“[AFSCME] seems to be pulling at strings, to be honest,” Pizzitola says. “I think they're going to make any accusation that they can make to see whatever sticks.” The DC37 Retirees Association decided to pause its regularly occurring contributions to the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees for several months before ultimately deciding to resume them once again a month before AFSCME swooped in, suspended the officers, and changed the locks.
Now, this is interesting - having a national take over a local - Randi and the AFT have done that a couple of times that Ed Notes covered.
AFT Set to Take Over Florida Local - lack of democracy an issue -- HA!
AFT Takeover Sanctioned By US Labor Department
AFT Hack Attack on Portland Local 5017
Labor Dept. Rules Randi Take Over of Nurses' Union Illegal
Randi Invades Detroit
A question I've been asked: What it Retiree Advocate were to actually win the chapter election. Would Unity resort to drastic moves to prevent us from taking over? I can imagine them creating some irregularities and calling for a new election. Or make it extremely difficult for RA to run the chapter by tossing all kinds of roadblock in their way and then look for any transgression they can create and go to AFT asking for a trusteeship.
Well, back to the rally:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees Stands in Solidarity with DC37 Retirees for A Press Conference and Rally in Protest to AFSCME
Manhattan, NY, March 5, 2024 Outraged by the hostile takeover of the DC37 Retirees Association, the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees stands in unwavering solidarity with our fellow retirees.
For years, we've fought tirelessly to defend traditional Medicare, only to face betrayal from those who once swore to fight for us. Now, the DC37 Retirees, despite belonging to a supposedly powerful union with a long history of leadership, face draconian punishment for simply advocating for the exact cause we champion.
Their supposed leaders, failing their fundamental duty, offered no support or guidance before seizing control of the DC37 Retirees Association. This outrageous double standard becomes even more egregious when considering other union groups with similar issues faced no such consequences.
This betrayal goes beyond the takeover itself. In June of last year, a powerful AFSCME official, Ann Widger, threatened the DC37 Retirees Association for daring to support our legal fight to protect traditional Medicare. Her message: continued donations would result in receivership. Following through on her threat, the hostile takeover occurred when donations resumed.
Unions, once beacons of dissent, now stifle these very voices and threaten those fighting for their fundamental rights.
We are the backbone of the labor force who demand a swift return to the core values of unions: protecting workers and retirees, not silencing them.
This attack on retirees trying to protect their earned Medicare benefits is shameful. AFSCME, once a champion for Medicare alongside Dr. Martin Luther King and President Johnson, now allows its largest district council to force retirees into a privatized, for-profit plan that weakens their access to doctors, denies care, is rejected by many of our healthcare providers, and puts seniors’ lives at risk.
We thought we were UNION!
PRESS CONFERENCE
Join us on Wednesday, March 6th at 11 AM at 75 Maiden Lane as we fight for justice, our healthcare future, and the soul of the union movement!
###
Contact:
Marianne Pizzitola
President
NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees
Marianne Pizzitola
President
NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees
And
FDNY EMS Retirees Association
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