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APRIL 2012
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Cicilline makes manufacturing jobs top priority
By Common Ground staff
Congressman David Cicilline, D-R.I., has made manufacturing jobs one of his top priorities while in office – in keeping with one of the hallmarks of his campaign – based on a rundown his office provided of key legislation he has sponsored or backed. “Manufacturing is a key part of Rhode Island’s economy, and growing manufacturing jobs is a top priority for me. We have many great manufacturers in my district, and we need to do everything we can to help them grow,” Cicilline said in an e-mail interview. “Manufacturing helped build the middle class of our country, and our state was once a hub for manufacturing on the East Coast. We need to ensure that we can take advantage of new manufacturing opportunities and market conditions to increase manufacturing jobs here in Rhode Island.” One of the centerpieces of his agenda is the Make It in America Block Grant Program Act, which Cicilline introduced in the House. The bill would set up competitive grants to aid small and mediumsized companies retool or retrofit their facilities, train employees and acquire new equipment, Cicilline said. A Senate version of the bill has been introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. In the House, the measure has garnered 46 co-sponsors and is sitting in the hands of the House committees on Financial Services, Education and the Work Force, according to Cicilline. One of Cicilline’s legislative priorities – guarding against unfair trade – was realized on March 13 when House Resolution 4105 was signed into law by President Obama. The law enables the U.S. Department of Commerce to apply duties on exports from China that would otherwise benefit from an “unfair” subsidy from the Chinese government, according to Cicilline. The measure, of which Cicilline was a co-sponsor, was crafted in response to a federal appeals court ruling that determined the commerce department does not have the legal authority to level the duties. Another Cicilline priority is promoting U.S. exports, The Export Promotion Reform Act, or House Resolution 4041, is still awaiting a full vote by the House after passing out of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also co-sponsored by Cicilline, the act would
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take a number of steps aimed at boosting the volume of American-manufactured goods that are exported around the world. It would charge the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, a federal task force, with reviewing the budgets of all federal agencies to ensure they are devoting sufficient resources to promoting exports. It also calls for dispatching U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service officials to countries identified as having the most potential for growing U.S. exports. “These efforts are an attempt to restore balance and allow our manufacturers to compete on a level playing field. Once we do that, America will prevail in this global competition,” Cicilline said. Other pro-manufacturing measures backed by Cicilline include the following, according to a summary provided by his office: • The Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act, House Resolution 639: The legislation would allow duties to be imposed on countries that undervalue their currency. (Cicilline is a co-sponsor.) • The Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act, House Resolution 502: The bill would set up a “national clean energy technology export Strategy” and promote policies that cut production costs and “encourage innovation, investment, and productivity” in the clean energy technology industry. (Cicilline is a co-sponsor.) • Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR): As a member of the Small Business Committee, Cicilline proposed an amendment to legislative provisions that continue the research program, which has channeled more than $100 million to local small businesses. He said his amendment, which was signed into law as part of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, requires that federal agencies that make more than $50 million in SBIR awards “include in their annual report to Congress details on their efforts to enhance manufacturing activities” as well as recommendations on how the program could improve manufacturing activities.
Congressman David Cicilline greets a worker at Capco Steel during a factory tour.
Rhode Island is No. 1 for manufacturing job loss It’s easy to see why Congressman Cicilline has made manufacturing one of his top priorities: it’s an area of the state economy that has suffered some of the greatest losses during the recession. Last month, a “Wall Street Journal” study found that Rhode Island was the state with the most manufacturing job losses, suffering a 37.1 percent drop in its work force from 2001 to 2011. According to data from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, there are 41,000 manufacturing jobs in this state, down from 64,000 a decade ago. “Manufacturing is in our DNA, especially in Rhode Island, which was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. We lost 11,000 Rhode Island manufacturing jobs during the Great Recession, and we won’t get back on the right track, in part, until we enact policies that support Rhode Island manufacturers rather than undermine them,” Cicilline said. “Rhode Island has many assets that give us an advantage in capturing the jobs growth that is occurring in manufacturing – advanced manufacturing facilities, a skilled work force and a robust innovation economy that is fueling new manufacturing,” he added. R
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APRIL 2012
So Mike, how did you get involved in the EAP and addiction treatment business? I became involved in the EAP/MAP programs because of my own struggles with addiction, as I have been in recovery for many years. Twenty-five years ago, I was asked by my Union President to start a committee to assist our members and their families who needed help with addiction and mental health issues, because of my own experiences, I was excited to help. We started a silent committee to offer confidential help to Firefighters and their families who were struggling with these issues. I spent several years obtaining certifications in the field and have been helping members and their families ever since!
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Firefighters often experience things in the line of duty that cause mental and emotional stress that can lead to substance abuse. Once we built the EAP/MAP program we were amazed at how many people came forward to get the help they needed. Part of the rehabilitation process is learning how to deal with these stresses so they don’t negatively affect the rest of their lives and their families.
Where has life taken you since retirement? Well before I retired, I worked closely with Treatment Solutions Network to place my members, providing the care that they needed. I was so impressed with the company that I started working with them more and have now become a Vice President and shareholder in the company. We have expanded the network to include top rated treatment centers, not just in Florida, but across the nation as well. Our network is set up to accept most insurances, self-pay and contracted rates with health & welfare funds to make treatment affordable to everyone.
What is next for you and Treatment Solutions Network? We are working with a committee focus group comprised of leadership from Boston Fire, Boston Police, Providence Fire, MA Department of Corrections and MA Sheriff’s Department. This group is being directed by a highly accomplished therapist to design programs specifically geared toward Unions, Public Safety Officers and to help us better serve the Employee Assistance Professionals we work with. Our programs are designed to find the best possible solution to Dual Diagnosis problems. Solutions that combine, long term success, financial flexibility, and clinical practice into effective services.
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Green Airport expansion approved
By Common Ground staff The approval of the expansion of T.F. Green Airport by the Warwick City Council on Leap Day came just in the nick of time, according to Michael Sabitoni, head of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council. Sabitoni said the timing “was perfect” because Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funds have just become available for the expansion, the necessary land acquisitions, and associated infrastructure improvements such as the relocation of roads and the mitigation of environmental impacts. About a week before the vote, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., announced that a newly passed FAA bill had made about $63.4 billion in funding available for long-term improvements at airports across the nation. “If we had missed this construction season, we would have missed an application process,” Sabitoni said. State funding is also coming into play: Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s budget includes a request for revenue bonds on behalf of the airport, according to the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, which has testified in support of the funding. Sabitoni said the runway extension and other work would lead to 800 to 1,000 construction jobs, providing much-needed relief to an industry that says it has an unemployment rate as high as 40 percent. “It’s about helping one man at a time. So any man I send out the door … is a feather in our cap,” Sabitoni said. Laurie White, president of the Chamber, which backed the runway extension, also praised the vote. “Right now, as a direct result of the City Council appeal being withdrawn, the FAA is reviewing the terms set forth in the memorandum of understanding negotiated between the city and the Airport Corporation,” White said. “We expect that that process will be on a fast track and lead to a positive outcome.” Planning and engineering studies for the actual infrastructure improvements should begin soon, once all the funding for the airport has been successfully lined up, White added.
on behalf of a public-private partnership that would lead to the creation of a new nursing school, which would be a joint venture of the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College. Sabitoni views the nursing school as a potential catalyst for the redevelopment of the old Interstate 195 land in the heart of downtown Providence. A 160,000-square foot nursing school could, he said, become incorporated into a larger project worth $100 million to $300 million. Just the school alone is roughly estimated to cost $70 million and would lead to 500 to 700 construction jobs, Sabitoni estimated. • Johnson and Wales’ expansion: Following an agreement with the city, the university recently committed to purchasing properties in the old Interstate 195 corridor. The deal will allow Johnson & Wales to move forward with expansion plans, which include new business and techschool buildings. Construction of two new buildings is expected to begin this summer and will net 300 to 500 jobs for the state construction industry, according to Sabitoni. • Narragansett Bay sewer project: The second phase of the Combined Sewer Overflow Abatement Program will generate approximately $300 million in contracts by the end of 2012, according to Sabitoni. Estimated number of construction jobs: 300 to 500.
APRIL 2012
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The Union Stewards Prayer
• Providence College expansion: A major campus expansion plan calls for four new buildings and a track and field complex and a hockey arena. The expansion, which is scheduled for the next two to four years, could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in construction costs, according to Sabitoni.
Grant me, Oh Lord, the genius to explain to my brothers and sisters the policies and plans of our great union even though no one explains them to me.
Other projects in the pipeline, too There’s other good news for the construction trades, with several other projects in the works, according to Sabitoni. They include:
• Saving jobs at Twin River: In addition to creating jobs, Sabitoni has to be on guard for any further erosion of jobs in other areas. One top priority: the expansion of gambling at Twin River, which Sabitoni says is essential to saving jobs at the Lincoln facility. Out of 800 workers at Twin River – including janitors, hotel and restaurant workers and others in service-related positions – about 100 of those are represented by Construction and General Laborers’ Local 271, for which he is the business manager.
Give me the understanding that I may forgive the apathetic member, curb the overly ambitious member, and accept the views of the member who does nothing until I have done something... and then tells me what I should have done and how I should have done it.
• A new nursing school: Early in March, Sabitoni was scheduled to testify before the House Finance Committee
“One job at a time,” Sabitoni concluded. “There is some optimism.”
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Oh Lord, make me formidable in debate, logical in argument and fearless in confrontation. Let me be a lawyer, actor, mathematician, sage, philosopher, sociologist, and economist; pleasing, cajoling, threatening, and belaboring so that I make the best of a good case and a good case from no case at all. Teach me, Oh Lord, to stand at all times with both feet firmly on the ground …. Even when I don’t have a leg to stand on.
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Common Ground
APRIL 2012
MBTC presents awards to Boston Mayor Menino and House Speaker Deleo at 93rd annual convention Plymouth, Mass. – Hundreds of building trade union leaders, contractors, state and local government officials attended the 93rd Annual Massachusetts Building Trades Council (MBTC) Convention last month at the Radisson Hotel in Plymouth. Delegates from the Councils 74 local unions representing 75,000 men and women from all across Massachusetts conducted business, and heard from a number of high profile speakers at both the state and national level on a wide range of topics facing membership across the country. The MBTC presented Boston Mayor Thomas Menino with the 2012 Municipal Official of the Year Award and Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo with the 2012 Public Official of the Year Award. U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren and Gov. Deval Patrick also spoke at the MBTC Convention. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO also announced their endorsement of Elizabeth Warren, candidate for U.S. Senate. Frank Callahan, president of the MBTC believes that after a year of attacks on workers, organized labor has become more united, committed and stronger. “American workers and the public at large have
recognized this extremist agenda for what it is – a direct assault on the American dream and the American way of life. This convention gathered leaders from across Massachusetts to address these challenges and galvanize our continued efforts to further the interests of workers in Massachusetts and the nation,” said Callahan. Other notable speakers included: State Treasurer Steve Grossman, Professor David Cutler of Harvard University, Commissioner of Division of Capital Asset Management Carole Cornelison, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Coleman Nee, Regional Director of AFL-CIO Northeast Region James Snow, Chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party John Walsh, Sen. Pres. Therese Murray, Attorney General Martha Coakley, Secretary of Transportation Richard Davey, Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray, Director for the Department of Labor Standards Heather Rowe, Deputy Director of Labor Standards David Wallace, Director of Foundation for Fair Contracting of Massachusetts Karen Courtney, State Auditor Suzanne Bump, Chief of Fair Labor Division Office of the Attorney General Jeffrey Webb, Deputy Chief of Fair Labor Division Office of the Attorney General Jocelyn Jones, Secretary for Labor & Workforce Development,
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino displays his award recieved at the Massachusetts Building Trades Council Convention. With him are, from left: Rep. Martin Walsh, president of the Boston Building Trades Council, Mark Fortune, president of Framingham-Newton Building Trades Council and Frank Callahan, president of the MBTC.
Joanne Goldstein, Director of Communications and Marketing for BCTD Tom Owens, Chairman of the Healthcare Committee Rep. Steven Walsh, President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Steven A. Tolman, AFGE President Carolyn Federoff, Treasurer Pro Labor Alliance New Mass. Pro Labor License Plates Justin Desmond, Candidate for State Rep. Roger Brunelle and Executive Director for the Construction Institute Mary Vogel.
CEUI says goodbye to union member Daniel Dinardi The Connecticut Employees Union Independent (CEUI) released the following statement after Department of Transportation worker and union brother Daniel Dinardi was struck and killed by a truck on Route 8 between Waterbury and Naugatuck on March 22. On Thursday afternoon, state Department of Transportation
worker and Connecticut Employees Union Independent member Daniel Dinardi was removing debris from Route 8 near the Naugatuck town line, when he was struck and killed by another vehicle. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our union brother Dan Dinardi, a 21-year veteran of the Department of Transportation. As he did every
day during his career, Dan risked his own life in order to keep the motoring public safe. Unfortunately, we have a driving culture in Connecticut where people are speeding, talking on phones, texting, using computers and doing everything but paying attention to the road. It is imperative that when you see an unusual situation
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on the road; such as a work site, a tow truck, a stranded motorist, a police officer, an ambulance or a fire truck, that you drastically reduce your speed to give yourself the necessary reaction time to avoid an accident. We hope that out of this tragedy comes a public awareness that workers and first responders have the right to go home to their families at the
end of the day. Slow down and let them live! Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Dinardi family at this difficult time. Connecticut Employees Union Independent represents 4,000 maintenance and service workers for the state of Connecticut.
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Workers to Verizon: Can you hear us now? By Common Ground staff More than 100 labor union members rallied outside the Rhode Island headquarters of Verizon last month, calling on the corporate communications giant to grant a fair contract to 45,000 U.S. workers, whose last contract expired more than six months ago. “We’re just trying to raise awareness,� said Todd Montgomery, of Brewster, Mass., a technician for Verizon. “They’re making record profits, and they’re trying to take back from us. We’re all middle class people.� Standing with their backs to the Verizon building in downtown Providence, speakers denounced the company executives as “bloodsuckers� who had plenty of greed but little common decency. One speaker asked if workers were going to allow Verizon to “take a wrecking ball� to their contract. Another led the crowd in chants of, “No contract; no peace.� “They want to completely gut our contract,� said Bill McGowan, business manager for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 2323, which represents the 850 Verizon workers in Rhode Island. McGowan said in an interview that the company wants to strip away hundreds of provisions in a now-expired
contract. The proposal on the table calls for eliminating health care for active workers and retirees; freezing pensions for retirees and canceling pensions for future retirees; and eliminating job security and rules against outsourcing work overseas. He compared the standoff to the battle over collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin and Ohio. In Rhode Island, McGowan said Verizon has plans to sell off its interests in the telephone poles it owns and
reportedly cited “cost issues� in their talks with union officials from the IBEW and Union of Communication Workers (UCW), which represent 45,000 employees, according to Kevin Desmond, the past president of IBEW Local 2323. He noted that the Verizon chief executive officer was forced to “struggle along� with a total compensation package of $23 million last year. “There’s your cost issue,� Desmond bellowed at the rally.
“This is what the labor movement is all about — solidarity, people standing together.� - Steve Murphy, IBEW Local 2323 President push for deregulation at the state level. The company’s agenda is to get out of the traditional telephone business as well as Internet service based on cable or fiber optics, according to McGowan. Instead, he said, Verizon wants to go 100 percent wireless. The change, he noted, would disproportionately affect elderly residents, who still use land lines. Verizon officials could not be reached for comment in time for publication. Verizon officials have
Between 2008 and 2010, the top five executives at the company raked in $283 million in compensation. Meanwhile, the company paid no taxes, according to a national AFL-CIO news release. “I see the sign, ‘Corporate greed.’ Is there any other kind?� said Steve Smith, president of the Providence Teachers Union, who recalled his own battle over contract rights with Mayor Angel Taveras last year. Desmond said executives suffer from the delusion that
their problems stem from working people doing too well. What they don’t realize, he added, is that those people are the ones who actually built this country. A sea of red IBEW shirts poured into one block of Washington Street, where the Verizon building is located, for the rally. The employees were joined by roughly a dozen other local labor organizations, including Council 94 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, Roofers Local 33, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Service Employees International Union Local 1199, the Cranston firefighters, and IBEW Local 99. “This is what the labor movement is all about— solidarity, people standing together,� said IBEW Local 2323 President Steve Murphy. Other local union leaders pledged their unwavering support. “The struggle goes on. We will support you as long as it takes,� said Paul MacDonald, of the Providence Labor Council. “We’ll walk with you every day—every step of the way,� added Michael Daley, business manager for IBEW Local 99.
The event, held on March 22, was part of a national day of action organized by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. Locally, the event was promoted by the Rhode Island AFL-CIO and the state president, George Nee, was among the featured speakers at the rally. Murphy accused Verizon of trying to break apart the union last August when a breakdown in contract negotiations triggered a two-week strike. “What they did is make us stronger,� Murphy said. After their last protest, on Aug. 18, members of the IBEW and UCW returned to their jobs under a return-to-work agreement. But they have continued to make a strong show of solidarity since then, Murphy said. Every morning, Verizon workers gather outside the Washington Street office and march in as a group.
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Common Ground
APRIL 2012
Firefighters should seek assistance to deal with occupational stress By Michael Blackburn
The inordinate amount of job-related stress faced by firefighters can lead to serious emotional and psychological problems with which some people might be unable to cope. Michael J. Blackburn, senior vice president of Treatment Solutions Network, and Michael Healy, a consultant for the company, address that issue in the following interview. In 2003, Blackburn retired from the Providence Fire Department after a 30-year career with the rank of battalion chief. He was the director and a founding member of the department’s employee assistance program (EAP). Blackburn also served for six weeks at Ground Zero in New York City as part of the International Association of Fire Fighters’ Lead Team doing critical incident work and continues to be a member of the Rhode Island State Critical Incident Stress Team. He continues to provide employee and member assistance to several fire departments throughout Rhode Island. Blackburn is a founding member and past president of the Rhode Island Chapter of Labor Assistance Professionals, and he is the past National Labor Director for the Employee Assistance Professionals Association. Blackburn also serves as vice president of the board of directors for the Rhode Island Council on Alcoholism. Michael is also currently Senior Vice President for Treatment Solutions Network. He can be reached for questions or comments at mikeb@tsnemail.com or by phone at 401-255-4622. Healy is the fire chief for Rockland County, N.Y., according to Blackburn, and former clinical director of the employee assistance program for the 48,000-member Transit Workers Union in New York City. The interview follows. M.B.: What did you learn the most from your experience as a firefighter, and how have you applied those lessons to your life? M.H.: The importance of working as a team. In firefighting, each member of the team has a job to do and if one member doesn’t do his or her job correctly, it could cost other team members their lives. M.B.: Firefighters deal with a ton of stresses and pressures each and every day. What are some of the biggest stress factors firefighters face that you saw or experienced, either personally, among your fellow teammates or both? M.H.: One of the biggest stress factors of good firefighters is not doing the job correctly. Each position is important, and each fire is different. Firefighters tend to take the loss of life very personally. Whether it’s a civilian or firefighter death, there’s always that lingering thought of, “Was there something I could have done that would have made a difference?” M.B.: In your opinion, how is the trauma that firefighters can go through different than that of police officers, paramedics and any other public safety officer? M.H: This is a very hard question to answer; no firefighter knows what the next minute will bring. You could be reading a book one minute and crawling down a smoked-filled hallway in a tenement the next. Police and emergency medical service (EMS) personnel have similar issues; one false move could cost the victim or rescuer their life. Most often, firefighters, police officers and EMS wind up working with each other at the scene of a fire. Physically though, the firefighters usually have the tougher job. Each firefighter dons around 80 pounds of gear before he enters a building.
M.B.: What are some signs or symptoms that you or a fellow fighter is having a tough time and may need outside help? M.H.: I‘ve seen it come in different ways for different people. After a very tragic automobile accident, I had one of my firefighters assist a nurse who was doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a two-year-old victim who was ejected from the vehicle. The child and his father were both killed and the mother and two teen daughters were critically injured. I called for the critical incident stress management (CISM) team to respond to our firehouse. Everyone attended the first debriefing, but the firefighter who was to administer CPR did not attend the second -- he also wouldn’t come near the firehouse. After speaking with him later, we found out he administered CPR to his once two-year-old son as well, and he couldn’t face it again. He eventually left the service. There are many signs, but I think isolation points to the biggest problem. Naturally, substance abuse also points to a problem. Medicating the bad feelings is something you’re not easily going to get out of a firefighter, but it often occurs. M.B.: What advice would you give to a brand new firefighter concerned about post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or critical incident stress? M.H.: The fire service over the years, through the loss of some firefighters from either suicide or just leaving the service due to other related behavioral issues or family problems, has identified the problem and has started to educate the troops. A new firefighter now gets educated during his or her Firefighter 1 training in “probie school,” which is a firefighter’s first school. Firefighters work as a team, and as such, usually keep an eye on each other. The new firefighter (or probie) is usually watched over by the rest of the department. But there’s really no specific advice you can give a probie prior to an incident gone bad. Telling someone what he or she can expect helps -- but when it happens, the team has to take care of the new guy. Firefighters see things that most human beings never have to deal with. The best way to help the probie is sitting with him at the CISM debriefing and letting him see that the veterans need help and support, too. M.B.: What should a firefighter do if he or she is experiencing and in the thick of PTSD or critical incident stress issues? M.H.: In the thick of PTSD, there’s the possibility that the firefighter will not be the one to spot it; a friend, family member or fellow firefighter will probably be the one to pick it up. In this case, the best route would be professional help from a therapist. I’ve recently been dealing with a firefighter who was almost killed in a natural gas explosion at a house he was about to enter. At first he was OK, but about three weeks later after leaving the hospital, he started to experience lack of sleep, flashbacks and sleepwalking, among other symptoms. These were issues that I felt had to be addressed immediately, and so I referred him to a psychologist who specializes in trauma. M.B.: What are some of the best services provided for these issues? M.H.: The CISM teams are the best service available, along with strong leadership from the fire service making sure their troops get what they need when these tragic incidents occur. Immediate help at the time of the incident is imperative, and following up at the second meeting should be mandated so that team members can watch for those that may be seriously affected. Contact Michael Blackburn at mikeb@tsnemail.com or (401) 255-4622.
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Common Ground
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APRIL 2012
Massachusetts Building Trades Council re-elects President Callahan at convention Plymouth, Mass. – Arlington resident Francis X. Callahan Jr. was sworn in as the president of the Massachusetts Building Trades Council during the 93rd Annual MBTC Convention last month. Callahan received overwhelming support for reelection at the convention. Callahan has been the president of the Massachusetts Building Trades Council since April 2007. Callahan has been with the MBTC for 16 years, and has been advocating passionately for better wages, training and safer working conditions for men and women in the construction industry. Callahan is also a member of the
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Local 939. He is an executive board member of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, delegate to the Greater Boston Central Labor Council, president of The Construction Institute, a faculty member of the Boston Labor Guild School of Labor Relations, a member of the School Building Advisory Board of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, member of the UMass Building Authority and serves on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Labor Advisory Committee and the Friends for Children Board of Directors. Callahan has received many awards for his commitment to men and women
in the construction industry including an award in 2008 from the Greater Boston Labor Council for outstanding work in support of the labor movement. Frank was also a local labor leader that attended a meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House in November to discuss the American Jobs Act. “The Massachusetts Building Trades have not merely survived the last four years of recession. We kept our focus and positioned ourselves, our unions and our members to prosper in the coming recovery and the decade ahead,” said Callahan at the convention. The Massachusetts Building Trades
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Page 8
Common Ground
APRIL 2012
Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut sends employees anti-union letter BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Last month, Bridgeport Hospital officials sent a letter to employees strongly warning them against unionizing and telling them “a union is not necessary or desirable at our hospital,” reports the Connecticut Post. The letter, obtained by the Connecticut Post, was signed by hospital President and Chief Executive Officer William M. Jennings and Chief Operating Officer Norman Roth and dated Feb. 22. Hospital spokesman John Cappiello told the Post, though hospital officials aren’t aware of any effort to unionize employees, at least one worker reported being visited at home by a representative of a union. In light of that, Bridgeport Hospital’s leadership wanted to take the opportunity to “clarify the hospital’s
position on the matter. While we respect our employees’ rights to seek representation, we do not believe it is in the best interests of our hospital or our employees,” Cappiello told the Post. According to the newspaper, the missive puts it even more strongly, stating that “unions bring with them the threat of strikes and other disruptive actions. Because of this threat to our mission, we believe unions have no place in health care. Patients depend upon Bridgeport Hospital for their needs – we owe it to them to be stable and continuously here.” The letter goes on to list several “facts” about unionization, including that a union authorization card or petition is a legal document similar to “a power of attorney on certain aspects of your job. You may be signing your
right to speak for yourself away to the union.” The letter also states that, if enough employees sign a petition, the union may try to get in without a secret ballot vote, the newspaper reported. The note is “absolutely boilerplate, anti-union rhetoric,” said Deborah Chernoff, spokeswoman for the New England Health Care Employees Union District 1199, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which has 20,000 members in Connecticut. The organization is the largest health care workers’ union in the state. Chernoff told the Post that there are several inaccuracies in the note. For instance, she said, a union card isn’t tantamount to giving a union power of attorney, but that a person is requesting representation for collective bargaining. Chernoff confirmed that there
has been no campaign to unionize Bridgeport Hospital employees, though the union does represent some workers at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Bridgeport Hospital and Yale-New Haven are both part of the Yale-New Haven Health System. She said there has been a push to unionize home health care workers, and it’s possible that a union representative or some union literature wound up at the home of a Bridgeport Hospital worker, leading to the letter, according to the Post. Chernoff said letters such as the one issued by the hospital his are common and are basically an attempt to frighten workers and convince people that they would be signing their rights away if they joined a union.
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Common Ground
APRIL 2012
Page 9
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Common Ground
APRIL 2012
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Common Ground
APRIL 2012
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Common Ground
APRIL 2012
Union membership is on the rise in Mass. The Boston Business Journal reports that union membership was at 14.6 percent among workers in Massachusetts in 2011, a slight rise from the year before and nearly 3 percent higher than the national rate,
according to the New England Regional Office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The union membership rate for the Bay State in 2010 was 14.5 percent. Nationally, union workers made up
11.8 percent of employed wage and salary workers, according to the report. The data used by the BLS is supplied by the current population survey (CPS) program, which provides a comprehensive body of
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Even retirees face life insurance questions By John Edes
There are some who think that life really begins at 65. With the cares of work and raising a family behind them, many people finally start doing the things they’ve long dreamed of doing. Some choose to travel; others are content to relax around the house; some even get up the nerve to clean out the garage. But one of the last things on the minds of many who reach this milestone is their life insurance plan. After all, who really needs life insurance after age 65? You, perhaps. If you’re approaching age 65 or plan to, consider the following five questions: 1. At your death, will your spouse require income over and above Social Security and any investments you have in order to maintain his or her standard of living? 2. Do you or will you have a parent, child or family member dependent upon you for support beyond your age 65? 3. At retirement, are you planning on electing a smaller initial pension benefit so that benefits will continue to your spouse after you die?
4. Have you wanted to leave something to charity without having to take away from what your heirs will inherit? 5. Would you like to see your business continue into the future intact and free from debt for the benefit of your children or valued employees? If you answered yes to any of the above, you probably have some need for life insurance coverage after age 65. Maybe you’re one of those people whose policy will be paid up by then. But maybe you’re just now considering the ramifications of those questions. If like so many of us you’re in the latter group, relax. With today’s variety of life insurance products, you can tailor a policy to provide the protection you need at a price that is still far less expensive than the alternative. John C. Edes is a registered representative of Equity Services Inc. in Warwick. Contact him at (401) 828-2090. Editor’s note: The views and information contained in the above column have been prepared independently of the presenting representative. The column has been presented for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice.
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Common Ground
APRIL 2012
Page 13
Earned paid sick time bill moves forward Legislation would protect jobs and small businesses By Massachusetts AFL-CIO In a recent victory for Massachusetts workers and their families, the Earned Paid Sick Time Act was voted out of the Labor and Workforce Development Committee with a favorable report. The Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition is calling on the state legislature to bring the bill to a final vote. The bill would ensure that almost 1 million Massachusetts workers without access to paid sick days can take time off when they or their families are ill. “Paid sick days are urgently needed to help hardworking people hold onto their jobs, support their families and sustain local businesses,” said Elizabeth Toulan, coordinator of the coalition. “In these tough economic times, no one should have to lose income, or worse, lose their job, just because they get sick or have to care for a sick family member.” Countless studies show that paid sick days help save money and protect jobs. Paid sick days would provide an annual benefit of $348 million a year to Massachusetts employers by reducing employee turnover, contagion and lost productivity. Additionally, paid sick days would save $22.7 million in emergency room costs, including $13.4 million in savings to taxpayer-funded public health programs. “My toddler daughter came down with a severe rash, lethargy, vomiting and a fever of 105, so I took two unpaid days off from work to care for her,” said Marianne Bullock from Amherst. “When I called my employer on the third day to say that my daughter was still seriously ill, I was fired on the spot.” Economists say job retention policies like paid sick days help reduce unemployment and strengthen the economy. San Francisco, which has had a paid sick time law for four years, was rated by PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2011 as one of the top cities in the world to do business, and more than two in three San Francisco businesses support the local
law, with six in seven reporting no negative impact on profitability. “We have had a paid sick leave policy here at Dean’s Bean Organic Coffee Company for over a decade. We have never experienced negative consequences from this policy,” said Dean Cycon, founder and chief executive officer the company. “On the contrary, it has led to a healthier, more committed and more efficient work force. Small businesses like mine have nothing to fear from paid sick leave. It is the right thing to do.” The bill includes amendments that provide an exemption for “mom and pop” shops while ensuring job protection for their employees who need to take sick time. Other amendments provide for shift and hour swapping and exempting seasonal employers. Companies that already provide time off to their employees consistent with the provisions of the amended bill will not have to change their policies to comply. “The amendments will ensure that all jobs are protected when workers or their children are sick,” Toulan said. “While many workers in very small companies will still face financial hardships for taking unpaid time off, the bill takes an important step in making sure no one is fired for getting sick. Because our families and our economy cannot afford to wait for paid sick days, we urge on the full legislature to vote for the labor Committee’s earned paid sick time bill.” In addition to the support of Gov. Deval Patrick and Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Joanne Goldstein, recent polling data shows broad voter support for paid sick days in Massachusetts. According to a new poll from Anzalone Liszt Research, 74 percent of all likely 2012 voters support the legislation. More than 80 groups, including major labor unions such as Local 199 of the Service Employees International Union and the Massachusetts AFL-CIO; faith leaders
from the Massachusetts Interfaith Worker Justice Committee; the National Association of Social Workers state chapter; and community groups such as the Coalition for Social Justice and New England United for Justice are supporting paid sick days. Across the country, cities and states have been adopting paid sick time policies to help improve public health and bolster the economic recovery. In June, Connecticut passed the first statewide paid sick leave law, and city councils in Seattle and Philadelphia passed paid sick time laws in the fall.
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Page 14
Common Ground
APRIL 2012
RI lawmakers seek income tax ‘fairness’ By Common Ground staff
As the state continues to struggle with a budget deficit, local lawmakers have introduced legislation to raise the top income tax rate from 5.99 percent to 9.99 percent, saying it’s time to make sure the wealthiest earners pay their fair share. “What it is intended to do is respond to a need, and that is that we are in an economic crisis,” said Rep. Maria Cimini, D-Providence, the main sponsor of the House version of the bill, H-7729. Sen. Josh Miller, D-Cranston and Warwick, said he introduced identical legislation to provide a meaningful alternative to deficit remedy approaches such as sales tax hikes, cuts in services or cuts in state aid that trigger hikes in local property taxes. “It’s an important component of the dialogue,” Miller said. Both Miller and Cimini said their bills are not about taxing the rich as much as they are about being fair about spreading the burden. “From my outsider perspective, I think we have called upon lower-income and middleincome Rhode Islanders to take a hit over the last few years,” said Cimini, who took office last year. She said cuts in services and state aid have solely or disproportionately impacted lower-income Rhode Islanders. She noted that the poorest and neediest in the state have been hit especially hard. The current budget cuts more than $20 million in funding for the developmentally disabled, and
it slashes a third of the monthly $600 allocation for those on supplemental security income (SSI). The state work force has also shrunk by an estimated 2,000 and many of the departed employees have not been replaced. As a result, state agencies have not been able to provide services in a timely manner, according to Cimini. Making cuts to the budget, Cimini concluded, has been the main way the state has responded to the economic crisis. I don’t believe (we have) $150 million left to cut,” Cimini said. “I think if we tried to cut $150 million from our state government … it would be devastating.” Cimini recalled that during the pension debate last fall, “sharing the sacrifice” was a common refrain among reformers. “I don’t think we’ve actually made that happen. I don’t think we’ve asked upper income Rhode Islanders to sacrifice,” she said. “To be fair, I think we should.” If passed, Miller said the new tax rate would generate $118 million in revenues. But there’s a twist to the proposal: each year the unemployment rate goes down by a percentage point, the tax rate would decrease at the same rate. In other words, if unemployment shifted down from 10.8 percent -- the current rate in mid-March -- to 9.8 percent, the tax rate would likewise go from 9.9 percent to 8.9 percent. The rate would continue to ease back as the unemployment rate does until it
reaches 5.99 percent. measure would make that additional Miller said there’s a theory -- mainly rate 2 percent, rather than 1 percent. among fiscal conservatives -- that The other two bills address all earners government should not tax the people making $250,000 and more. One who create jobs. But he questions how would bump their rate up by 1 percent many jobs have actually been created and the other would make it 2 percent. over the last decade. “It doesn’t seem The last one would raise the most in like a lot of jobs have been created new revenues: $65.3 million in fiscal by that policy,” Miller said. His year 2013. legislation, he added, puts job creators “We constantly lament the poor on notice that if they want lower tax economy and after lots of hand rates, they need to create jobs first. wringing, we end up doing the same “This will spur them on to create thing year after year after year – more jobs,” Cimini added. hurting those who are already hurting, In Rhode Island, the lower tax cutting services for those who need rate of 5.99 percent did not actually them, forcing municipalities to take effect until 2011. But when the bite the bullet harder or dig deeper rate was dropped, a number of tax into residents’ pockets with higher exemptions available to the highest property taxes,” Guthrie said in a press earners were simultaneously removed. statement. “What we never seem to do Miller said his bill may be modified is ask those who have benefited greatly after the data is available for what the while living in our state to give just resulting impact was on state revenues. a little bit more to help their fellow Miller and Cimini say there is citizens.” broad support for their proposal. In Cimini said she believes her the Senate, there are 18 co-sponsors, legislation has a better chance of which is slightly more than half of the passing because it’s not a permanent total membership, according to Miller. tax hike. The House version has a comparable “I’m not trying to punish financial level of support, with 36 additional success by trying to tax you forever,” sponsors, Cimini said. Cimini said. “I think Rhode Islanders And, one of her co-sponsors is are generous, and I think Rhode pushing his own legislation to raise tax Islanders care for one another. … rates for the richest Rhode Islanders. This is an opportunity for them to be Serving the City of Providence since 1854 Rep. Scott Guthrie, D-Coventry, has generous in a different way.” introduced four bills to raise the top rates. One would put an additional 1 percent tax on all income overFIRE FIGHTERS LOCAL 799 PROVIDENCE INTERNATIONAL $500,000; and a nearly identical ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS
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Common Ground
APRIL 2012
Page 15
Legislation would force hospitals, universities, to pay 25 percent levy By Common Ground staff
As negotiations remain stalled between Providence and Brown University over voluntary tax payments, state lawmakers are taking action, proposing legislation that would enable the city to institute a special tax on nonprofit universities and hospitals. The Senate bill, S-2786, would give any city or town -- not just Providence -- the legal authority to levy a tax on any nonprofit college, university or hospital that would be equal to 25 percent of what they normally would be paying if they were a for-profit business. The bill, which uses the same 25 percent formula as Boston, also excludes businesses on a university or hospital campus such as a sandwich shop from receiving any kind of a tax exemption. “We all have a stake in the fiscal health of the capital city,” said Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio, D-Providence and North Providence, in a press statement. “With Providence on the financial precipice, we remain hopeful that the taxexempt institutions will recognize not only the value of services they receive from the city, but the benefit we all receive from a healthy, sustainable municipal government.” Providence is saddled with a deficit of $22 million, even after officials did seemingly everything possible it to close the gap, including union concessions, tax hikes, budget cuts, school closures, layoffs of non-union staff and across-the-board increases in various fees. “Rating agencies are nervous and have downgraded the city’s bond rating, and bankruptcy is a scary proposition. But the city is running out of options. This bill helps bring a fair and sustainable revenue stream to the city, while more evenly distributing the burden of paying for city services among those who use city services,” said lead cosponsor and Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin, D-Providence. The bill, which has been referred to the Finance Committee, is supported by the Providence Senate delegation, including Sens. Paul Jabour, Harold Metts, Juan Pichardo and Frank Ciccone. Another approach: Remove tax-exemption entirely Some lawmakers are considering an alternative approach: Mandating that nonprofits strike tax agreements with their local city or town or lose their tax exemption. That approach is reflected in alternative bills submitted by Sen. John Tassoni, D-Smithfield and North Smithfield. The first bill, S-2122, would eliminate any kind of a tax exemption for universities and hospitals that do not have a tax treaty with the city or town in which they are located. The bill, co-sponsored by Sens. Donna Nesselbush and Frank DeVall -- applies to all nonprofits, not just those in higher education and health care. A companion bill introduced by Tassoni, S-2107, would include nonprofits in the statutory guidelines for assessing and levying taxes. “The days of the handshake have gone in saying you’ll do it and you don’t do it,” said Tassoni, who is the publisher of Common Ground. “That’s why I think we need legislation on the books.” He said the legislation needs to spell out exactly what is, and what is not, expected of all nonprofit organizations. A House version of Tassoni’s legislation, H-7158, has been introduced by Reps. Thomas Winfield, John Carnevale and Peter Petrarca. Carnevale has also introduced a House version of the Ruggerio-Goodwin bill, H-7450. A third way: dorm fees A third approach is levying dormitory fees at colleges and universities. That is proposed in a third bill, H-7722, and Carnevale is the main sponsor of that legislation as well. “We are happy to have all these students who are living in dorms because they add to the vibrancy of the community and they contribute to the financial health of the community. Trying to impose some sort of student fee would, I think, be the wrong direction to take,” Carnevale said in a press statement. “On the other hand, the dorms house many students and, like other buildings in the city or town -- residential or commercial -- dormitories benefit from community services and the communities deserve some recompense for that.” The flurry of nonprofit tax legislation comes as Providence edges ever closer to bankruptcy. The city’s tax-exempt property is valued at $3 billion, and if it was taxed like other real estate, $105 million in new revenues would be generated, according to State House figures. The Ruggerio-Goodwin bill asks for just one-fourth of that. The legislation was submitted at the request of Mayor Angel Taveras. “I appreciate and commend Majority Leader Ruggerio for his leadership and his ongoing support of Providence. Senator Ruggerio’s bill will provide our city with additional tools to get Providence’s fiscal house in order,” Taveras said in a press statement. ‘It’s about fairness’ Ruggerio pointed out that labor unions have already made concessions to help the city save money. Ruggerio said it’s time for nonprofit institutions of health care and higher education to help. “It’s about fairness,” Ruggerio said. “For a long time, they haven’t been taxed.”
Ruggerio said that the specter of bankruptcy is very much a real possibility. “I think it’s real. It’s a real situation,” he said. But so far, talks between the city and the biggest property owner among local universities, Brown, have failed to lead to any agreement on increases in voluntary tax payments (the university does pay about $4 million in various voluntary tax payments). The pressure has been ramped up on the Ivy League institution after Johnson & Wales struck an agreement with the city to boost its payments from approximately $300,000 a year to as much as $1.4 million. “Johnson and Wales is an example of an institution that has stepped up to the plate to do its fair share in these difficult times, tripling their payments in lieu of taxes to the city,” Goodwin said. However, Brown has a potential trump card that could protect it from any efforts to force it to pay taxes to the city: its royal charter, which predates the existence of the State of Rhode Island and the U.S. Constitution. Both the state and the U.S. constitutions grandfather in any such charters, which are akin to contracts, as does the state law on tax-exemptions. Ruggerio said the legal ramifications of the charter will be addressed in the hearing process for the bill. “Everyone’s going to put their cards on the table, so to speak,” Ruggerio said. He believes that the time is ripe for the state legislature to make its move. He noted that even on Brown’s campus, a new student group has formed and is calling upon the university to help the city. “Even the university students are a little concerned about the financial well-being of the City of Providence,” Ruggerio said.
Page 16
Common Ground
APRIL 2012
Sen. Tassoni receives homeless advocacy award State Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr. was honored last month with the Senator Jack Reed Advocacy Award at the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless Annual Awards Luncheon. Sen. Tassoni was recognized for his dedicated advocacy on behalf of the homeless and as a champion of the need for more affordable housing. “I’m very honored and humbled to receive this award, and hopeful that my efforts in this past year will make a lasting change for the homeless of Rhode Island,” said Sen. Tassoni. As a direct result of hearings held by the Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government, on which Sen. Tassoni is chairman, Rhode Island reactivated the permanent
Interagency Council on Homelessness. This18-member council is charged with developing a strategic plan to end homelessness in the state in cooperation with state agencies, community-based, and volunteer organizations as well as with advocacy groups and businesses. In 2012, Sen. Tassoni initiated the Homeless Bill of Rights which is intended to ensure homeless Rhode Islanders experience the same rights, privileges, and access to public services as any other citizen, such as the right to use public spaces, the right to vote, and the right to equal treatment by employers, police and medical professionals. Recently, the senator has introduced legislation that would provide $12.5
million in funding to build affordable housing for lowincome individuals and families through the Neighborhood Opportunities Program and would put a $75 million Housing Bond on the ballot in November. Over the last year and a half, Sen. Tassoni has held five hearings regarding the homeless crisis in RI. These hearings have brought vital attention to the lack of funding for emergency State Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr. speaks at the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless Annual Awards Luncheon. winter shelters, the difficult In 2004, he authored the Housing living conditions at Harrington Act, which addressed the great and Hall, and the significant challenge continuing need for affordable housing Rhode Islanders face in securing safe, in Rhode Island. affordable housing.
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Common Ground
APRIL 2012
Page 17
Tax credit can help small businesses offset health insurance expenses By Lt. Gov. Roberts
In a nationwide survey last year of more than 2,000 randomly selected public and private employers offering health benefits, only 29 percent of employers with 50 or fewer workers said they attempted to determine if they were eligible for the small business health care tax credit. The survey was conducted by the Kaiser Family Fund and is available on its Web site http://ehbs.kff.org/ pdf/2011/8225.pdf. I chair the Rhode Island Healthcare Reform Commission and the Small Business Advocacy Council, and the organizations want to see more Rhode Island employers take advantage of the tax credit. The small business health care tax credit was made available as part of the Affordable Care Act to help employers with low- and moderate-income
workers afford the cost of providing coverage for their employees. In a state with approximately 24,000 small businesses, my aim is to make sure those employers know about the tax credit and take advantage of that valuable opportunity. The tax credit, which is effective immediately, can cover up to 35 percent of the premiums a small business pays to insure its workers. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the tax credit will save U.S. small businesses $40 billion by 2019. The tax credit was recently simplified and further expanded, allowing even more companies and tax-exempts to be eligible. Generally, employers that have fewer than 25 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees and pay wages averaging less
than $50,000 per employee per year may qualify for the credit. Because the eligibility formula is based in part on the number of FTEs, not the number of employees, employers that have more than 25 individual workers may also qualify if some of their employees are part-time. In effect, you add up the number of “full-time equivalent” workers. Part-time workers count as a fraction of one full-time, or 40-hour, worker. For example, two half-time, or 20hour, workers count as one full-time equivalent. If the average wage of your full-time equivalent workers is less than $50,000, you may qualify for the credit. The health insurance coverage you provide must be for single members, not families. For each year from 2010 through
2013, the maximum credit is 35 percent of premium costs paid by eligible small businesses. An enhanced version of the credit will be effective beginning in 2014, when the rate will increase to 50 percent. The maximum credit is 25 percent of premium costs for eligible tax-exempt organizations. The credit went into effect on Jan. 1, 2010, and is available this year to businesses filing their 2011 tax returns. Filers must use Form 8941 - Credit for Small Employer Health Insurance Premiums. Some restrictions apply. More details can be found on the Rhode Island Healthcare Reform Commission Web site, www.healthcare. ri.gov, and from the Internal Revenue Service. Elizabeth H. Roberts is lieutenant governor of Rhode Island.
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Page 18
Common Ground
APRIL 2012
SEIU and Genesis continue battle over hikes for health care coverage By Common Ground staff
Contract negotiations between the for an individual plan. In Greenville, Service Employees International Union the yearly totals are approximately (SEIU) Local 1199 in Rhode Island $3,400 for a family plan and $1,500 for and the Genesis HealthCare Corp. individual coverage. remain stalled, according to a union According to Cotta, Genesis is spokesperson. seeking to impose a contract that would The reason for the deadlock is expose workers to up to $11,000 a disagreement over how much money year in health insurance premium coemployees at the Skilled Nursing and payments, which employees earning FRI. has AUGUST 27 to MON. AUGUST 30 Rehabilitation centers in Pawtucket and between $24,000 and $30,000 per year Greenville should contribute toward outraged. their health insurance premiums, said “This is a profit-hungry, multiEXTENDED HOURS: SUN.-THURS. 11 PMmillion dollar company, and it’s time the spokesperson. FRI.-SAT. MIDNIGHT According to the SEIU’s Barbara they start treating us like human Cotta, nurses, certified nursing beings,” said Deborah Armfield, a CNA assistants (CNA) and other workers who works at the Pawtucket location, in at the facilities voted 140 to 7 at a release issued by Cotta. “For 22 years, the beginning of March to reject I have worked hard and taken good 8-11 Sun.-Wed. • 9-12 Fri. & Sat. management’s plan that calls on care of my patients. But if I had to pay employees to pay thousands of more a third of my income in health care, I dollars per year for health insurance wouldn’t even be able to take care of my coverage. own family.” At Genesis in Pawtucket, workers According to the SEIU, the contribute a weekly health insurance coPennsylvania-based Genesis HealthCare payment that totals more than $4,600 Corp. is a for-profit nursing home a year for family coverage and $1,600 operator that runs more than 200
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facilities in 13 different states. Seven of those homes are in Rhode Island, and the company received more than $35 million in reimbursements from the state last year. In addition to being more expensive for employees, the SEIU spokesperson said, the health coverage on the bargaining table is inferior to the current plan, which has employees concerned about the impact that will have on their work performance. “If I’m worried about how I’m going to pay for my daughters’ hospital visit and still keep food on the table, I’m going to have a harder time ensuring my patients get the best care they can,” said Ibrahima Konte, a CNA at Greenville, in Cotta’s release. “The best way to ensure stable care for our residents is to ensure a stable work force. If Genesis gets their way, the turnover is going to go through the roof.” Genesis shows little sign of budging, according to Cotta. In an
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Common Ground
APRIL 2012
Page 19
Health reform provision slashes costs for senior citizens and others By John A. Pernorio The second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was observed on March 23, and to see what it has meant for members of the Rhode Island American Retirees Association and other Americans, go to www.ri-ara. org and click on the RI ARA News tab. There you will find all the links to: ACA state-by-state numbers, ACA PowerPoint presentations, and ACA fact sheets on Healthcare.gov/My Care Each day, we hear stories of hardworking people losing their health care benefits or struggling with the old health care system; being denied care when they need it most; or making choices between buying groceries and filling their prescription drugs. The good news is that things are changing
because of the ACA. For Steven, the law helped him get coverage under his parents’ health plan, which helped him fight cancer and finish college. And it gave Steven’s mom greater peace of mind that her son was getting the care he needed to be healthy and live the life of an active 23-yearold. Helen, a senior in the “doughnut hole” coverage gap, got help with her prescription drug costs and can now get preventive health screenings without breaking the bank. Those are just a few examples of how everyday Americans are no longer at the mercy of insurance companies; these are our friends and neighbors. Thanks to “Steven-care,” many young adults can get covered under their parents’
health plans, and thanks to “Helencare,” seniors are getting help paying for prescription drugs. To learn what different parts of the health law mean for people such as Steven and Helen, check out www. healthcare.gov/mycare, which features new videos about people from across the country that have been affected by the law. You can participate by helping to get the word out about the ACA. If you have a Steven or Helen story about how the ACA has helped you, use social media to share the information as we observe the second anniversary of the health care law. You can use Twitter or Facebook to share your stories with us. Here’s how:
On Twitter, sign in and send us a tweet, using the hash tag #MyCare. On Facebook, you can leave a comment on one of the postings on our Facebook page, Facebook.com/ HealthCareGov. Pass this along to all your retiree organization members and have them contact their U.S. representative and senator to ask them to continue to support the ACA as they have in the past. Also, thank them for their support. John A. Pernorio is president of the Rhode Island American Retirees Association. Contact him at (401) 722-2770, www.ri-ara.org or japernorio_riara@hotmail.com.
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Common Ground
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