Unions fighting expanding access to public option

[SpartanDem]

I'm sure some of you are familiar with Ron Wyden's fight to expand access to the exchanges and therefore a public option. Obviously, insurance companies were opposed, but it turns out unions have been fighting this too, because they say it lessens their bargaining power. This is something that has gone largely ignored in the health care debate, seems pretty hypocritical for unions to extol the benefits of a public option while working to prevent access to it for millions of Americans.Hopefully, the Free Choice Amendment makes a comeback in the final bill




Labor groups didn't like it because they lose control over their members' health benefits. That's not an entirely selfish concern: It is easier to bargain on behalf of your workers or members if they have no other options, and thus are guaranteed customers for the insurer.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/10/the_status_quo_wins_in_health-.html



Wyden's effort was bitterly opposed by unions, which historically have been friendly to Oregon's senior senator. Labor officials feared that Wyden's approach would weaken the bond between workers and the employers who give them health coverage.

The breach was highlighted in May when three major unions underwrote a $60,000 ad campaign in Portland and Eugene that criticized Wyden.

http://bulletin.aarp.org/states/or/2009/39/articles/wyden_withdraws_amendment_senate_panel_hashes.html