Oakland, California. The 140,000 member United Healthcare Workers West, an affiliate of SEIU, has endorsed HR 676, legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) which would implement a single payer healthcare system in the U.S.

In a letter to Conyers’ office announcing the endorsement, Richard Thomason, Policy Director for the union, expressed the union’s “strong support for HR 676” and went on to state:

“Like every other industrialized nation, the United States should provide health security for its residents as a matter of basic human dignity. Your legislation would accomplish that critically important goal.

“Our local represents 140,000 caregivers who work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and homecare programs across California. Every day our member see the harmful consequences of being uninsured among their family members and the people they care for on the job. HR 676 will ensure that all Americans have health coverage through a publicly financed, privately delivered health care system that provides high quality, cost- effective health care.”

United Healthcare Workers West is the second largest local in the SEIU. The largest, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East has also endorsed HR 676 along with Local 73 in Chicago and Pennsylvania locals 668 and 1199P.