Rich Raimonde, Secretary of Local 534 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, NALC, reports that his local has endorsed HR 676, national single payer legislation known as the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act.

Following his local’s vote, Raimonde stated, “I can attest to the greed of the ‘for profit’ health care industry since my sister has to order her life sustaining meds from Canada or face the prospect of the ‘poor house.’

“This sort of predatory behavior must end, because it diminishes us as human beings. And considering the political climate in New Jersey, the sooner we take health care off the collective bargaining table the better,” Raimonde said.

Raimonde notes that his local voted to endorse the bill and to affiliate with New Jersey One Plan One Nation, a state single payer organization, following a presentation by Steelworker Ray Stever outlining why organized labor should take a leading role in the expansion of Medicare to all of our people.

Raimonde urges all unions to get involved in the fight for universal single payer health care and in the effort to include labor education as a part of the core ciriculum in the schools.

He reports that his NALC National Union Convention endorsed HR 676 in 2010.