The GHI/HIP merger — more corporate shenanigans

This alert on the merger (and privatization) of the GHI and HIP health plans has been submitted by John Powers. It is a call to action, so anyone who reads this in the NYC area, please try to attend the next demonstration:


[Extracted from a longer post]

There is much work to do. Rest assured, if rank and file members begin to organize, mobilize and make noise, our leadership will begin to transform itself or it will disappear and be replaced.

Transformation is not impossible.

I was recently asked: How long have you been an activist?

Answer: Since my first DA in October 2007 (7 months). I spent the last fifteen years of my life with my "face in the books." I didn't get up off my ass to do anything connected with my political and societal beliefs (one big exception, of course, has been teaching and mentoring students and other educators). Democracy and equality are still the cornerstones of my teaching life; but the consciousness raising events of becoming a chapter chair have transformed me. Quite frankly, it has been an exciting, inspiring, scary and humbling experience.

I have made mistakes. Mistakes make you feel stupid and can threaten to undermine you. I reread something I sent out a while ago that said: "Union Member Who Told Cami Anderson to Stick It."

Can anyone say "Jackass?" What was I thinking?

I have also had disagreements with a couple of activist friends only to learn that the disagreement had a lot more to do with my inexperience and impatience than it had to do with their being wrong. How can I (we) not make mistakes when the stakes are so high and so many of us have had limited experiences with the kind of work that is needed to help our union and to withstand and turn back the Bloom-Klein tide of so called "educational reform?"

This year I became aware. I put one foot in front of the other each day and try my best to make a difference. It feels good.

I hope I haven't bored anyone. It wasn't meant as a sermon. My apologies if it comes off this way.


NOW: READ THE ATTACHED GOOD NEWS AND PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING US IF YOU CAN ON JUNE 19TH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!