The approaching convergence of Oriental Medicine and the American health care system makes it necessary for the profession to follow the example of other primary providers and form a national professional society with union affiliation. We are doing exactly this by reactivating the National Guild of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine OPEIU Local 62 AFL-CIO (http://www.opeiu.org) as a professional society and national guild that pursues development of the highest standards of Oriental medical care.

Our mission is to develop scientifically based standards of practice and to advocate for legislation based upon those standards to assure our inclusion as primary providers of oriental medicine in the nations healthcare system. Furthermore as a national guild of the Office of Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, We will be part of the 145,000 member strong OPEIU. This will ensure our seat at the table when the debate for universal healthcare is joined.

The National Guild of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Guild #62 operates under the authority of the Office and Professional Employees International Union OPEIU, AFL-CIO, AFL- CIO is the acronym for American Federation of Labor Congress of Industrial Union Organizations. CLC is the acronym for Central Labor Council.

The AFL-CIO was created in 1955 by the merger of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations as a voluntary federation of 54 national and international labor unions. Since its founding, the AFL-CIO and its affiliate unions have been the single most effective force in America for enabling working people to build better lives and futures for our families. These organizations are the most singular driving force behind all national, state and local initiatives to provide health care coverage for all Americans.

The AFL-CIO functions at three levels. The National AFL-CIO is governed by a bi-annual convention and an Executive Council. The National AFL-CIO sets policy on national and international issues. Its affiliates (members) are national and international unions.

The State Level:
The State AFL_CIO, the California Labor Federation, determines policy on statewide issues, and provides the leadership for the state's labor movement. Its affiliates are local unions and councils.

The Central Labor Councils
The Central Labor Councils, chartered by the National AFL-CIO, determines policy on local issues, as well as working closely with the State and National AFL-CIO to carry out federation priorities. Its affiliates are local unions and district councils. These councils are located in every city/county. The councils endorse local and state candidates running for public office. These same public officials govern our profession. The councils provide finances, campaign
workers and telephone banking for the endorsed candidates.

The American Federation of Labor:
The American Federation of Labor (AFL) chartered the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPIEU) in 1945. At the time of its founding, the membership of the Union numbered 22,000. The Union now counts 145,000 members and is one of the larger unions in the AFL-CIO.

As it moves into its 57th year of chartered existence, the OPEIU has local unions functioning throughout the fifty states, Puerto Rico, District of Columbia and Canada. The aims and purposes of the Union are set out in its constitution:

"The International Union shall be devoted and dedicated to promoting, protecting and championing the legitimate struggles of professional, technical, office and clerical employees toward achieving economic well-being, their general welfare and rights as workers and citizens." OPEIU Constitution, Article II.

Other professional medical organizations affiliated with the OPEIU are a diverse group which includes physicians, optometrists, pharmacists, chiropractors, podiatrists, and clinical social workers.

Although these professions do not enjoy the benefits of collective bargaining per se, they have found that partnering with the OPEIU benefits them by providing more legislative clout and greater access to patients by virtue of inclusion as providers in other union health plans.

As an OPEIU guild the NGAOM would have delegates attending the Local Labor Councils. Located in all of the larger counties in California, the councils are the forums where the Guild can bargain to include acupuncture as a covered benefit in specific union health plans.

When pursuing legislation in Sacramento legislators with strong ties to labor (most democrats) will be compelled to respect the voice of the guild not because of it huge membership but instead because it is an affiliate of the OPIEU and it is a member of the Labor Councils. This scenario promises access to politicians that we heretofore were denied. While the work of the CLC’s starts at the local level, their influence extends all the way to Washington D.C.

Another great benefit of NGAOM membership will be the ability to participate in “carve-outs” Carve-outs are alternative dispute resolution agreements that allow workers compensation claims to be handled and settled outside the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board. Carve-outs are expected to save employers money while allowing workers to get around a litigious workers' compensation system that traps injured workers instead of treating their injuries and getting them back to work. Carve out providers would be paid above fee schedule in exchange for better care, including more face-to-face time with injured workers and more thorough reports that clearly lay out treatment plans.
Achieving all of these benefits for the profession will require a strong guild. To build a unified organization that will not be subject to disruptive internal politics, the guild will first and foremost be a professional society that is also an OPIEU guild. As we become operational we will seat an elected board and standing committees to oversee and perform the function of achieving our mission.

Membership will be a privilege. A condition of membership will be to agree and uphold the Guild Code of Ethics and By-laws. With your support we will work unceasingly to bring about the full integration of Oriental Medicine into the American healthcare system. We will advocate for legislation that will give our practitioners primary care status on a state by state basis. Our arguments will be evidence, proof and reproducibility.

We fully endorse the Acupuncture and Electro Acupuncture Evidence-Based and Treatment Guidelines published by the Council of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Associations (CAOMA) and the Foundation for Acupuncture Research (FAR) © 2004 as adopted by the US National Guideline Clearinghouse (http://www.guideline.gov/) as the standard for practice and legislation. This document has already had an influence on the California Workers Compensation Medical Treatment Utilization Standards for acupuncture. It is on of the reasons we are back in the system.

The Guild is ready to meet the challenges the will soon be upon our profession. We have extensive CEU’s to prepare Guild members to be fully competent to serve the public in private and institutional practice.

It is clear that the Guild is needed to set the standard for this profession and eliminate legal and educational barriers to Oriental medicine in the United States. Please join us in improving the health of our country. Complete the Membership application, provide the required documentation, read and sign the Code of Ethics and send with your payment today.