NEWS
Thursday, November 20, 2003
A number of organizations are planning an "All-Campus Labor Rally" tomorrow:"The All Campus Labor Council, a coalition of unions on campus, is holding a rally in front of the Fleming Building Thursday at 12:30 PM to urge the regents to stop the erosion of employee health care. Hundreds of U of M workers, students and teachers are gathering at the Cube to protest increased costs and a decrease in the quality of care. The rally will include speeches from Ken Chavez, a representative from the Skilled Trades Union, Dave Dobbie and Bella Muntz, members of the Graduate Employees Organization, Gina Soter from the Lecturer Employees Organization, Molly Haggerty from Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality and a representative from the Michigan Nurse’s Association.
The rally is being organized in response to University-wide cuts in employee in health care benefits increasing premiums. Indicative of these changes is the University’s plan to shift the cost of health care onto the shoulders of the graduate student employees by demanding that they pay premiums for the first time in 25 years. On January 1, 2003, University contracted out the graduate employees’ prescription drug benefit to Advance PCS, a change that has resulted in lower quality care and higher costs."
Posted by Rob at 2:05 AM
