Date of publication: August 30, 2007
Source: The Oregonian
Author: Andy Dworkin
Excerpt from article:
A committee will start studying ways Portland can help contract workers get more health care after the City Council voted 3-0 Wednesday night for a resolution creating the group.
The vote followed more than an hour of passionate testimony, much from construction workers and others who have worked without insurance and seen health problems wreck their fortunes and lives. But many contractors said the city's move could unfairly burden construction workers and force small, minority and nonunion companies in particular to subsidize health care for all of Portland's uninsured.
The new committee will focus on contract workers, not all the uninsured, said Commissioner Sam Adams, who sponsored the resolution. The committee will gather data for six months, then recommend to the council options on expanding health coverage...