UPDATED - Monday, May 13, 8PM - Zoom With Retiree Advocate - Rally to Get Out the Vote, Video - How to Vote, My Letter to Local Paper

 Nick at NAC:

UFT Retirees – Vote Retiree Advocate (RA) in the RTC Election

 

Bennett and Jonathon with Marianne Friday night.  

https://youtu.be/0AuIyDvnl7E?si=MphoKXHNMvZ9l3Gp

RA Ad in The Indypendent

 

 

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Ballots for the RTC election are out - look for the envelope from the AAA and vote Retiree Advocate. Go through any old organization sheets you have from your school and contact retirees to look for the ballot and vote Retiree Advocate.

I believe we should be getting reports from the AAA on how many ballots are coming in every day. I never get a clear answer -- does the AAA scan the envelopes received  as they come in or do they wait until June 14 to do it. I've noticed big delays in getting the count started and it makes sense to me to scan as they come in. We should be privy to that info.

 

JOIN US FOR The Get Out the Vote Zoom

Monday 5/13 8PM Register at: tinyurl.com/ratownhall

 

RA will be holding a zoom rally Monday, May 13 at 8PM to share ideas on how to reach out to get out the vote. This will be a celebration to kick off the GOTV campaign.

 

Or use the link below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_p2z5tSpySfKHsQHZfAxCvQ#/registration

Videos on the way to vote and send in your ballot 

Gloria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiNapg-0nzY&t=4s 

 

We make a point that picking out people on the 600 name booklet is waste because the slate votes are what gets reported. Three years ago there were a few hundred people who split the ballot and they get counted last. So what if an individual gets a few more or less votes? Just tear off the front page and mail that and leave the booklet behind.

Bobby Greenberg and Marianne:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tZ-wd5o1d4

 

One thing not mentioned in the video --- there is some way to id you on the outer envelope so AAA knows you voted. I believe a bar code - a signature is not required - the envelopes are run through a machine, then opened and the secret ballot envelope removed which protects your privacy.

Letters to local papers

One idea has been to write to your local papers. I did to the two in Rockaway and this was published in The Wave:

Dear Editor:

Retired UFT members will have the opportunity to take control of their UFT Retired Teacher Chapter in a consequential election that may well determine the future of their healthcare and that of city retirees from other unions (ballots are sent out by the American Arbitration Association on May10 and must be returned by June 14th). UFT retirees will be able to vote out the Unity Caucus/UFT leaders, who have allied with Mayor Adams and private health insurance companies in proposing drastic healthcare changes and replace them with leadership from Retiree Advocate that will truly act in their best interests.  

Many Medicare eligible NYC retirees live in the Rockaway community. They devoted years of service to NYC working as EMTs, Police Officers, Fire Department Personnel, Sanitation Carriers, Nurses, and Educators, often accepting smaller paychecks than private sector jobs offer due to the promise of continued, excellent health benefits upon retirement.

However, retirees have been in the fight of their lives for the past three years after learning that NYC, along with the Municipal Labor Committee, and its current controlling bosses, (Michael Mulgrew from the UFT, Henry Garrido of DC 37, and Harry Nespoli of the Sanitation Union), were about to change their fully subsidized healthcare, which for most of them is traditional Medicare plus supplemental GHI-Senior Care, to an inferior Medicare Advantage Plan, without their knowledge or support.

These private plans often diminish healthcare through networks, prior authorizations, denials, and delays at a time in one’s life when more and better healthcare is needed. Three successful lawsuits by the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees (nycretirees.org), led by the dynamic former EMC Marianne Pizzitola, are being appealed by the City of NY and so the fight against this healthcare conversion continues.

Many NYC City Council members, including Joann Ariola and fellow Republican City Council members, have given full-blown support to the retirees. In a twist of the political world, they have been joined by members of the most progressive wing of the Democratic Party, a rare right/left combination on an issue that has united retirees.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew and UFT RTC Chapter Chair Tom Murphy have led the assault on Medicare protections. All City workers will eventually be impacted by these threatened changes, and the UFT under Unity Caucus has had the most influence due to its massive membership. UFT retirees are urged to check the box for the entire Retiree Advocate slate when they receive their ballot.

Norm Scott

Retired Elementary School Teacher, UFT Member Since 1967
Member/Candidate of Retiree Advocate/UFT for Retiree Chapter Executive Board

 

RA Ad in current edition of The Chief:

Ad in Patch (one edition) https://patch.com/new-york/brooklyn/classifieds/announcements/436917/att-retiree-and-in-service-uft-teachers

 

ATT: Retiree and In-Service UFT Teachers and Those Who KNOW Some!!

Do you know that the UFT Retired Teachers Chapter and other elections are almost here?  Ballots being MAILED to homes starting around May 10!
Do you care about preserving your healthcare and maintaining access to straight Medicare and NOT some unknown and unknowable "Advantage"-type plan?!

You will have the opportunity to VOTE OUT the Unity Leadership in the upcoming Retired Teacher Chapter election and replace them with leadership that will truly act in our best interests. Voting for Retiree Advocate/UFT is a vote against healthcare changes for retirees! Vote out Unity and tell friends and relatives to do the same.

IN-SERVICE Teachers: While you can NOT vote in the Retiree Chapter, understand that you WILL one day join us and therefore have a chance to use your active vote in your own elections against the leadership that allowed Tier 6 and is weakening your own health care right now!!

HOW AND WHY TO VOTE  ** SPREAD THE WORD **

We must vote out the Unity Caucus leadership that is willing to change, without our consent, the excellent healthcare we were promised when we retired.

Put a check mark in the box next to Retiree Advocate/UFT on the ballot to vote the entire slate and mail it back using the stamped, self-addressed envelope. Ballots must be received no later than June 13th. If you vote for individual candidates, it will be a wasted vote!

If you care about preserving your healthcare, you must vote the Retiree Advocate slate when you get your ballot in the mail this May.  Please see our website for more info!

https://www.retireeadvocate.or...

RA Facebook

If you are on facebook (don't worry if not) there are good conversations about reaching retirees happening in our Facebook group (private) - join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/869500517909078

See Jonathan: UFT Retiree Election – You Can Make a Difference