What if union members could access VIP-level healthcare while their funds save 5 to 27% on overall healthcare costs? That's the reality Solidaritus Health is creating for union families across the country. As National Taft-Hartley Liaison Mary Fogarty explains, this innovative model is "owned by labor, built by labor," and exists solely to serve the labor community.
A Labor Legacy in Healthcare Innovation
Mary Fogarty brings deep roots in the labor movement to her role at Solidaritus Health. Coming from "a whole family of iron workers, police, fire—all those Irish jobs that nobody else wanted way back when," she understands the unique healthcare challenges facing union families. Her extensive background in behavioral health and member assistance programs for iron worker locals gives her firsthand insight into what union members truly need from their healthcare.
"I've been very heavily into the behavioral health side of helping members," Fogarty explains. "Doing apprentice trainings, drug testing, education, and wellness training for the apprentices as they came in, and being able to contract directly with treatment centers to save the self-funded unions money."
Revolutionary Primary Care Model
Solidaritus Health represents a fundamental shift from traditional healthcare delivery. Instead of rushing through seven-minute appointments with unfamiliar doctors, members receive advanced primary care with physicians who maintain no more than 1,200 patients on their caseload.
This translates to same-day or next-day appointments lasting 30 to 45 minutes with a family doctor who actually knows you and your medical history. No more urgent care visits to unknown physicians or unnecessary emergency room trips that could have been handled in a primary care setting.
Built by Union Hands
What makes Solidaritus Health unique is its commitment to using union labor for construction. Every facility is built under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA), whether constructing new 2,500-square-foot centers from the ground up or retrofitting existing spaces. This ensures that union members are not only benefiting from the healthcare services but also building the infrastructure that serves their community.
Currently, Solidaritus Health is establishing an advisory board for Nassau Suffolk Building Trades, with approximately 35 business managers selecting initial sites. This labor-led decision-making process ensures that the needs and preferences of union leadership drive the expansion strategy.
Financial Benefits and Investment Opportunities
The financial model offers multiple advantages for Taft-Hartley funds. With a simple per-member, per-month fee structure, there are no additional claims to process beyond this monthly payment. The result? Net savings of 5 to 27% on total healthcare fund expenditures.
Seventeen Taft-Hartley funds have already invested in the company, creating multiple pathways for participation:
- Direct cost savings through healthcare fund participation
- Pension fund investment in the equity company
- Direct investment in Solidaritus Health with board representation
All decisions remain firmly in the hands of labor leaders, ensuring that the interests of working families stay at the forefront.
Geographic Flexibility and Coalition Building
Recognizing the geographic challenges of areas like Long Island, Solidaritus Health is building coalitions that allow members to access any center within the network. Similar to a gym membership model, a member living in North Jersey, the city, Westchester, or Long Island can use whichever facility is most convenient.
Local unions can also phase in their participation, starting with members who live closest to new centers rather than committing entire memberships immediately. This flexible approach allows for gradual transition and member education about the new services.
Proven Success Expanding East
With successful operations in California, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin, Solidaritus Health is now bringing this proven model to the East Coast. The company's comprehensive marketing team will work with platforms like the Union Labor Advisory Network and leverage social media to educate members about their new healthcare options.
"These are your dollars," Fogarty emphasizes. "These are the dollars that you work for that are not going into pockets because of this big huge healthcare spend. We're working on changing that for the membership."
Creating a New Legacy
For Fogarty, Solidaritus Health represents more than healthcare innovation—it's about creating a lasting legacy for the labor movement. Just as previous generations of union workers built the infrastructure that defines our cities, today's labor leaders can transform how healthcare is delivered to working families.
"This now can be the new legacy," she reflects. "They can change how healthcare is delivered to them, by them, for them."
The model demonstrates that when labor controls the entire healthcare delivery system—from construction and ownership to decision-making and service delivery—the result is better care at lower costs for union families.
As Solidaritus Health continues expanding across the East Coast, it offers union leaders a concrete example of how collective action and strategic investment can create sustainable, high-quality healthcare infrastructure that serves working families for generations to come.
