By Mark H. Ayers
President
Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
Ever since I assumed the presidency of the Building and Construction Trades Department in October, 2007, I have been very aggressive in trying to get our unions focused on “stepping out of the box” to confront a plethora of challenges – most prominently the need to establish a new brand identity for union construction that is based upon pride, performance and professionalism.
It has been, and will continue to be, my goal to help position our industry in a manner to proactively demonstrate – to construction owners, contractors, public officials and the general public – the value of utilizing the safest, most highly trained and productive workforce in the world.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) today launched 'Voices of El Paso’s Uninsured,' a web video profiling four local families struggling to pay for health care costs. The House of Representatives is scheduled to debate health insurance reform legislation in the coming weeks.
“The compelling stories of these families and their financial struggles due to unexpected illness underscore the need for health insurance reform,” Congressman Reyes said. “Unfortunately, these stories are not unique in our community. With over 230,000 people without health insurance, thousands of El Paso residents experience financial hardship everyday due to medical costs. Health insurance reform is vital for this community.”
Nationally, over 47 million people living in the United States lack health coverage. Texas has both the highest number and percentage of people without heath insurance in the entire nation. The state also has the dubious distinction of having both the highest number and percentage of children without health insurance. El Paso has one of the highest concentrations of America’s uninsured population, with over 230,000 residents without health coverage, nearly one in three people. The high rate of people without health insurance negatively affects the entire community, even those who do have health insurance.
“When people don’t have health insurance, they wind up in our emergency rooms and that’s the most expensive type of care possible,” Reyes added. “When people don’t pay for treatment and services at University Medical Center, taxpayers are stuck with the bill. We need to reform our health insurance system to ensure that companies cannot deny coverage to people who have preexisting conditions and serious illnesses. The stakes for our community and our country are far too great. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the coming weeks on this vital issue.”
Contact Jerry Arms for dates, times, and more information about the JSM exams or call 505 266 5878.
Executive Board meeting will be held at 5pm on the third Friday of every month.
Union meeting will be held at 7pm on the third Friday of every month.
