9/5: OEA Labor Day Rally

OEA Labor Day Rally Calls HMO's to
Step Up to Help Solve the Education Crisis
Monday, September 5 at 11 am
Health Net Headquarters, 155 Grand Ave. near Harrison (just west of Lake Merritt)
Leaflet afterward at Art and Soul Festival in downtown Oakland
Endorsed by AFSME 257, AFT 771 and Oakland Green Party


The OEA will be holding a Labor Day demonstration in front of Health Net's Headquarters to demand that the health care giant as well as Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente freeze their charges to the Oakland School District. Health Net and Kaiser raised their prices for school district employee health coverage nearly 60% over the past three years and have provided union officials with figures indicating costs may increase by approximately 20% over the next two. These skyrocketing costs contribute to the crisis facing the underfunded Oakland schools. In the current bargaining impasse between the teachers and the District, and in the Fact Finding hearings before a PERB-appointed panel which just concluded, State Administrator Randy Ward has pitted paying for employee health care against providing art, music, library, science and computer classes for Oakland's young people.

The OEA, with the support of AFSCME 257 and AFT 771, as well as the Oakland Green Party, are calling on Health Net and Kaiser to shoulder their civic responsibility to help solve the crisis facing the Oakland schools. Health Net just reported $53 million in quarterly profits and roughly $12 billion in annual revenues while Kaiser has announced major expansion plans. In contrast, teachers have already taken a 4%, $13 million cut in pay. If educators are now required to pay even more for health care, larger and larger numbers of experienced teachers will be forced to leave the District, further destabilizing Oakland public education.

The Labor Day March had originally been planned to also demonstrate in front of Kaiser Regional Headquarters. However, in solidarity with SEIU #250, currently locked in a bitter contract struggle with Sutter Hospitals after negotiating a contract with Kaiser, the OEA-led march will focus its attention on Health Net. OEA stands in support of all health care workers and will urge its members to join picket lines at Sutter again as many teachers did during the last strike against Summit/Alta Bates.


When: Monday, September 5 at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Health Net Headquarters, 155 Grand Ave. (Crowley Maritime Building), between Lake Merritt and Webster, near Harrison