Local 212 of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has endorsed HR 676, national single payer health care legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI).

The local represents 1,500 faculty as well as counselors, and other professional staff who work at the Milwaukee Area Technical College, one of the ten largest technical colleges in the country.

Michael Rosen, AFT Local 212 President, said:

“We’ve been working without a contract for over a year and negotiating since September of 2005. One of the biggest obstacles in reaching a settlement is the rising cost of health care. We believe that health care is a basic democratic right; all Americans should have health care.

We also recognize that once there is universal coverage and healthcare costs are removed from negotiations, labor negotiations will be less contentious.”

Local 212, chartered by the AFT in 1930, was the first organization to represent teachers under Wisconsin’s pioneering public employee law.