SEIU and Families USA Host Health Care Visionaries to Spotlight Gains, Political Threats to President's Health Care Law at DNC Forum

SEIU Agenda Below

Note to editors and reporters: Interviews can be arranged with SEIU leaders and members at the DNC Convention as delegates or with members on the ground in Colorado, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leading health care visionaries, nurses, doctors and healthcare workers and Democratic activists today will celebrate the historic Supreme Court victory of the Affordable Care Act and discuss what's at stake for Americans and health care in this election during a forum at 9:30 a.m. at the NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum.

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) President Mary Kay Henry will join U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA); Nancy-Ann DeParle, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President; U.S. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer; Victoria Kennedy; U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA); Vivek Murthy, M.D., President, Doctors for America; Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA); U.S. House Leader Nancy Pelosi; Ron Pollack, Executive Director, Families USA; Governor Peter Shumlin (D- VT)

Stan Slepoy, a member of National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) / SEIU Local 5000, is very concerned about the right-wing attack on Social Security and Medicare. Stan, one of more than 100 SEIU members and leaders attending the convention as a delegate, is 54 so wouldn't be grand-fathered under the Romney-Ryan plan and faces the danger of having to retire with no access to affordable healthcare.

"I've been paying into the Medicare and Social Security system my entire working life. Why should I get punished? Why should they cut my access to healthcare, while millionaires and the rest of the 1% don't pay their fair share of taxes?"

You can read more about why Stan is in Charlotte after the events schedule.

SEIU'S DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION PROGRAM

(All Times Local / All Locations Charlotte)

Wednesday, September 5

Moving America Forward: Health Care Visionaries and Voices from the Front Lines (Joint Forum with SEIU and Families USA)

Confirmed speakers include SEIU President Mary Kay Henry; U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA); Nancy-Ann DeParle, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President; U.S. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer; Victoria Kennedy; U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA); Vivek Murthy, M.D., President, Doctors for America; Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA); U.S. House Leader Nancy Pelosi; Ron Pollack, Executive Director, Families USA; Governor Peter Shumlin (D- VT)

• When: 9:30 am – 11:30 am
• Where: NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum

400 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

Thursday, September 6

SEIU President Mary Kay Henry Participates in "Envisioning Prosperity" panel at PPL/The Big Tent

Ari Melber from The Nation moderates a panel on what an America for the 99% would look like. Can we achieve an economy that prioritizes the interests and financial security of working families first?

• When: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
• Where: PPL/The Big Tent, Packard Place

222 S. Church St

For more information on SEIU's schedule and media opportunities please contact [email protected].

One of the SEIU members in Charlotte as a delegate is Stan Slepoy, a member of National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) / SEIU Local 5000.

Stan has worked for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for 24 years and knows the commitment that President Obama has made to making sure that public workers are respected on the job and receive the benefits that they have earned.

"The budgets that have been proposed by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are devastating to police, firefighters, teachers and other public workers," said Stan. "They both have endorsed the attack on public workers by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and other right-wing politicians across the nation."

Stan is a delegate to the convention and active in local and national political campaigns because he believes that working people need be engaged and make sure their values are represented in government.

"Anti-worker politicians get elected to office because working people don't get involved and don't vote," said Stan. "We all need to make sure that we are active, so we can fight back against the attacks on public workers."

Stan is also very appreciative of the reforms that President Obama helped pass under the Affordable Care Act. He has three young adult children, and thanks to the ACA, he is able to keep two of his children on his insurance plan and provide them coverage.

Stan is very concerned about the right-wing attack on Social Security and Medicare. Because he is 54, he wouldn't be grand-fathered under the Romney-Ryan plan and faces the danger of having to retire with no access to affordable healthcare.

"I've been paying into the Medicare and Social Security system my entire working life," said Stan. "Why should I get punished? Why should they cut my access to healthcare, while millionaires and the rest of the 1% don't pay their fair share of taxes? This is why I am going to Charlotte and why I am working to re-elect President Obama. Working people and the rest of the 99% need him so we can build a better future for everyone."

With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy. www.seiu.org

Contact:
[email protected], (202) 812-2528

SOURCE Service Employees International Union