Issues

May 2006

Victory for working women — defeat of health insurance bill

Last month, we asked for your help to block the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act (HIMMA, S 1955), a health care bill that would have eliminated state patient protections that safeguard women's health care needs and prevent discrimination against women by insurance companies.

AFSCME fought hard to ensure that all women have access to critical services, such as mammograms and contraceptive coverage, which should be standard in any health care plan. Thanks to the help of AFSCME women activists who contacted their Senators, the bill was defeated, 55 to 43 on May 15th, 2006. This is one more great example of the power of union women mobilizing for action and making a difference!

Bad budget passes — but not without a fight from working families

This month, Congress passed the federal budget proposal for 2007 by a vote of 218-210. This budget is detrimental to the livelihood and economic security of working women and their families. Not only does the budget include generous tax cuts for the wealthy, but it also cuts funding for Medicaid, childcare services, early education programs and training opportunities for women — making it increasingly difficult for working women to build economic security for their futures and care for their families.

The Republican leadership faced a tough fight moving the budget. They failed twice to garner enough support for the budget — even among their own party. Labor activists, women's organizations and other progressive groups were critical to stalling this disastrous bill, showing that mobilizing and taking action can have an important impact on decisions made by our legislators.

Find out how your legislator voted on the budget.

Why women need to care about tax cuts 

Taxes affect everyone — from the very rich to the very poor. Americans not only pay taxes, we depend on the many resources funded by tax revenues. While most people typically think of tax cuts as good thing, women have a lot to lose with the tax policy of President Bush and his administration.

Earlier this month Congress approved $69 billion in tax cuts, which overwhelmingly benefit the very wealthy. In fact, the Tax Policy Center estimates that taxpayers earning $1 million or more a year would receive an average tax cut of $42,766, while workers earning about $40,000 a year could expect to receive a tax cut of only $47!

The impact of these cuts will be damaging to women in terms of government resources and services. For example, funding for educational programs that train women and girls for higher-paying, non-traditional jobs has been eliminated, and funding for domestic violence and child abuse prevention programs has been drastically reduced. Because working women typically earn less than men and take time out of the workforce to care for family members, women rely on these programs for their economic security and well-being. When Congress passes tax cuts that allow wealthy individuals and corporations to pay less in taxes, the pool of money to fund these important public programs shrinks, and women bear the burden.

As public employees, AFSCME women have even more to lose when Congress cuts taxes. The wages that AFSCME women earn are paid for by tax dollars, so when federal taxes are cut, state and local government employers are forced to tighten their budgets to make up for the loss in federal dollars — often times this means cuts to wages, benefits or jobs for hardworking men and women.

In a new book from the National Council for Research on Women, Taxes Are a Woman's Issue: Framing the Debate, authors Mimi Abramovitz and Sandra Morgen explain the connection between the tax system and women's struggle for economic security. We encourage you to learn more about how tax cuts impact the opportunities available and quality of life for hardworking women and share this information with others — when you hear 'tax cut' think 'cut to working women's rights and protections'.

For more information please visit The National Council for Research on Women.

Amazing AFSCME women

AFSCME women not only understand the obstacles that working families face in trying to balance their responsibilities in the workplace and at home, they know how critical flexible workplace policies are to achieving this balance. AFSCME sister Bonnie Caldwell, a member of AFSCME's United Child Care Union, is taking action to ensure that all working families have access to family-friendly programs and policies through the Work and Family Bill of Rights. On May, 11th 2006, Bonnie spoke out at a congressional briefing in Washington, D.C. to encourage advocates to address the challenges of an increasingly female-dominated workforce that includes many workers employed in the childcare industry. The Work and Family Bill of Rights meets the needs of today's workforce by providing a living wage and medical and leave benefits. This bill will enable Bonnie and millions of working women to fulfill their work responsibilities while caring their families and building for the future. We would like to thank Bonnie for taking action and speaking out on behalf of working families everywhere.

AFSCME women are also taking action in our communities and schools. AFSCME sister Louise Dodson of Local 685 California recently finished the first year of a two-year term as president of the PTA Council at ABC Unified School District in Cerritos, California. Louise is a working parent and strong advocate of parent involvement in schools. "I believe that making a difference in the lives of our children is the key to the future and our families," says Louise. Louise is a strong leader and an inspiration to other AFSCME women who want to make a difference for working families in their communities. Dodson credits her AFSCME family for the support and added encouragement she received during the election. Thanks Louise — we wish you the best of luck in your position!

WomENews is produced by the Women's Rights Department and written by Amy Vance.

 

Print Version