PSI Health Blog

Public sector workers paying for corporate tax cuts

Jorge — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:42:49 +0200

'Public employees are being asked to make a contribution of $750 million towards a $3.6-billion tax cut for large corporations.' By Larry Brown National Secretary-Treasurer National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) Ottawa (31 March 2010) - The Ontario budget for 2010 wasn’t the worst budget possible – in some ways. There are even many things to admire in it. But this budget was among the best at making one simple point very clear: in the opinion of many governments these days, if you work for the public, providing important services, you will be expected to contribute some of your wages to the noble cause of corporate tax cuts. Consider the numbers provided by the government itself: Public sector wage freezes will ‘save’ the government $750 million over two years. Corporate tax cuts will cost the government $3.6 billion over three years. The budget says about $1 billion of...

Health care reform in the USA

Jorge — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:27:42 +0100

A STEP FORWARD, MUCH WORK LEFT TO DO STATEMENTS BY PSI AFFILIATES AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee, Vice President of the AFL-CIO "Tonight's historic vote marks a major milestone in the struggle to break the power of the insurance industry and provide quality, affordable health care for millions of American families. Democrats in the House, with the determined leadership of President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, demonstrated the courage that is necessary to defeat the special interests and do what is right for the American people. AFSCME members will remember those who stood with us and those who stood with the insurance industry.... Together, we will not fail. Tonight, we celebrate a monumentally important victory for our country. Tomorrow, we get back to work in the fight to make health care reform happen." Read more: A Monumentally Important Victory for Our CountryAFSCME launches ad campaign SEIU Anna Burger SEIU...

Chile earthquake: need to invest in public health, support health workers

Jorge — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:48:21 +0100

PSI affiliate Fenpruss asks the new Government to make the rebuilding of hospitals a priority and to reassess the Health Services Network The Federation’s President stressed that “right now, it’s more important than ever to invest in Public Health”. After the earthquake and tsunami that affected the southern central region of Chile, the National Federation of Health Service University Professionals (FENPRUSS) has stressed how urgent it is that action be taken quickly to deal with the effects of this disaster. “During our visits to hospitals in the 8th Region, we saw how very seriously they had been affected. There are also several rural first aid posts that were not only affected by the earthquake and the tsunami, but also by the looting”, stated Claudio González Jara, the President of FENPRUSS. Experts think it will take three yeas to return to normality, and it is thought that the Government will need...

Icelanders reject becoming Iceslaves

Jorge — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:28:41 +0100

An astounding 93% of voters reject unfair terms imposed by the governments of the UK and the Netherlands as Iceland takes the lead in following a democratic approach to handling the consequences of the crisis [Please see statement by Ogmundur Jonasson] On 6 March, 2010, Icelanders did what no one in the world has done yet. Un-fazed by near-freezing weather and drizzle they went to the polls and let their government and the world know they will not be made to shoulder an unfair and unsustainable burden for the reckless policies of greedy private bankers. They made it clear they refuse to be made Iceslaves by the fallout from the Icesave collapse. They voted on a referendum on whether or not the Icesave bill approved by a narrow majority in Parliament and vetoed by President Olafur Grimsson, should be enacted. The bill would obligate Iceland to accept the terms set...