Union members sponsoring radio ads urging Governor Rell to sign landmark Connecticut Healthcare Partnership "pooling" bill passed by legislature into law
HARTFORD—Connecticut residents are urged to call Governor M. Jodi Rell to tell her to sign landmark healthcare reform legislation passed in the General Assembly's 2008 session in a radio ad that began airing across the state Friday. The ad is the latest effort by active and retired members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and its affiliate CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 to support the initiative allowing municipalities, non-profits, and small businesses to purchase the same healthcare coverage as the State of Connecticut and "pool" their employees for greater savings.
CSEA and SEIU’s radio campaign began last week with a satirical sixty-second ad produced by the Healthcare 4 Every1 coalition featuring a mock call from a constituent to the Governor's office. She is told that she can't join the same health plan the Governor has. When she calls back for an explanation, the voice on the other end explains that the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) says the plan is "too expensive" for residents, but not for elected officials like the Governor.
Full audio of the ad, which is currently airing on AM radio stations in several Connecticut markets, is available at the Local union’s website at www.seiu2001.org.
CBIA, the state's leading business lobby, began expressing opposition to the legislation after the bill's legislative sponsors expanded it to include small businesses and non-profit organizations. CBIA appears to be denouncing healthcare "pooling" in order to protect their profits from selling medical insurance policies to their members.
"CBIA is pressuring the insurance industry to falsely claim that State employees would be hurt if this bill becomes law" CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 Executive Director Robert Rinker said last week as news reports surfaced that insurance providers had threatened to raise rates previously negotiated with the state. "That just simply defies logic" he continued. "After all, our union helped negotiate a $54 million savings for a 'pool' of 200,000 lives this year. Doesn't it make sense that we could only do better spreading the risk among an even larger 'pool' in the future?" Rinker concluded.
CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 represents 25,000 active and retired public sector workers serving in state and municipal agencies, as well as local school boards across Connecticut. The union's membership also includes workers with non-profit organizations and private companies contracted to provide public services through state, and local government agencies. Visit www.seiu2001.org online for more information on the working families' issues its members advocate.