The AFL-CIO’s Alliance for Retired Americans marks its founding with nationwide “speak outs” against rising drug prices.

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

An enthusiastic contingent of DC 37 retirees helped kick off a new AFL-CIO senior advocacy group, which on May 23 protested nationwide against rising prescription drug costs.

The Alliance for Retired Americans held its New York City “speak out” at the 42nd Street headquarters of Pfizer Inc., the world’s largest drug manufacturer.

AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney joined hundreds of angry demonstrators at the rally, where some participants dressed up as pill bottles as they denounced price gouging by the pharmaceutical industry.

The Alliance reflects the federation’s effort to promote life-long unionism and encourage retired members to become more active politically.

With a membership of 2.5 million union retirees, the Alliance has the potential to become a political juggernaut. It succeeds the labor movement’s former retirees group, National Council of Senior Citizens, which dissolved a year ago. The new group will be open to non-union retirees.

“The Alliance starts out as the largest retiree-only advocacy organization in our country, and its size and scope makes it an instant political force to be reckoned with,” Mr. Sweeney said.

“We’ll be a powerful new voice for retired workers, and we’re going to start by raising it on behalf of voluntary, affordable, comprehensive prescription drug coverage for all Medicare recipients,” said Ed Coyle, executive director of the Alliance.

Between 1981 and 1999, drug prices rose 306 percent, more than three times the Consumer Price Index. Last year, pharmaceutical companies made average after-tax profits of 18.6 percent while the average Fortune 500 company made 4.9 percent.

Protestors denounced President George W. Bush’s plan to offer a private-sector-based Medicare drug benefit. The AFL-CIO supports providing the benefit for seniors directly through Medicare.

Besides fighting for a prescription drug benefit, the Alliance’s national goals include: protecting and expanding Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid; opening up job opportunities for people older than 50; enhancing universal health care; supporting campaign finance reform; fighting for workers’ rights; protecting the rights of HMO patients and improving government programs for the elderly.

At the state level, the Alliance plans to back the expansion of local programs to help people with disabilities remain at home; protect the rights of nursing home residents; promote tax fairness and expand state-provided health benefits.

“Retirees bring a lot of experience to the labor movement and provide a leading voice in the fight for family issues like health care and Social Security,” said Nancy Yost, vice president for legislative and political action of the Retirees Association of DC 37, who attended the rally. “This organization has the potential to be very, very powerful.”