Labor Unions Bitter Over Health Insurance Provisions in Baucus Bill

Labor Unions Bitter Over Health Insurance Provisions in Baucus Bill in Politics and Legislation

Just barely has the Democrats’ oh-happy-day sobered up and already serious trouble is galloping their way.

Some of the nation’s largest Labor Unions have actually come out against the health bill just approved by the all-powerful U.S. Senate Finance Committee. And we can see why.

The proposal to tax high-priced health insurance plans would affect half of the 1.6 million members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union alone.

Considering that most of them likely traded pay raises for plusher insurance plans, it’s clear that a fee would kinda sting.

Unions are also pretty unhappy that the bill has no government-sponsored option. 

The Democrats do not want to mess with the unions. They are a big reason why they got elected — and will be a big reason why they get re-elected… or not. Something that the union coalition, which also includes the AFL-CIO, the Air Line Pilots Association and the UAW, is happy to remind their Senators.

Just one more way politics works into health reform.

"We worked for all these people. We worked for Obama," AFSCME head Gerald McEntee told USA Today. "What do we get for it? We not only don't get anything for it, we get a slap in the face."

Unless “slap in the face” is a hilariously cute new term of endearment, it’s clear Labor Unions are none too pleased with the Baucus Bill.

Unless the Democrats (and a certain Republican) want to face television ads and "boots on the ground," they’re going to have to find a way to placate the unions. Unfortunately, the unions’ demands are strongly opposed by Moderate Democrats and Republicans — who aren’t expendable either.

This is going to be a tough one.

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