Healthcare reform is the number one priority in Congress for the first time in years.  Insurance companies are spending millions to derail reform, and special interests are trying to pay for changes by raising your costs through a new tax on benefits.

That's why the NALC is asking all its members to participate in the AFL-CIO's National Healthcare Day of Action on Thursday, November 5.  Please take a moment when it is convenient for you, while off the clock, to call 1-877-3-AFL-CIO (1-877-323-5246), press '1', and you will be prompted to your U.S. Senator.  Please urge him/her to support meaningful healthcare reform that doesn't tax existing healthcare plans and includes universal coverage with a strong public insurance option and an employer mandate.  Then, hang-up and call 1-877-3-AFL-CIO (1-877-323-5246) again and press '2' to urge your U.S. Representative to do the same.

Healthcare reform is not a separate issue from securing the future of the Postal Service and we cannot afford to let others decide for us.  Every NALC member should understand that the stakes are high for both the Postal Service and letter carriers. 

There are three reasons why health care reform is an NALC priority:

·      First, skyrocketing healthcare costs are damaging our standard of living. Our FEHBP premiums have doubled since 2000. Meanwhile, our wages have NOT doubled, which means healthcare costs are eating into our take-home salaries.

·      Second, without real reform, our nation's economy and the fiscal stability of our national and state governments will be severely damaged. A weak economy is bad news for the Postal Service, and rising federal deficits driven by soaring Medicare and Medicaid costs expose letter carriers' pension and health care benefits to the relentless pressure of budget cuts.

·      Third, the soaring cost of health care poses a major financial threat to the Postal Service and, therefore, to the security of our jobs.  Unless we fix our dysfunctional healthcare system, it will be difficult to get the kind of long-term relief from the pre-funding of retiree health benefits burden that the Postal Service needs to prosper. 

Please remember to a moment on Thursday, November 5 to dial 1-877-3-AFL-CIO (1-877-323-5246) urging your lawmakers to support meaningful healthcare reform that doesn’t tax existing healthcare plans and includes universal coverage with a strong public insurance option and an employer mandate. 

In solidarity,
Fredric V. Rolando
President