Seaside, Oregon. The Oregon AFL-CIO is the 25th state AFL-CIO federation to endorse HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI). The HR 676 resolution was passed at the state”, “s convention which met here Oct. 8-10.

The Oregon AFL-CIO resolution states: “…(T)here is ample evidence that a competitive free-market approach to solving America’s healthcare crisis does not lower costs, improve access or guarantee high quality care and that the primary beneficiaries of such an approach have proven to be pharmaceutical companies, equipment manufacturers, insurance carriers, providers and others who reap significant profits….”

The resolution continues, “…(T)he fundamental principal of the labor movement–that fragmentation leads to weakness while solidarity leads to strength–is a powerful tool that can be applied to create a consolidated, single payer American healthcare system.”

AFT Local 2277, which represents two thousand full and part-time faculty and non-teaching academic professionals at Portland Community College, submitted the HR 676 resolution.