Health Care Giants Spent $86 Million in Effort to Kill Reform

by James Parks, Nov 19, 2010

We reported that Big Insurance funneled millions of dollars to the Chamber of Commerce to fight health care reform and millions more to try and water down the law once it was passed. Now Bloomberg Business News reporter Drew Armstrong has put a price tag on the effort to kill the bill. In an article earlier this week, Armstrong says tax records show big health insurers last year gave the Chamber $86.2 million that was used to oppose the health care overhaul law.

AFL-CIO Blog Archives for October 2010

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Wal-Mart Plans to Open 4 Stores in the District

By Jonathan O'Connell and Mike DeBonis
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, November 18, 2010; 12:49 AM

Wal-Mart announced plans Wednesday to enter the District for the first time, laying out an aggressive strategy to open four stores and hire 1,200 people in the city by 2012.

The blueprint is part of a national effort by the chain to expand beyond rural and suburban areas, where its low prices and massive stores transformed the retail landscape, into urban markets. Although Wal-Mart already operates stores in Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland, it has never had a store in the District.

Bill Clinton Rallies Miami Students to Support Alex Sink for Governor

Former President Bill Clinton, left, joins Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink for an early vote rally in Miami at Miami Dade College North Campus, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010. President Clinton addressed how critical voting for Sink is, especially during an election year that will so greatly impact the future of Florida

By John Lantigua Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 10:01 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010
Posted: 11:48 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010

MIAMI — MIAMI- Former president Bill Clinton had an enthusiastic college crowd of about 600 at his feet Thursday morning and told them what the political experts were saying about them.

He said predictions are that as many as 55 percent of young people who voted in 2008 —and helped elect President Barack Obama -- will not vote this time. Clinton imagined such a young person saying they had "something else to do on Election Day."

"Like heck you do," he shouted at the crowd.

AFL-CIO Blog Archives for September 2010

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AFL-CIO Blog Archives for August 2010

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AFL-CIO Blog Archives for July 2010

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Report: Ascension Hospitals Disrespect Nurses’ Rights

by James Parks, Jul 19, 2010

Three Michigan hospitals affiliated with Ascension Health System consistently refuse to respect workers’ freedom to join a union and bargain collectively, according to a new report by Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ). The report shows the Catholic hospitals’ actions directly oppose long-standing Catholic social teachings. In fact, IWJ says, the anti-union behavior and worker disrespect demonstrated in the report represent “a fall from grace,” and so named the report: “Ascension Health: A Fall From Grace.”

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OSHA Launches New Whistleblower Protection Site

by Mike Hall, Jul 16, 2010

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that workers who blow the whistle on safety violations and other unlawful practices “play an important role in assuring compliance with federal laws.”

But, say workplace safety advocates, too many times workers don’t speak up about safety and health problems on the job because they fear retaliation from their employers, even though it’s illegal.


OSHA now has a new website specifically dedicated to its whistleblower protection program, www.whistleblowers.gov. The site is designed to provide workers, employers and the public with easily accessible information about the 18 federal whistleblower protection statutes that OSHA currently administers. OSHA chief David Michaels says: