Washington, DC. The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) has adopted single payer health care as a legislative priority for 2009.

A copy of the APWU’s booklet “Legislative Priorities 2009” has just been placed on the union’s website. On page ten of the booklet, under the heading “Universal Healthcare: A Basic Human Right,” the APWU states the following:

SINGLE PAYER The labor movement supports the "single-payer" system under which all healthcare revenue goes into a single public fund that pays for all medical services. A single-payer system would:

• Guarantee the same coverage for all citizens, regardless of employment status or wealth;
• Provide a free choice in the selection of a caregiver;
• Reduce administrative costs; and,
• Leave decision-making tasks in the hands of the public.

And, it can be done. Systems like this have been adopted by all other industrialized nations. APWU will support legislation that provides affordable – and adequate – single-payer healthcare coverage for all.

The full booklet can be found at:

http://www.apwu.org/dept/legis/leg-prioritiesbrochure_feb2009.pdf

The APWU is the world’s largest postal union, representing more than 330,000 United States Postal Service employees and retirees, and nearly 2,000 private-sector mail workers. APWU has 1600 state and local unions and retiree chapters in every state and territory.