Showing posts with label medicare disadvantage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medicare disadvantage. Show all posts

Saturday, July 15, 2023

NYC Retirees tell City Council " It's time to get off the fence" and joining the July 25 Save Medicare Rally in DC

I did make it to the City Hall Rally for City Council Bill on Thursday but a little late. Good to see working teachers Nick, Judi and Ibeth get there to show support. It was a hot day and it looked like about 150 retirees showed up. I heard the end of the Charles Barron speech and Marianne made a strong speech. The great think was how many unions were present.

UFT hacks have been trying to discredit Marianne by whispering to City Council people she lives in Georgia and must be a Trumpy. It's the same slime we always see coming out of Unity. When they can't beat you to go dirty. And by the way - if the oppo ever threatens their control watch the dirt fly by doing the opposite - red baiting the oppo. Or maybe they will say we are secret Trunpies. And if we dare raise questions about the vote we are automatically Trumpies. Oh the quandry for the hacks -- trying to decide whether to attack opponents as right or left?

Here is the Working Bites link and full article below: 

NYC Retirees Tell Council Members ‘It’s Time to Get Off the Fence’

Here are some pics:


 



The turnout from City Hall Park

 

I also signed up for the July 25 sojourn to Washington. Seeing the movement grow from our own narrow interests here in NYC and plug into the national Medicare issue is a great sign.

Thank you for your interest in joining the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees, Protect Traditional Public Medicare (PTPM) and Be A Hero in Washington DC on July 25th.

We are so excited to have you join us in DC as we fight together to Reclaim Medicare from Corporate Greed.  Our goal is to make sure our elected leaders in DC know that we support strengthening and improving Medicare and that no one should be forced onto these private insurance plans that delay and deny care. We are planning a press conference and speakout on capitol hill and some lobby visits with elected officials.  
 
Work-Bites
 

By Joe Maniscalco

Sunday, April 9, 2023

Let's Go Brandon - Chicago Election exposes UFT/Unity, CAN YOU IMAGINE IF NYC HAD A TEACHERS' UNION AS POWERFUL AS CHICAGO? + Rally and Petition Updates

 

A blow to the corporate wing of the Democratic Party

Left leadership in Chicago and LA outflank corp Dem type UFT leadership in NYC as CTU elects one of its own as mayor while UFT suffers 30 years of failed mayoral endorsements.

Happy Easter Sunday,

It's a beautiful day and I have to put on my Easter bonnet and go roll some eggs, so I will make this quick without my usual convoluted meanderings.

The subject of the week for many of us has not been the Trump indictment, or even the Wisconsin Supreme Court election (over-hyped in that the Republican controlled legislature can impeach the judge), but the remarkable mayoral victory of former Chicago teacher and CTU organizer Brandon Johnson, the new mayor of Chicago. That would be like one of the UFT special reps becoming mayor -- OK, LOL yourself to death. Oh, one top level UFT employee did run for office - in the primary against Robert Jackson. one of our major supporters in the state senate. 

Vasquez, with a record of being a staffer for the pro-charter State Senator who Jackson defeated, is not a registered chief lobbyist for the UFT.

I was chatting with James Eterno on Friday while watching Majority Report with Emma Vigeland hosting while Sam Seder is taking his NYC public school kids to Europe. James cut the video and posted it on ICE. (EMMA VIGELAND ASKS: CAN YOU IMAGINE IF NYC HAD A TEACHERS' UNION AS POWERFUL AS CHICAGO?)

(James is giving me tech lessons he learns from his daughter.)

Considering, its sort of funny how Sam Seder never addresses the UFT or local union issues (except for Amazon or Starbucks) while he covers union issues on a broader level. The newbie union movements are always sexier than the old staid unions tied to the corporate wing of the Dem Party, like the UFT. Delving into how undemocratic and corrupt they are can lead people to use that to promote anti-unionism, a card our own beloved union leadership tries to pull on the opposition to shut them up.

But with the Brandon victory (oh, did he mess up those Trumpie Let's Go Brandon chants), Sam's partner Emma V addressed the victory - twice this week. I'm hoping to get MR to do more on the comparison of the left teacher unions in LA and Chicago compared to the center right/anti-strike, anti-Democratic, Republican talking points UFT. Did RTC chapter head Tom Murphy screaming at the people who put up 3 signs in back of Tuesday's RTC meeting and calling for security and threatening to end the meeting remind you of Tennessee Republicans? (RetireeTeacherChapter Meeting - the Horror of Holding up a sign).

On Wednesday, Emma pointed to how the deck was stacked against Johnson - Police vs Teachers? Come on! The Chamber of Commerce, the Arne Duncan (who succeeded Vallas as Chi school head) and was Obama ed chief  public school destroyer) crowd, including anti-leftist Obama working strings from behind the curtain? Yet Johnson got 80% of the black vote and built coalitions with many other groups, including the Working Families Party. Remember how the UFT did Cuomo's bidding and abandoned the WFP here in NYC years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozt2kVB1QlU

 

 Here are the program notes:

Jarod Facundo and Luke Goldstein, writing fellows at The American Prospect, join Emma Vigeland to discuss Brandon Johnson's unapologetically left-wing campaign for Chicago mayor, his rejection of the Chicago political establishment, and what his victory represents for progressivism across the nation. They explain how Johnson even found himself in this runoff against establishment candidate Paul Vallas, after entering the race barely above 2%, and the role of local organizations like the Chicago Teachers Union and United Working Families in his success. Also, the positive impact of Johnson's riskier policy strategies, presenting a wide breadth of solutions to the voters’ public safety worries rather than taking a “tough on crime” tact. Full interview with Jarod Facundo and Luke Goldstein: https://www.youtube.com/live/iyPmcmmF...

A definite must listen on how Johnson built a coalition and outpolled the incumbent and even Chewy Garcia who is well-known.

On Friday, there was a shorter segment with Alex Pareene, who is often a guest on MR. We loved

Here is the section James posted on Friday

EMMA VIGELAND ASKS: CAN YOU IMAGINE IF NYC HAD A TEACHERS' UNION AS POWERFUL AS CHICAGO?

Please play this segment from The Majority Report to every UFTer you know. 

The Chicago mayoral election between Brandon Johnson and Paul in some ways came down to teachers union vs police union. Guess who won? Johnson, who was backed by the teachers!

There is more to it than teachers vs cops but  it was a close election and Johnson does not win for sure without the CTU. 

The analysis from Emma Vigeland and her guest Alex Pareene on Friday's Majority Report should be played over and over to NYC teachers who feel powerless. We can be just as powerful as the CTU. We just have to remember we are a union and stand up for ourselves collectively.

Emma said it perfectly: "Can you imagine if New York City had a teachers' union as powerful as Chicago? Wouldn't that be awesome?"

 

 

I've been asked to write an article comparing the teacher unions in the biggest three cities in the nation and that will take a deep dive into history.

In the meantime I have to prep for tomorrow's RA organizer meeting with a rep from a State Senator who supports the NY Health Act, which the UFT opposes -- why back a public health plan when you can funnel money private corporations? 

And then on Tuesday, is the big rally at noon.

 

AfterBurn

LEVER TIME PREMIUM: Analyzing Brandon Johnson’s Surprise Victory In ChicagoThe Lever team explores the big progressive win.

Apr 9, 2023 Rebecca Burns
Brandon Johnson’s mayoral victory in Chicago proves that sometimes, passion and organizing can beat heaps of plutocrat cash.

 
Check out Pete Zucker:

Why The UFT is Weak by Guest Blogger Mr Mackey

 

Petition info - my mailbox overflows - hitting 5K:

Rally info:

URGENT CALL TO ACTION - RALLY FOR OUR HEALTHCARE - APRIL 11, 12 PM AT CITY HALL


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