Governor Sarah Palin Credits Her “good union job” for Past Health Care Coverage, While Senator McCain Never Met a Union He Liked…

….Not to Mention a Health Care Plan that Actually Covers Any of the 47 Million Uninsured Americans

Washington D.C. – Fresh on the heels of an embarrassing contradiction between Senator John McCain and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin over the issue of making public statements about attacking terrorist targets in Pakistan, the running mates are at odds again after Palin credited her “good union job” for delivering health care for her family, despite McCain’s solid, unapologetic record of opposition to unions and giving America’s workers a chance to get ahead and bargain for better pay, retirement security, and – yes — quality and affordable healthcare. 

During an interview on the Hugh Hewitt radio program Tuesday, Palin said: “Yeah, there’s been a lot of times that Todd and I have had to figure out how we were going to pay for health insurance. We’ve gone through periods of our life here with paying out of pocket for health coverage until Todd and I both landed a couple of good union jobs. Early on in our marriage, we didn’t have health insurance, and we had to either make the choice of paying out of pocket for catastrophic coverage or just crossing our fingers, hoping that nobody would get hurt, nobody would get sick. So I know what Americans are going through there.”

“While Governor Palin rightly appreciates the “good union job” she had for providing the healthcare her family needed and didn’t have – Senator McCain certainly doesn’t appreciate the freedom of American workers to form such a union,” said Jeremy Funk, of Americans United for Change, the progressive issue-advocacy group sponsoring the national Bush Legacy Tour, which features an exhibit on Workers’ Rights.

“Senator McCain has been a consistent and fierce opponent of the Employee Free Choice Act, which would level the company-dominated playing field and restore the freedom of workers to organize and bargain for better wages and benefits. And, at the behest of his friends in Corporate America who’ve given so, so very much to his campaign, Senator McCain has been an even fiercer proponent of the national “right to work” for less law that would attempt to eradicate unions altogether.” 

“That Governor Palin and her husband Todd were finally able to receive quality, affordable healthcare from their “good union jobs” is no surprise or accident,” continued Funk.  “Workers that belong to a union are 28% more likely to get company health insurance, not to mention earn almost 15% more than workers in comparable jobs without unions. They’re also 54% more likely to have a pension and 14% more likely to have paid time off. That’s why almost 60% of workers say they’d join a union if they had the chance.  But, these sorts of advantages unions provide the disappearing middle-class in this country mean little to John McCain, the eighth richest Senator with 9 homes, 13 cars and $500 loafers.” 

“Senator McCain and President Bush are two peas in pod when it comes to distaining unions and a “leave no CEO behind” conservative philosophy.  And since President Bush took office, Americans have found themselves working longer hours just to get by – and the income gap explode between working Americans and the wealthiest few. The top earning 300,000 Americans collectively control as much income as the lowest earning 150,000,000 Americans. The average CEO makes 262 times the pay of average employees. Just like Bush, to John McCain, protecting workers’ rights means protecting CEOs’ rights.”

THE RECORD: McCAIN OPPOSES THE FREEDOM TO FORM UNIONS

[SOURCE: AFL-CIO]

McCain Voted Against the Employee Free Choice Act but for a National ‘Right to Work’ for Less Law. McCain voted against the Employee Free Choice Act, which would level the playing field for workers trying to form unions. He voted for a national “right to work” for less law that would attempt to eliminate unions altogether. (H.R. 800, Vote 227, 6/26/07; S. 1788 Vote 188, 7/10/96)

McCain Voted to Allow Employers to Hire Permanent Replacements During a Strike. McCain voted against ending debate on a bill that would bar employers from hiring permanent replacements for striking workers. (S. 55, Vote 189, 7/13/94)

Against Giving Firefighters and Police a Voice on the Job. Firefighters and police risk their lives every day to protect the public, yet McCain voted to deny them the right to discuss workplace issues with their employer in 2001 and skipped a vote on the issue in 2008. (H.R. 3061, Vote 323, 11/6/01; S. 2123, 10/1/07; H.R. 980, Vote 126, 5/13/08)McCain Voted Against Collective Bargaining Rights for TSA Screeners. McCain voted against a measure to grant Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport screeners limited collective bargaining rights. The measure would not have allowed them to strike or negotiate for higher pay. (S. 4, Vote 64, 3/7/07)

McCain Has a 17 Percent Lifetime AFL-CIO Rating. (AFL-CIO McCain Congressional Scorecard)

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