WMUB: 70,000 workers are now back at work, Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown says

Suggested host intro: After a two-day strike over 70,000 workers are now back at work. Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown says Congress needs to do something about healthcare to prevent strikes in the future. Matt Laslo reports from Capitol Hill.

NARR: Foreign car companies have been able to undercut American automakers’ prices largely because of the high cost of healthcare for their workers. Senator Brown says the federal government should be paying those healthcare costs, otherwise American companies won’t survive.

BROWN1-HELP EM OUT :10 “The Congress and the president need to get serious about helping these companies deal with their healthcare problems, not just for workers but their legacy costs.”

This week the House passed a federally funded children’s health insurance program and the Senate is expected to pass it later this week. Brown says programs like that will help alleviate the high cost for companies. President Bush has threatened to veto it.

For WMUB, I’m Matt Laslo on Capitol Hill.