Health Care Can't Wait

The clock is ticking. Every hour, another five people die because they don't have health insurance.1

How many more have to die before everyone in America has access to quality, affordable health care?

Too many have died already. We have waited long enough for real health care reform.

Call your members of Congress today toll free and demand that they support real health care reform NOW: 1-877-702-0976

Now is the time for reform. All across the country, as a part of a nationwide call-in day, tens of thousands of activists like you are calling Congress and demanding real health care reform that:

Controls costs.
Holds insurance companies accountable.
Includes a strong public health insurance option to lower costs and make sure everybody can get health care.
Requires employers to pay their fair share.
Does not add taxes or other costs for working families—we're already paying too much.
Working together, we can make sure everyone in America has access to quality, affordable health care.

Call and tell your senators and representative to support real health care reform:
1-877-702-0976

Insurance company lobbyists and the Chamber of Commerce are doing everything they can to slow down the process and ultimately kill reform. Don't let them block reform. The time for waiting is done. We want quality and accessible health care for all now.

In solidarity,

Marc Laitin
AFL-CIO Online Mobilization Coordinator

P.S. We voted for change last November. Now it's time for Congress to deliver real health care reform. Call your senators and representative today: 1-877-702-0976

1 Study links 45,000 U.S. deaths to lack of insurance (Reuters).

Economic Recovery Program

Sisters and Brothers,

See Attached Economic Recovery Program as proposed by the United Steelworkers and the Campaign for America's Future.



As we all know, the failed policies of the Bush Administration have put our country into its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. As we look forward to January 20, 2009, it is critical that labor and other progressive organizations speak out about the need for a bold and comprehensive plan to get our economy moving again.



The Steelworkers, working with the Campaign for America's Future and a group of progressive economists, have produced the attached document, A Main Street Recovery Program, which lays out the key elements of a plan focused on the government investing $900 billion over two years to create jobs and income for working families. It is consistent with the recently passed resolution of the Executive Council of the AFL- CIO and with the vision that President-Elect Obama has outlined. We see this a minimum program, and in fact the bigger the economic renewal program the greater the chance of the economy turning around.



We see this as the minimum program, and in fact the bigger the economic renewal program the greater the chance of the economy turning around. It is important that we return to being a nation that makes things and creates real wealth not more Wall Street illusions and Ponzi schemes.



In the coming weeks, we will be sending you additional materials relating to the implementation and procurement of an economic renewal program, as well as why it makes good economic sense to pass the Employee Free Choice Act if we are going to be a nation with an expanding middle class.



"This crisis is a direct result of the greed and irresponsibility that have dominated Washington and Wall Street for years It's the result of an economic philosophy that says we should give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else... This crisis is the final verdict on this failed philosophy a philosophy that we cannot afford to continue."

President-Elect Obama



Times are as bad as we have seen in our lifetimes, but if we fight for the kind of economy we know is possible, we can turn adversity into opportunity. Let's go to work and tell our story of economic potential so that we get the ball rolling to save our union, save our economy and save our children's future.



Here is the final version of the Main Street Economic Renewal Plan (pdf download), please feel free to share it as widely as you would like. It is the 1st step toward meaningful economic recovery along with passing the employee free choice act.

Please make sure you contact all the elected officials from the local level to the representatives in the Washington DC National House and Senate and tell them we need a large economic renewal program and we need it now.

Leo Gerard
USW International President


Click on the link to read the plan Economic Recovery Program

USW Grassroots Campaign Delivers for Obama

PITTSBURGH, -- USW Grassroots Campaign Delivers for Obama, others United Steelworkers (USW) members nationwide celebrated last night's polling victories, particularly in key battleground states where the USW mounted unprecedented outreach efforts to educate voters on key issues. There is great anticipation that the Obama victory will help American working families and get the country as a whole back on track.

"We always knew that economics would define the voting and our members were motivated like never before," said USW International president Leo W. Gerard. "When you feel the brunt of the downturn in the economy and wake up wondering if your job is being shipped overseas or whether you can still afford health care, you work like hell for change.

"For us, the results in states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia did not surprise. Our folks on the ground in these places had long been talking to both young and older Americans, male and female, black, white and brown about real concerns affecting working families. If color was an issue, it was green: money and jobs."

The USW political campaign had more than 500 people working full-time in 31 states, mobilizing members and working families. More than 11,000 Steelworkers volunteered their time to ensure Barack Obama's victory. The strategy included calling and speaking to more than 100,000 union members in key battlegrounds states between Labor Day and the Election. Nearly 5 million pieces of persuasive literature was mailed from USW international, district and local union offices.

"We congratulate Senators Obama and Biden on their monumental victory and thank them for giving us a reason to hope that the future will deliver a prosperous economy that provides good jobs, health care and retirement security for working Americans," said Gerard. "These issues motivated all of us to fight together in this election and will continue to do so in the future.

"It is essential that the new President and Congress work together to restore the American dream for all of our citizens and for us, once again, to establish our society as a shiny beacon to the rest of the world."

Pete Visclosky Steel Video

It is with great excitement that I share with you my first web commercial,

"Steel."

Click below to view the video now.

Steel has been the backbone of Northwest Indiana's economy since the first mills were built over 100 years ago. I have worked tirelessly to stand up for steelworkers in Congress and have led the fight to level the playing field with China so that our steel can compete fairly in the world market. I think it is only fitting that my first online commercial is dedicated to steel.

Keep an eye out for more videos coming between now and Election Day and don't forget to tell your friends to check it out.

Sincerely,

Pete