Disability Rights Activists Shut Down Union Buildings
Washington-- Tuesday morning, the national disability rights group ADAPT has blocked all entrances of the buildings that serve as the headquarters for 3 of the country's largest unions, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, and SEIU.
ADAPT seeks meetings with the heads of all three unions, to get union support of legislation currently before Congress, The Medicaid Community Attendant Services and Supports Act.
Also known as MiCASSA, S.1298 introduced by Arlen Specter and H.R. 3612 introduced by Representative Danny Shimkus, this federal legislation would reform Medicaid to allow people real choice in where they receive long term care services. The current system forces people into nursing homes and other institutions, offering little or no support so that people of all ages can receive the services they need to remain in their own homes, in their own communities.
While ADAPT strenuously opposes persons with disabilities being held hostage to protect the institutional jobs of union members, ADAPT wants to work with union officials to assure that displaced institutional workers can perform similar jobs in the community with a liveable wage and good benefits. Building locations and executives are being held simultaneously:
SEIU, 1313 L Street NW, Andrew Stern (Service Employees International Union)
AFSCME, 1625 L Street NW, Gerald W. McEntee (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees)
AFL-CIO, 815 16th Street NW, John Sweeney (American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations)
Check out the ADAPT May 2002 Action Website:
<http://www.mcil.org/mcil/adapt/wdc511/default.htm>http://www.mcil.org/mcil/adapt/wdc511/default.htm
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