WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE -
Milwaukee janitors pound the pavement, even though their contract is settled before tomorrow's deadline.
They're the men and women who clean downtown businesses. Some Milwaukee janitors thought their jobs were at risk, but now they're feeling relieved.
Maxine Shields has been a janitor at AT&T for 14 years and now her job is safe, thanks to last minute negotiating by her union.
If the everyone's job is safe, why the protest? Union Rep Peter Hanrahan says, "Because unfortunately during our negotiations, health care was the number one obstacle to getting a living wage."
Their health care costs will stay the save for now, but once a year long contract extension expires. Benefits could be out of the ballpark. Shields said, "We make very small wages as it is, and the health care is so expensive."
Union reps say a million people a year are losing health insurance, and those who have it are seeing the cost go up three times the rate of inflation.
Health care reform has been a hot topic on Capitol Hill, and these folks want the issue to stay in the forefront.
Hanrahan says, "I'm encouraged by the president, I want to make sure the rest of the congressional delegation understands the seriousness, it seems like they're taking their time. We've known this has been a crisis for the last eight years."
FOX 6 put a call in to Senator Kohl's office and it turns out he recently spoke on the senate floor about this issue Tuesday. Kohl told his colleagues they cannot afford to wait any longer when it comes to health care reform, and controlling cost has to be the number one priority.
They're the men and women who clean downtown businesses. Some Milwaukee janitors thought their jobs were at risk, but now they're feeling relieved.
Maxine Shields has been a janitor at AT&T for 14 years and now her job is safe, thanks to last minute negotiating by her union.
If the everyone's job is safe, why the protest? Union Rep Peter Hanrahan says, "Because unfortunately during our negotiations, health care was the number one obstacle to getting a living wage."
Their health care costs will stay the save for now, but once a year long contract extension expires. Benefits could be out of the ballpark. Shields said, "We make very small wages as it is, and the health care is so expensive."
Union reps say a million people a year are losing health insurance, and those who have it are seeing the cost go up three times the rate of inflation.
Health care reform has been a hot topic on Capitol Hill, and these folks want the issue to stay in the forefront.
Hanrahan says, "I'm encouraged by the president, I want to make sure the rest of the congressional delegation understands the seriousness, it seems like they're taking their time. We've known this has been a crisis for the last eight years."
FOX 6 put a call in to Senator Kohl's office and it turns out he recently spoke on the senate floor about this issue Tuesday. Kohl told his colleagues they cannot afford to wait any longer when it comes to health care reform, and controlling cost has to be the number one priority.
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
StumbleUpon
