March, 12 2010, 10:15am EDT
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Amnesty International Calls on President Obama to Establish Office of Maternal Health to Lead Government Effort to Reduce Appalling U.S. Death Rate for Women Having Babies
ew, National Amnesty International Report Finds Systemic Failures and Shocking Disparities in Maternal Health Care, Contributing to High Rates of Deaths and Rising Incidences of "Near Misses"
NEW YORK
Amnesty International called
on President Obama today to quickly establish an Office of Maternal Health
to lead government action to reduce soaring pregnancy-related complications
and maternal deaths nationwide. The human rights organization said
the government must take immediate steps to stop the loss of two to three
women every day and reduce the risk of complications that now affect one-third
of all pregnant women - 1.7 million women a year.
With a lifetime risk of maternal deaths that
is greater than in 40 other countries, including virtually all of the industrialized
countries, the United States has failed to reverse the two-decade upward
trend in preventable maternal deaths, despite pledges to do so. Most
recently, the government has failed to meet the goals set forth in the
2010 Healthy People initiative, which called for reducing the number of
maternal deaths to one- third of current rates.
"This country's extraordinary record
of medical advancement makes its haphazard approach to maternal care all
the more scandalous and disgraceful," said Larry Cox, executive director
of Amnesty International USA. "Good maternal care should not be
considered a luxury available only to those who can access the best hospitals
and the best doctors. Women should not die in the richest
country on earth from preventable complications and emergencies."
Cox said: "Mothers die not because
the United States can't provide good care, but because it lacks the political
will to make sure good care is available to all women."
Amnesty International's new 101-page, national
report, Deadly Delivery: The Maternal Health Care Crisis in the USA,
reveals the following disturbing findings:
+ severe pregnancy-related complications
that nearly cause death -- known as "near misses" -- are rising
at an alarming rate, increasing by 25 percent since 1998; currently nearly
34,000 women annually experience a "near miss" during delivery;
+ discrimination is costing lives.
Opportunities to save women's lives and reduce complications are being
missed, in large part because women face barriers to care, especially women
of color, those living in poverty, Native American and immigrant women
and those who speak little or no English.
Maternal health is a human right for every
woman in the United States, regardless of race or income. Yet, the
United States lacks a systematic, robust government response to this critical
problem. Amnesty International is urging President Obama to work with Health
and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to establish, and seek Congressional
funding, for a single office responsible for ensuring that all women receive
quality maternal health care. (Please visit: www.amnestyusa.org\deadlydelivery)
.
Additionally, Amnesty International calls
for vigorous enforcement of federal non-discrimination laws and an increase
in support for Federally Qualified Health Centers by 2011 to expand the
number of women who can access affordable maternal health care.
Amnesty International's analysis shows that
health care reform before Congress does not address the crisis of maternal
health care.
"Reform is primarily focused on health
care coverage and reducing health care costs, and even optimistic estimates
predict that any proposal on the table will still leave millions without
access to affordable care," said Rachel Ward, one of the authors of
the Deadly Delivery report. "Furthermore, it does not
address discrimination, systemic failures and the lack of government accountability
documented in Amnesty International's report."
Ward said: "The barriers preventing
women from getting the care that they need go far beyond simply lacking
health insurance. Health care reform does not address obstacles to
maternal care, recommend nationally standardized protocols for preventing
and treating the most common causes of death, eliminate health disparities
or ensure that the government takes responsibility for reducing levels
of maternal mortality."
Rapid and comprehensive federal leadership
is required, as the report found numerous systemic failures, including
the following:
- Obstacles
to care are widespread, even though the United States spends more on health
care than any other country and more on pregnancy and childbirth-related
hospital costs, $86 billion, than any other type of hospital care. - Nearly
13 million women of reproductive age (15 to 44), or one in five, have no
health insurance. Women of color account for just under one-third
of all women in the United States (32 percent) but over half (51 percent)
of uninsured women. - One
in four women do not receive adequate prenatal care, starting in the first
trimester. The number rises to about one in three for African American
and Native American women. - Burdensome
bureaucratic procedures in Medicaid enrollment substantially delay access
to vital prenatal care for pregnant women seeking government-funded care.
Twenty-one states do not offer "presumptive eligibility" which
allows pregnant women to temporarily access medical care while their permanent
application for Medicaid is pending. Women who do not receive any prenatal
care are three to four times more likely to die than women who do. - A
shortage of health care professionals is a serious obstacle to timely and
adequate care, especially in rural areas and inner cities. In 2008, 64
million people were living in "shortage areas" for primary care
(which includes maternal care), but federally-supported community health
centers -- a critical safety net -- are available in only 20 percent of
these areas. - The
lack of nationally standardized protocols addressing the leading causes
of death -- or the inconsistent use of them -- may lead to preventable
deaths or injuries. Measures used widely in the United Kingdom to prevent
blood clots after caesarian sections are not consistently taken in the
United States, for example. - Many
women are not given a say in decisions about their care and do not get
enough information about the signs of complications and the risks of interventions
such as inducing labor or cesarean sections. Cesarean sections make
up nearly one-third of all deliveries in the United States - twice as
high as recommended by the World Health Organization. The risk of
death following c-sections is more than three times higher than for vaginal
births. - The
number of deaths is significantly understated because there are no federal
requirements to report maternal deaths or complications and data collection
at the state level is insufficient. - Oversight
and accountability is lacking. 29 states and the District of Columbia
have no maternal death review process at all.
As a result, women are more likely to enter
into pregnancy in ill health, receive late or inadequate prenatal care,
are given inadequate or inappropriate care during childbirth and receive
insufficient post-natal care.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning
grassroots activist organization with more than 2.2 million supporters,
activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human
rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates
and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice,
freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
####
For more information or to take action, please
visit: www.amnestyusa.org\deadlydelivery
Amnesty International is a global movement of millions of people demanding human rights for all people - no matter who they are or where they are. We are the world's largest grassroots human rights organization.
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'Tragic Outcome' for Gig Workers as California Supreme Court Hands Win to Uber, DoorDash
"Today's ruling only strengthens our demand for the right to join together in a union so that we can begin improving the gig economy for workers and our customers," the case plaintiff said.
Jul 25, 2024
Labor advocates on Thursday decried a ruling by the California Supreme Court upholding a lower court's affirmation of a state ballot measure allowing app-based ride and delivery companies to classify their drivers as independent contractors, limiting their worker rights.
The court's seven justices ruled unanimously in Castellanos v. State of California that Proposition 22, which was approved by 58% of California voters in 2020, complies with the state constitution. Prop 22—which was overturned in 2021 by an Alameda County Superior Court judge in 2021—was upheld in March 2023 by the state's 1st District Court of Appeals.
The business models of app-based companies including DoorDash, Instacart, Lyft, and Uber rely upon minimizing frontline worker compensation by categorizing drivers as independent contractors instead of employees. Independent contractors are not entitled to unemployment insurance, health insurance, or compensation for business expenses.
There are approximately 1.4 million app-based gig workers in California, according to industry estimates.
While DoorDash hailed Thursday's ruling as "not only a victory for Dashers, but also for democracy itself," gig worker advocates condemned the decision.
"Over the last three years, gig workers across California have experienced firsthand that Prop 22 is nothing more than a bait-and-switch meant to enrich global corporations at the expense of the Black, brown, and immigrant workers who power their earnings," plaintiff Hector Castellanos, who drives for Uber and Lyft, said in a statement.
"Prop 22 has allowed gig companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash to deprive us of a living wage, access to workers compensation, paid sick leave, and meaningful healthcare coverage," Castellanos added. "Today's ruling only strengthens our demand for the right to join together in a union so that we can begin improving the gig economy for workers and our customers."
Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, said that "we are deeply disappointed that the state Supreme Court has allowed tech corporations to buy their way out of basic labor laws despite Proposition 22's inconsistencies with our state constitution."
"These companies have upended our social contract, forcing workers and the public to take on the inherent risk created by this work, while they profit," she continued. "A.B. 5 granted virtually all California workers the right to be paid for all hours worked, health and safety standards, unemployment insurance, workers compensation, and the right to organize."
"Rideshare and delivery drivers deserve those rights as well," Gonzalez stressed.
The Gig Workers Rising campaign said on social media that "Uber and other app corporations spent $220 million to buy this law, and they did it by tricking Californians."
Prop 22's passage in November 2020 with nearly 59% of the vote was the culmination of what was by far the most expensive ballot measure in California history. App-based companies and their backers outspent labor and progressive groups by more than 10 to 1, with proponents pouring a staggering $204.5 million into the "yes" campaign's coffers against just $19 million for the "no" side.
"Voters were told the initiative would provide us with 'historic new benefits' and guaranteed earnings," said Gig Workers Rising. "But since it went into effect, drivers have seen our pay go down, learned the benefits are a sham, and have to accept unsafe rides because of the constant threat of being 'deactivated,' kicked off the app with little explanation or warning."
"If Uber really cared about good benefits and fair wages, it could make that happen tomorrow," the campaign added. "Instead, it has shown it would rather slash pay, bamboozle voters, and put drivers' lives and livelihoods in danger—all while promising $7 billion in stock buybacks to banks and billionaires."
Veena Dubal, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine who focuses on labor and inequality, toldCalMatters that Thursday's ruling was "a really tragic outcome," but "it's not the end of the road."
Dubal's sentiment was echoed by some California state legislators, who said the ruling presents an opportunity to act.
"While this decision is frustrating, it must also be motivating," said state Senate Labor Committee Chair Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-28). "I'm more determined than ever to ensure that all workers—including our diverse and Black, Indigenous, and people of color-led gig workforce—have the basic protections of workers compensation, paid sick leave, family leave, disability insurance, and the right to form a union."
Prop 22 has served as a template for lawmakers in other states seeking to deny or limit basic worker rights, benefits, and protections.
In Massachusetts, app-based companies have been fighting for years to get a measure to classify drivers as contractors on the state ballot. In 2022, Lyft made the largest political donation in state history—$14.4 million—to a coalition funding one such proposal.
Last month, Uber and Lyft reached an agreement with the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, a Democrat, to pay $175 million to settle a lawsuit filed in 2020. As part of the deal, the companies also agreed to increase driver pay and provide paid sick leave, accident insurance, and some health benefits. The agreement does not address how app-based gig workers should be classified.
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Young Voters Tell Kamala Harris to 'Fight for Our Future'
"This is your chance to energize young people and our communities to vote, mount one of the greatest political comebacks in decades, and deliver a resounding defeat to the far-right agenda of Trump and Vance."
Jul 25, 2024
Four youth-led groups on Thursday urged Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, to "fight for our future" by pursuing a policy agenda the coalition unveiled in a March letter to U.S. President Joe Biden.
It's been less than a week since Biden left the race and endorsed Harris, who is expected to face former Republican Donald Trump and his running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), in the November election. Since then, she's racked up endorsements from Democratic members of Congress and progressive groups focused on issues including climate, labor, and reproductive rights.
March for Our Lives, which was launched after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, honored Harris with the group's first-ever endorsement on Wednesday, calling her "the right person to stand up for us and fight for the country we deserve."
"To defeat Trump, you must rebuild support and enthusiasm among young voters."
The gun violence prevention organization is part of the youth-led coalition behind the new letter, which also includes the climate-focused Sunrise Movement; Gen-Z for Change, which advocates on a range of issues; and the national immigrant network United We Dream Action.
"You have an urgent and important task. To defeat Trump, you must rebuild support and enthusiasm among young voters," the coalition told Harris on Thursday, noting that she sought the Democratic nomination during the last cycle. "You should build on your 2020 campaign platform where you put forward a strong vision to make the economy work for everyday people and ensure a livable future for us all."
The groups urged Harris to support the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and the Reverse Mass Incarceration Act. They pushed her to expand pathways to citizenship, keep families together, end fossil fuel subsidies, and create good, union jobs. They also called on her to prioritize gun violence prevention and investments in public health solutions and green, affordable housing.
"Democrats are at a critical crossroads with young people," the coalition wrote to Harris on Thursday. "Polls showed Biden and Trump neck-and-neck among young voters."
ANew York Times/Siena College poll conducted July 22-24 shows Trump leading Harris 48% to 47% among likely voters and 48% to 46% among registered voters—differences that fall within the margin of error.
Forbesnoted Thursday that "Democrats are far more enthusiastic about Harris than they were Biden, the Times/Siena survey found, with nearly 80% of voters who lean Democrat saying they would like Harris to be the nominee, compared to 48% of Democrats who said the same about Biden three weeks ago."
The outlet also pointed to two other polls conducted by Morning Consult and Reuters/Ipsos since Biden dropped out, which both show Harris with a narrow lead over Trump.
"You have an opportunity to win the youth vote by turning the page and differentiating yourself from Biden policies that are deeply unpopular with us, such as approving new oil and gas projects, denying people their right to seek refuge and asylum, and funding the Israeli government's killing of civilians in Gaza," the youth coalition highlighted Thursday. "You must speak to the economic pain young people are facing from crushing student debt and skyrocketing housing and food prices."
Looking beyond November, the groups told Harris—who could be the first Black woman and person of Asian descent elected to the country's highest office—that "you could be a historic president. Not just because of who you are, but what you can accomplish."
"Young people are energized and ready to organize against fascism and for the future we deserve," they concluded. "This is your chance to energize young people and our communities to vote, mount one of the greatest political comebacks in decades, and deliver a resounding defeat to the far-right agenda of Trump and Vance."
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Video Game Actors Strike for AI Protections
"The video game industry generates billions of dollars in profit annually," said one union leader. "The driving force behind that success is the creative people who design and create those games."
Jul 25, 2024
After nearly two years of negotiations with video game giants and no deal that would protect performers from artificial intelligence, unionized voice and motion capture actors who work in video game development announced Thursday that they will go on strike starting at 12:01 am on Friday, July 26.
The performers are represented by Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), which last year won a contract for TV and film actors that included "unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI," after the union went on strike for four months.
The union has been negotiating on behalf of video game actors with major production companies including Disney Character Voices Inc., Activision Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc., and has won concessions over wages and job safety—but "AI protections remain the sticking point," said SAG-AFTRA on Thursday as the impending strike was announced.
Unionized actors want protections that would stop video game companies from training AI to replicate actors' voices or likeness without their consent and without compensating them.
"The video game industry generates billions of dollars in profit annually," said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director and chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA. "The driving force behind that success is the creative people who design and create those games. That includes the SAG-AFTRA members who bring memorable and beloved game characters to life, and they deserve and demand the same fundamental protections as performers in film, television, streaming, and music: fair compensation and the right of informed consent for the AI use of their faces, voices, and bodies."
"Frankly, it's stunning that these video game studios haven't learned anything from the lessons of last year—that our members can and will stand up and demand fair and equitable treatment with respect to AI, and the public supports us in that," he added.
Sarah Elmaleh, negotiating committee chair for the union's interactive media agreement, said the negotiations have shown the companies "are not interested in fair, reasonable AI protections, but rather flagrant exploitation."
"We look forward to collaborating with teams on our interim and independent contracts, which provide AI transparency, consent, and compensation to all performers, and to continuing to negotiate in good faith with this bargaining group when they are ready to join us in the world we all deserve," said Elmaleh.
The unionized actors voted in favor of the strike authorization with a 98.32% yes vote, said SAG-AFTRA.
The strike was announced as more than 500 workers who help develop the popular World of Warcraft video game franchise voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA), with the games publisher, Blizzard Entertainment, recognizing the bargaining unit.
CWA noted that the workers' journey to union representation began with a walkout in 2021 at Activision Blizzard, which was later bought by Microsoft, over sexual harassment and discrimination.
"What we've accomplished at World of Warcraft is just the beginning," Eric Lanham, a World of Warcraft test analyst, said in a statement. "We know that when workers have a protected voice, it's a win-win for employee standards, the studio, and World of Warcraft fans looking for the best gaming experience."
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