Lakewood, Colorado. The Colorado State Building & Construction Trades Council is the fifth state council to endorse HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI).

Neal Hall, Business Manager for the Council, said after the vote: “My Council had a unanimous vote on endorsement of HR 676 due to the fact that cost of health care through collective bargaining has increased approximately 17 to 25 per cent each year over the last ten years in Colorado. It would be nice to see negotiated wage increases going to wages instead of health care and thereby benefit the membership as was intended.”

Statewide building and construction trades councils that have endorsed HR 676 are Maine, Texas, Washington, New Hampshire, and Colorado. Eight other city or county building trades councils have also endorsed HR 676.