diesel driver]

"We have to pass it to find out what's in it."  Nancy Pelsoi

Now that you're finding out what's in it, may as well enjoy it.

You voted for it.    

 

[wasp69]

Oh, this is just delicious....

[Delmar]

Time is running out: Congress wrote this law; we voted for you. We have a problem; you need to fix it. The unintended consequences of the ACA are severe. Perverse incentives are already creating nightmare scenarios:

 

[Kimberly]

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) is just now finding out what's in it and they're not too happy either:

Another union is crying foul over what it says is Obamacare’s negative impact on its members’ current healthcare coverage under multi-employer plans.

“If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what,” the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) quotes a speech President Obama delivered on July 16, 2009 in new ads running in Roll Call and The Hill.

According to the union, the multi-employer plans IBEW has used for over 65 years to provide coverage for their members are at risk, thanks to what it terms “loopholes in the Affordable Care Act.

Continued at http://weaselzippers.us/2013/07/11/buyers-remorse-another-union-comes-out-against-obamacare/

[Undies]

Supposedly the people are in charge of this nation.  If 70-90% of folks don't like this, why is it moving forward?  Why don't we ignore it.  There are many many laws on the books we simply ignore.  This "law" isn't sacred.  Just drop it where it lays.  No one participate, it isn't a law anymore.  Period.

[IassaFTots]

Oh, this is just delicious....

Yes.  This is absolutely lovely.   

[Carl]

Second, millions of Americans are covered by non-profit health insurance plans like the ones in which most of our members participate. These non-profit plans are governed jointly by unions and companies under the Taft-Hartley Act. Our health plans have been built over decades by working men and women. Under the ACA as interpreted by the Administration, our employees will treated differently and not be eligible for subsidies afforded other citizens. As such, many employees will be relegated to second-class status and shut out of the help the law offers to for-profit insurance plans.

Union job but the taxpayer should still foot the bill.
 

[miskie]

Oh Please-

All the unions want is 100% exemption for all union workers as well as all unionized businesses, thus allowing them to use Obamacare as a reason for non-union shops to become unionized.

[Ballygrl]

Can someone explain to me how some people are allowed to get exemptions? that can't be legal, and how could that stand a court challenge?

[miskie]

Can someone explain to me how some people are allowed to get exemptions? that can't be legal, and how could that stand a court challenge?

Id guess that since Obamacare is a 'tax', exemptions and fines can be determined pretty easily. The problem is that there seems to be no coherent set of rules on who gets exempted. But, I'm not certain if that qualifies as a violation. If there were no rules on who gets taxed and fined, then yes, definitely a legal problem - but this seems to be a loophole that falls in line with attempting to prove a negative (a favorite liberal tactic ), unless it can be proven there is some sort of favoritism to specific groups or cronyism to specific people.   

[franksolich]

"We have to pass it to find out what's in it."  Nancy Pelsoi

Now that you're finding out what's in it, may as well enjoy it.

You voted for it.    

 

Yep. 

[JohnnyReb]

"We have to pass it to find out what's in it."  Nancy Pelsoi

Now that you're finding out what's in it, may as well enjoy it.

You voted for it.    

 

They're writing letters to politicians that can't read......now that's funny....

[obumazombie]

Yes.  This is absolutely lovely.   

Maybe even crunchy, like a good apple cobbler ?
What about them apples ?

[Karin]

K&R.  That's all. 

[JohnnyReb]

  ....there's room for everybody under Obama's bus.

[thundley4]

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) is just now finding out what's in it and they're not too happy either:

Continued at http://weaselzippers.us/2013/07/11/buyers-remorse-another-union-comes-out-against-obamacare/

I've heard grumblings from some of the electricians that work for the same company I do.  They are covered under a different plan than those of us that work in the repair shop.  Several years ago the union wanted us to be covered under their plan, but we voted against it. 

[Aristotelian]

Oh Please-

All the unions want is 100% exemption for all union workers as well as all unionized businesses, thus allowing them to use Obamacare as a reason for non-union shops to become unionized.

Of course.

Unions are there to serve the unions' interests, and these interests are determined by those who run the unions. The members are mere tools and pawns.

[J P Sousa]

When you and the President sought our support for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), you pledged that if we liked the health plans we have now, we could keep them.


 The unintended consequences of the ACA are severe.  

 


.