Collective Bargaining... Soon?
 

The Chiropractic Federation of Washington (CFW) was on the road this summer, first to Las Vegas as delegates to the international OPEIU convention.  OPEIU (Office and Professional Employees International Union) is CFW’s parent organization. The CFW executive board met privately with OPEIU president Michael Goodwin to discuss challenges we face as chiropractors dealing with insurance companies.  President Goodwin states: “With the power of collective bargaining we can do miracles.”  President Goodwin plans to run the Physicians Collective Bargaining bill in 2009 which would allow us as a profession to negotiate our contracts with insurance companies.  Negotiating is currently illegal under century-old anti-trust laws.  We could finally raise our 1980’s reimbursements into the 21^st century.

Back at home, CFW made history participating in the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) forum on health care. The state senate and house health care committee chairs, as well as the speaker of the house, were present for the discussions. The purpose of the meeting was to stake out a position on universal health care and determine what would be acceptable to the labor community. As chiropractors we made sure that chiropractic was included in the plan. Chiropractic is very important to working families in Washington State. CFW president and State Representative Tom Campbell, DC helped draft the position paper.  Dr Campbell is highly respected in the labor community and is often consulted for guidance in health care matters.

Later in the summer, at the WSLC annual convention, your CFW delegates made sure that the pro-chiropractic resolutions concerning universal healthcare were passed. And they were, unanimously!

We are the only state in the nation to have someone like Dr Tom Campbell – a powerful legislator and chiropractor with the power of labor all wrapped into one.  As the other states’ prosperity falters, Washington flourishes under the leadership of Dr Tom Campbell, CFW and the WSCA.