INDUSTRY STANDARDS POLICY CAMPAIGNS

Legislation that forces developers and companies to be accountable to the public by calling for government regulations.

NYC Health Care Security Act

NYC JwJ spearheaded a coalition of unions, health policy advocates, religious leaders, community groups, business leaders, and activists to win this historic legislation in October 2005. The Health Care Security Act pilot project requires employers in the grocery industry to make contributions toward their employees’ health insurance. The legislation expands health care to 6,000 grocery workers and protects coverage for 21,000 working New Yorkers who currently receive health care through their employers.

LI Fair Share for Health Care

In October 2005, Long Island JwJ led a coalition of unions and other groups to win the Suffolk County Fair Share for Health Care Act in a landslide 17 to 1 vote of the Suffolk County Legislature! The new law will require large grocery stores, including “big box” retailers like Wal-Mart and drug stores that sell groceries, to contribute $3.00 to health care costs for each hour that their employees work. The Suffolk County Fair Share for Health Care act wins health coverage for 12,000 low-wage workers in Suffolk County, helps to protect the coverage of thousands more, and saves the county $25 million in “Wal-Mart taxes.” The coalition that won this historic legislation includes the Long Island Federation of Labor, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500, and the Working Families Party.

Useful Links

• Brennan Center for Justice at NYU
• NYC JwJ website