VSCSW - Guild 49 Overview
Why a relationship with labor?
For many years the labor movement has advocated quality, comprehensive health
care for workers and their families. Therefore, a natural partnership evolved
when the Clinical Social Work Federation affiliated with the Office & Professional
Employees International Union, AFL-CIO (Guild 49).
Issues of social justice are important to both organizations. This partnership helps
integrate the efforts of millions of workers and their families with clinical social
work profession. As partners we will work together to create legislative agendas
beneficial to client and clinician. Our mutual goal is to resist the negative effects
of managed care and to advance the health care agenda of both groups.
As labor's professionals, clinical social workers will play a valuable role in the
new partnership. Together we will emphasize the idea that employees, union members
and their families ought to have access to quality mental health care at those
times when such services are necessary. Quality mental health care should not be
the exception but the rule for all American workers.
www.opeiu.org
Update from the Clinical Social Work Guild
January 25, 2007
Like many organizations that undergo change and lose members in the process, the
Clinical Social Work Guild is in a state of transition. Nevertheless, the Guild and
its affiliation with the world of labor, remains as relevant as ever. The current issue
of Social Work -the journal of NASW - makes a great case for the inclusion of unions
in social work. If you are a member of NASW and receive this journal, check out this
article! Otherwise, you can find it in any university library.
The Guild's national agenda includes opposing the proposed cuts in Medicare fees. The most
recent information from our OPEIU lobbyists in Washington informs us that those cuts have been
postponed. Hopefully, ongoing lobbying and coalition- building will help keep those rates
protected beyond next year.
The Guild national agenda also includes "watch-dogging" any attempt to erode state insurance
mandates that would allow small business owners to band together to buy insurance across
state borders. This proposed legislation could eliminate mental health care benefits in
some benefit packages. We are actively following any such movement in order to avoid
any erosion of the availability of mental health benefits.
Also, the Guild will continue to support the passage of mental health parity which the late
Senator Paul Wellstone had championed. Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy has most
recently spearheaded the passage of this legislation.
Both the Guild and the AFL-CIO are actively working on the behalf of both clinical social work
and the working people we serve. We in the Guild believe in being informed, and ready to influence
national legislation that affects our work and our clients. We are well equipped to do this,
in part because of our access to experienced lobbyists who can harness the influence of the AFL-CIO on
Capitol Hill in advocating for the issues that are important to us. We appreciate all of you
clinical social workers who understand the importance of these efforts and support them through your
continuing membership.
Betty Eastman, LCSW
Guild Representative
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