By Bob Hennelly

On the New Year’s edition of the Stuck Nation Labor Radio Hour, we celebrate a tentative contract between 32 BJ SEIU, representing 20,000 commercial building service workers, and New York City’s Realty Advisory Board that averts a major strike and the creation of an exploitative two tier workforce. Over the next several weeks, union members will weigh in on the tentative four year agreement that raises wages, safeguards healthcare coverage, and enhances pension benefits.  

Healthcare is the number one labor issue in the nation whether Washington admits or not. And in the second half of the show we are joined by Arne Arnesen, a New Hampshire talk radio host whose program the Attitude with Arne Arnesen is heard throughout the country on the Pacifica Network. Arne, who was trained as a lawyer, served for several years in the New Hampshire legislature and was the first woman to run for governor in the Granite State back in 1992. Throughout her career, she’s been a tireless champion for universal healthcare. She’s joined by retired New York City FDNY EMT Marianne Pizzitola, who is president of the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees. NYCOPSR has successfully fought an epic battle on behalf of 250,000 retired New York City civil servants who do not want to be forced off of traditional Medicare and onto the predatory for-profit Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan — which is neither Medicare nor an advantage.

Universal healthcare campaigner Scott Desnoyers, who is based in Saratoga County New York, but has been touring the country promoting the essential documentary “Healing Us," that’s narrated by Susan Sarandon, also joins the discussion. The film includes several soul wrenching accounts of the brutality of our current for-profit health care system, including the tragic story of  Scott’s son Danny who  committed suicide because he missed his $20 monthly premium and was cut off from his psychiatric meds.

Listen to the entire show right here.

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