White House: Obama Has 'Productive' Meeting With Labor Leaders

[IndianaGreen]

Remember the Cold War when the US and USSR would issue joint statement about productive discussions, meaning that there were unresolved disagreements between the parties?

Here we go again:

White House: Obama Has 'Productive' Meeting With Labor Leaders

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The White House called President Barack Obama's meeting with labor leaders "productive," but didn't indicate if the president had been swayed by union opposition to taxing high-cost health insurance plans.

"The president and labor leaders had an exchange of views and had a productive discussion about their shared commitment to health reform that will lower health costs for American workers and their families, protect them from unfair insurance company practices, and enable employers to create jobs and raise wages," an administration official said.

Obama met with union officials, who oppose a Senate plan to tax family health plans worth more than $23,000, late Monday. The session, however, was closed to reporters, and the labor leaders didn't address the media at the White House.

The White House hasn't signaled if Obama would sign health-care legislation that doesn't include the tax on so-called "Cadillac" insurance plans.

"He supported the Senate bill and that provision was in that bill for what it does in terms of changing the direction of health-care costs," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said earlier Monday. "Obviously, the president has a position, and I think we'll talk to them about why he sees this as something that's important in the bill."

Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO, urged lawmakers in a speech Monday to back an excise tax on the rich rather than the Senate's proposed tax. Organized labor's preferred approach--also backed by House Democrats--is contained in the House version of the health-care bill, which must be merged with the bill that passed the Senate last month.

Labor unions oppose the payment plan in the Senate bill because they say many of their members, who have traded higher wages for more comprehensive benefits packages, would be penalized by it.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100111-715734.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines

It is significant that the AFL-CIO has not issued a statement. Not yet anyway!

[emilyg]

1. kick

[Demeter]

2. Power to the People

Give him hell, Trumka!

[Captain Hilts]

3. EXACTLY what I was thinking! The term 'frank' was used in some reports! nt

[flyarm]

4. on MSNBC this morning they said the White house Will not move to remove the excise tax!

that that will stay in the bill..

so much for the apologists saying this had nothing to do with Obama..but lays on the shoulders of the senate members and the House eh????????