Ironworkers General President’s Letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce on WTO
On Dec 18, 2023, Ironworkers General President, Eric Dean, sent the following letter to the Honorable Gina Raimondo on changes to the WTO. Download the letter here. The Honorable Gina RaimondoU.S. Secretary of Commerce1401 Constitution Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20230 Dear Secretary Raimondo: On behalf of the 120,000 members of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, […]
Waiving intellectual property rights for COVID research would hurt Pennsylvania
In October, two University of Pennsylvania scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their research on the technology underpinning the COVID-19 vaccines. Their inspiring work is just the tip of the iceberg. Over the past three and a half years, countless scientists across the state jumped into action, researching COVID-19 and the potential […]
Drug Pricing Policies Put American Jobs at Risk
This article originally appeared on RealClearHealth.com When you think of the biopharmaceutical industry, you might think of people in lab coats conducting research. What might not immediately come to mind are the men and women who build the labs and manufacturing facilities that these researchers rely on. America’s biopharmaceutical sector relies on skilled plumbers, pipefitters, welders, […]
PHILADELPHIA STEAMFITTERS LOCAL 420 TRAINING CENTER
On Thursday, September 21, 2023, Steamfitters Local 420 hosted a facility tour for industry leaders, union representatives, and legislators to convene and highlight the partnership between the biopharmaceutical industry and skilled union labor. Industry partners included Merck, Lilly, GSK, and others. The tour illustrated the synergistic relationship between biopharmaceutical companies and skilled union labor. It […]
Statement Regarding PBM Reform and Transparency
See the Statement The unions and member companies of PILMA have consistently called for reform in the supplychain; namely, addressing the opacity in the system with middlemen such as insurancecompanies and PBMs. Specifically, PILMA has urged Congress to act to: With a market that sees the largest PBMs controlling more than 80% of the covered […]
Prescription drug board would stifle innovation
COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on every American and every industry in the U.S. In response, scientists moved at record-breaking speed to develop a new vaccine that saved thousands of lives. Less recognized but no less essential was the unprecedented mobilization of America’s building trades to create the infrastructure for manufacturing and delivering those […]
PILMA Statement on CMS’ Announcement of Price Controls on Prescription Drugs
August 30, 2023 Download statement here. Today, PILMA released the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcement on the first list of medicines in Medicare to be subject to price controls: Today’s announcement by CMS is government price controls on medicines in Medicare under the guise of negotiation. […]
The Biden administration resisted political pressure — and saved union jobs
The Biden administration recently rejected progressive activists’ calls to scrap critical patent licensing agreements between research universities and biotech companies. President Joe Biden was right to resist this political pressure. Too many good-paying union jobs are at stake. The activists had good intentions; they wanted to give patients cheaper access to lifesaving medicines by having the […]
United Association General Presidents’ Letter responding to the Senate Committee on Finance
On July 10, 2023, PILMA sent the following letter to Senator Wyden and Senator Crapo. Download the letter here. Dear Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Crapo: The Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association (PILMA) is writing to express support for ongoing efforts of the Senate Committee on Finance to address conflicts of interest and an overarching lack […]
Union General Presidents’ Letter on Pharmacy Benefit Manager Legislative Reform
On April 20, 2023, PILMA sent the following letter to Senator Wyden on the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act. Download the letter here. Dear Senator Wyden, On the behalf of SMART, Ironworkers International, United Association, IBEW and IUOE, we applaud the recent efforts of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation to bring additional […]