Operating Engineers Embrace President Obama

13,000-strong Operating Engineers Embrace President Obama’s

Passionate Pursuit for Health Care, Welcome Him to Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS — Glen Johnson, Business Manager of the 13,000-member International Union of Operating Engineers (I.U.O.E)/Local 49, issued the following statement on President Barack Obama’s visit to the Twin Cities:

“Local 49 would like to commend President Obama on his renewed commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care. We are honored that he has chosen to visit Minnesota at such a crucial moment in his campaign to make this bold plan a reality.

“While the Mayo Clinic’s system of delivering high-quality medicine at a good value captures many of the headlines and is part of the reason the president it coming here, there are many other examples of how Minnesota’s health-care community has provided the nation with myriad ideas to effectively insure working men and women.

“Local 49 is one of those examples. Our members have high-quality, affordable coverage. Through a system of coordinated care, Local 49 controls costs for its members without sacrificing healthy outcomes or patient satisfaction.

“Forty-Niners are no strangers to hard work. We realize making sure all working men and women have health insurance that works hard for them will take a lot of heavy lifting from Congress and President Obama. But we’re confident they’ll ‘move earth’ -- just as we do -- to make it happen.”