International Operating Engineer - Winter 2018

Healthcare
Generics Prove a Safe and More Affordable Alternative
Anti-union politicians
want to cut your pay.
AS HEALTHCARE COSTS are
continuing to rise, generic drugs offer
a path to help save families money.
Did you know that choosing generic
drugs can save you and your Operating
Engineer health & welfare funds 80-
85% in costs compared to a brand
name drugs?
What is a generic drug? A generic
drug is a lower-cost version of a brandname.
A brand-name drug and its
generic version must have the same
active ingredient, dosage, safety,
strength, usage directions, quality,
performance and intended use. It’s
important to know that according
to the Food & Drug Administration,
generic drugs must meet the same
high standards as a brand-name to be
approved and can be trusted to have
the same level of quality.
Generic drug maker’s costs are less
since the product has already been
researched, tested and developed by
the brand name company. Brandname
drugs have higher initial costs to
develop, market, and sell. It’s estimated
to cost $2.6 billion to develop and win
marketing approval for a new brand
name drug.
What is the difference? The only
part that can differ in generic drugs is
the inactive ingredients, although, they
must be considered safe by the FDA.
For example, inactive ingredients can
be dyes, binding materials, flavoring
or preservatives (making the pill look
different).
Generic drugs may also have a
different expiration date than brandname
drugs. But even so, the generic
must keep its effectiveness until its
expiration date, just like a brand-name
product.
The makers of generic drugs can
pass the savings along in the form of
lower prices to you and your health
& welfare fund. In summary, when
choosing your prescriptions, ask
your physician or pharmacist about a
generic prescription and if it’s right for
you!
Who’s taking your pills?
1 in 4 American teens has misused or
abused prescription drugs. Most get
them from the family medicine cabinet.
Help stop prescription drug abuse. Drop
off your expired, unused or unwanted
medications for safe disposal.
Crony capitalists
and their friends
in Washington
keep attacking
the prevailing
wage laws that
protect Operating
Engineers. We
can’t afford to
let them win.
Taxpayer money should
support skilled workers,
not greedy contractors.
The Davis-Bacon Act requires that
workers on government funded
projects be paid equal to local
prevailing wages for similar work so
tax dollars aren’t used to undercut
workers’ pay.
Repealing Davis-Bacon
means more workplace
injuries and fatalities.
Untrained, low-paid workers mean
unsafe working conditions, which
lead to more injuries and fatalities.
epi.org/publication/bp215
The federal government
sets prevailing wage
rates, not unions.
The prevailing wage rate is
determined by a survey of all local
construction wages conducted by the
US Department of Labor.
Prevailing wage does
not raise the cost of
construction.
Workers paid a decent wage are more
productive. Studies show that cuts in
wages can actually raise the cost of
construction projects.
faircontracting.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Wage
differential-method-critique-Duncan-2016-1.pdf
OE17-010
Find a Drop Box Location Near You
https://www.cvs.com/content/safercommunities-locate
‡2015 Partnership Attitude Tracking Survey by
The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
Tell your Members of Congress to oppose any efforts to
weaken the Davis-Bacon Act. Call today: (202) 224-3121
12 INTERNATIONAL OPERATING ENGINEER
WINTER 2018 13