JwJ leaders and allies put on HONKIN’ Good Health Care ACTION!

Throughout the State, Jobs with Justice leaders and our allies contributed mightily to the National Health Care Day of Action.  Designed to hold Congress’ feet to the fire to "Deliver on health care reform" rush hour, "Honk for Health Care" actions in St. Louis, Kansas City and even Ellington, Missouri helped draw attention to the issue and increase public support for health care reform.

In the media:

JwJ Leaders Bradley Harmon, Joan Suarez, Mark Esters, Shannon Duffy, Mary Casey and Adam Shriver hit all the media talking points, especially in this coverage on Fox2 news and in the St. Louis Post Dispatch:

• Fox 2 News in St. Louis.    
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch 

Direct Action

All told, more than 80  JwJ leaders took action among more than 250 people at 10 intersections across the state.  The still-young Kansas City Jobs with Justice chapter partnered with the Greater Kansas City Labor Council to turn out 42 demonstrators during the evening rush hour.  See fun pictures from the actions here!

Adding up to win Federal Health Care Reform. 

JwJ leaders have decided to work in broad coalition to help aggregate enough power to overcome insurance companies and other moneyed opponents in the important struggle for quality, affordable health care.  This Day of Action was one example of how coalition-organizing is valuable.    While JwJ was raising the profile of health care reform on street corners at rush hour, and generating calls to the Senate with accompanying canvasses, other allies were working phone banks, doing additional actions and mobilizing people across the whole country.  The results?  The national goal of 100,000 calls to congress was blown away by mid-afternoon and ultimately more than 300,000 pro-reform calls were made to Congress in just one day!  Headlines like  Health Care "Day of Action" Overtakes Congress dominated national news.

Allies:  Kudos to member organizations and allies who lifted load, staffed intersections, and turned out dozens of activists: Missouri Health Care for All, Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice, Central Reform Congregation, Paraquad, Disability Coalition for Health Care Reform, Missouri Budget Project, Provote, CWA Local 6355-Missouri State Workers Union, and the Greater Kansas City Labor Council. SEIU Local 1, GRO-Grass Roots Organizing and others.