The Road to Health Care

Child care teachers are suffering

Health care costs are spiraling out of control. More than 47 million Americans have no coverage at all. But instead of offering a plan to make sure everyone can get good health care, presidential candidate John McCain’s proposals would actually make it harder to get affordable coverage – and Washington residents are speaking out.

On Monday, Aug. 11, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott joined health care workers, long term care aides, and child care providers from SEIU to share their stories from the front lines of the health care crisis and distribute a report detailing how John McCain’s health care proposals would actually make it harder for Americans to get coverage, would jeopardize quality by eroding regulations that protect patients, and would do little to prevent the continuing escalation of costs.

Carol Gilmore, site director for Precious Time child care center in Tacoma, who is helping to organize her union with SEIU Local 925 described how low wages and no health insurance undermines the well-being of her co-workers.

My co-workers and I have no medical insurance. We have what I call the child care medical leave plan—first you get sick, then you leave.

Without medical insurance, child care staff can’t afford take to take care of small medical concerns, which then become big problems.

Let me tell you about one co-worker who had diabetes.

She tried to take care of it on her own—but after three years without medical care, she was sicker and sicker.
She developed lupus—and she is losing her sight.

She is in a nursing home.

She had been a child care worker for 6 years.

Patty is 26 years old.

Child care center workers are organizing together to change that by forming a union—and by joining a movement to guarantee health care for all. It’s time our society stood up for children and their health and the health of those who educate and care for them.

Let’s do it for Patty. Let’s do it for us all.