Minnesota AFL-CIO affiliates are manning county fair booths across East Central Minnesota this summer. They are doing the usual raffles, giveaways, talking to the people. More importantly, they are reaching out to the general public about the need for health care reform now. Just ask Myron Stevens of AFSCME Local 4001 who was at the Brainerd Central Labor Body's booth at the Crow Wing County Fair. He is asking passersby to support health care reform by signing a petition that will be delivered to Senators Klobuchar and Franken this session.
"The time for health care reform is now. We've gone too long with insurance companies charging what they will while more and more of us can't afford health insurance. This petition is one way of gaining support for the issue." And he's right. Real health care reform can't wait.
An overwhelming number of calls were made to Members of Congress last week on July 28 in support of real health care 
reform now. Union members from all around Minnesota participated in phone banks, passed out worksite fliers, and sent emails urging their fellow members to call upon members of Congress to support quality, affordable healthcare we can all count on. Mary Jo Connelly, a retired teacher, and Scott Dulas, a letter carrier from Local 114, phoned union members from the Duluth Labor Temple on behalf of the Northeast Area Labor Council.
Heather Pantce and Tessa Leinonen of Machinists Local 623 made their way to the labor booth at the Benton County Fair on Thursday, August 6 to sign the health care reform petition. Gene Simon, vice president of their local, talked to them about the importance of health care reform.