NYSUT News: Going - Pres. Andy Pallotta, Coming - Melinda Person Who? Has Never Been a Teacher - Succession or Coup?

Putin Cites Mulgrew/Randi Takeover of NYSUT as Inspiration for Crimean Invasion

I admire the Unity Caucus operation tremendously. I only wish I had such control....My next invasion will be Brighton Beach to protect the Russian speaking population in Brooklyn.... I am looking for a condo in Brooklyn as a base of operation but the real estate prices are crazy.... Vladimir Putin 

Ed Notes, March 4, 2014

Sunday - February 12, 2023  - Happy Birthday Abe

Ok, so Putin lied about his next invasion. The breaking news Friday night of a coming change in leadership at NYSUT brought up memories of the last change of leadership in 2014, one of only two times where there was a contested election. But lots more on 2014 later in this post.

UPDATE 7:30: Trusted source says Pallotta just retired. No drama. Also - no signs of early resistance to the move to Person.

Traditionally, the top levels of NYSUT have been occupied by former teachers and local union leaders, not by bureaucrats. Even Randi, who was a lawyer first when the top level oligarchs chose to make her the next president, did a quick teaching hit job to give her creds and meet UFT constitution requirements. NYSUT doesn't seem to have a similar requirement that officers had to teach.

 

Thus, we see a change coming with the announcement of candidacy for NYSUT President by Melinda Person, currently NYSUT Executive and Political Director - an appointed position, seemed sort of strange less than three months before NYSUT Delegates meet to elect its officers in late April. 

 

By all reports, Melinda Person is well-liked but it is interesting she shows no teaching background in her resume (see below), though she says she wanted to be a teacher. But all you have to do is look at her salary over the past 15 years (below) for a reason she did not teach. Even Randi seems to have had more teaching experience than her.

 

I was confused when I first heard of the announcement Friday night. 

 

She announces she is running while Andy Pallotta is still president? My first thought was she is running against him. But how could that be since she is running under the Unity line? This came across like she woke up in the morning and decided to run for NYSUT president but we know she was chosen by the hierarchy. 

 

I wondered. Who is Melinda Person and what is going on with Andy? Is he being forced out? Another coup in NYSUT?  (See 2014 story below). 

What forces in the UFT/NYSUT/AFT sphere are behind Person?

We got our answer shortly after with this twitter announcement by Andy Pallotta:

  

The order of announcement seemed strange. How mixed were his emotions? A change in leadership at that level involves some preparation. Some introduction around the state to the rank and file of someone no one except maybe the insiders know. Apparently Unity/NYSUT had a meeting the other day and the change was made. Did Andy decide to retire or was he pushed? Most probably, the former. (He must have noticed how much I've been enjoying my 20 years of retirement.) Usually, there are rumors in advance.

 

One thing we noted was that Person has been the NYSUT political director since October, 2014 and was assistant director of legislation for 6 years from 2008-2013 with a gap of a year, right in the middle of NYSUT turmoil over the 2014 election. She occupied the same position at the state level that Cassie Prugh, who recently left the UFT, had. Prugh replaced the popular (with soccer fans) Paul Egan after a fuzzy type scandal. She had been a somewhat shadowy and unpopular figure who came directly out of the Cuomo administration to the UFT. Some saw Prugh as the Cuomo plant in the UFT or vice versa. It is not clear who is replacing Prugh in the UFT. Sources say that she’ll still be working for the UFT on retainer. And who is taking Person's place as political director of NYSUT? Might as well let Cassie do both jobs for a double retainer - I'd love to what the retainer pays.

The UFT/NYSUT/AFT hierarchy is fundamentally run like a monarchy

UFT Contract Teach-Ins Raise Profile with Members and gets good ratings, Some Talk - strike prep (shhh) in schools, Report on Jan. 29 Pep Rally - and other News

Don't tell anyone, but s-t-r-i-k-e was mentioned at some chapters taking part in the UFT contract Teach-In. Taylor Law spies were monitoring and if you uttered the word you will get a two for one penalty. A NO vote on a contract doesn't mean a strike but why not scare the city and show the UFT membership is ready and willing if necessary?

Best union discussion I've heard forever...  comment on the pre-teach in PEP rally.

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2022

Over a week has passed since the UFT contract Teach-in on Jan. 30 and the previous Sunday evening Jan. 29 fabulous and historic EONYC Prep rally chaired by Daniel Alicea. Daniel is doing some amazing things with his web site on The Wire by offering a wide range of people space to publish. Support EONYC. The slides are here.

• [Ed Notes promoted both events: UFT Contract Update Yin-Yang - Jan. 29 EONYC 7PM PEP Rally, UFT Rally Monday Outside Whitney Museum - Reality Bites].

Reports coming in are that the contract Teach-in was a success, as was the PEP rally the night before with about 90 people on the zoom and another 100 or so on the FB stream and included a panel from across the spectrum of the UFT. In a number of schools salaries and health care were big items. And there was some talk about strike. And some anti-Mulgrew sentiment. But there was interest and we give the UFT kudos for engaging.

Due to Mondays being a long PD day, some schools did the teach-in later in the week, as MS 53 (Daniel's school) did. The UFT did promos - and pre-training that 900 people attended and held a noon Jan. 30 press conference in front of the Whitney Museum which got some good press coverage - and also some criticism as to the optics of using a fancy spot instead of a gritty school - there are reports that 700 Queens school held an event. Kudos to Queens UFT Borough rep Amy Arundell for pushing this plan aggressively and enthusiastically.

The great Work-Bites reporter Bob Hennelly had UFT officials on WBAI:

Bob's guests are Vice President for the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Janella Hinds, special education teacher Faiza Khalid, and UFT Borough Representative in Queens Amy Arundell on the UFT building rank and file solidarity at contract time.Listen here. (They go on at the 31:30 mark). Note- Janella Hinds of a Secretary Treasurer at MLC in addition to being VP high schools. Hennelly knows his stuff on healthcare.

In addition, UFT contract committees met in person during that week after school. It was a pretty busy week and Yes, Virginia, the oppo people have been supporting the leadership initiatives on the contract while maintaining the right to be critical.

James Eterno commented a few days before:

• UFT CONTRACT TEACH INS: CAN WE AT LEAST ALL HAVE THE SAME SET OF FACTS TO WORK FROM?

Nick Bacon had some advance advice for how the Teach-in should run:

UFT: Let’s do those contract teach-ins right today

Contract teach-ins start today. As I wrote last week, I’m in favor of the teach-ins, albeit with some modifications. I support them to the extent that they help members learn, think, and build some organizing infrastructure around our contract. I oppose them to the extent that the timing is odd (though better late than never) and the materials designed for them resemble propaganda to pre-organize members for a potentially undeserved ‘yes’ vote.  Luckily, at this point, we have some new materials. The good folks over at MORE published a much better version of the UFT’s official powerpoint. It looks to resemble the original powerpoint well enough that it could be switched out without any new planning. And, James Eterno over at ICE-UFT published an awesome article thoroughly analyzing the flaws with UFT leadership’s explanation on what we ‘do and don’t’ have power to bargain over. (Spoiler alert: we have way more power than union leadership would have us believe). I’d frankly print out that article and read it with your chapter. You might also take a look at some sample contract demands like New Action’s and share those with your chapter.

 I wonder if the leadership didn't open up a pandora's box by getting people involved while telling them about all the things they can't negotiate. James takes these apart one by one.

UFT Contract Update Yin-Yang - Jan. 29 EONYC 7PM PEP Rally, UFT Rally Monday Outside Whitney Museum - Reality Bites

The UFT Culminating January Contract Teach-in offensive takes place Monday with a rousing press conference outside the Whitney Museum at 11:30. (See press advisory below) with a preliminary pep rally sponsored by Educators of NYC, zooming tonight at 7. And you can still get on board:  UFT CONTRACT TEACH-IN PEP RALLY

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29TH @ 7 PM
A ZOOM ONLINE FORUM EVENT CLICK HERE TO RSVP

There has been debates in the alternate non-Unity Caucus universe over this UFT initiative and I have an entire blog post just about ready to go diving deeper into it. Some have been supportive as the UFT leadership finally doing some basic organizing around the contract. 

Others have been more skeptical, seeing the Teach-In as a show and tell event.

I'm somewhere in the middle, hearing from all sides. Unity crowd very excited, Oppos people not so much. But these are the activists on both sides. I offered the leadership some love last week: Fighting for a Fair Contract

Getting readings from the rank and file, the fact that so many people signed up for the UFT training is a sign of widespread interest.

And the interest in tonight's PEP rally has also been heavy with possibly 200 people expected, with an all-star panel of people representing all wings of United for Change - and as Nick Bacon has pointed out (Understanding the ‘Politics’ of the UFT’s Progressive Opposition), UFC is not monolithic, so expect the kind of debate you won't often hear at UFT events. UFT high level officials have been invited but as of this posting have not responded. But we may see a surprise stand-in presenting their side of things.

I'd like to see some history of previous contracts discussed: the 1995 voted down the first time, the major giveback 2005 contract, the 2014 and 2018 healthcare givebacks. Do you see a pattern here? I think there will be a discussion of whether a vote NO means a strike (which the leadership will try to tell people.).

The Agenda

UFT Contract Teach-In Jan. 30 - Showing leadership some love, Revisiting Jan. 9 Ex Bd and Jan. 18 DA

• Fighting for a Fair Contract: Contract Teach-In Pep Rally - Sun, 1/29 @ 7pm - An EONYC Zoom Forum Event - Click Here to RSVP

 

 A Key takeaway from recent UFT Ex Bd and DA:

• UFT trains members in prep of contract teach in blitz in schools: Our union is holding a teach-in on January 30th. Many in the opposition cheer the initiative - 

When Carl Cambria raised the idea to bring contract discussions to the schools at the Jan. 9 Ex Bd meeting, many of us in the opposition cheered, even the skeptics - like me. I liked working with Carl who chaired the UFT election committee last year, so let's give him some love for this imitative.

So I was proud to be part of the crew that discussed the issue and decided to show the leadership some support for a change by holding a pep rally for the next day's activities Sunday night, Jan. 29 where a range of issues related to the contract will be discussed. A great panel is being put together with lots of ideas for how to make the next day's teach-in more meaningful. Mike Schirtzer, an Ex Bd member who ran on the Unity slate in 2019 and 2022, is on board. There might even be input from some people in the leadership. Kumbaya!

• When the Union Wins, We Win! - UFT HS Ex Bd member Mike Schirtzer, our favorite UFT cheerleader

Monday, Jan. 23, 2023

Jan. is always an intense month with the highlight being my wife's birthday coming up in a few days. My deceased dad and her deceased mom and her young cousin all fell in the same week - some of the family is gathering at a steak restaurant/butcher in New Jersey this week where we go to the counter to pick out our own steaks. Luckily they don't have live cows to choose from. Jeez, time flies. Daylight is getting longer and I can see March around the corner - and my 78th birthday. 

I wanted to write about the Jan. 9 Exec Bd meeting (Who actually needs time to read a contract anyways? – Executive Board Meeting, 1-9-2023) where some significant events occurred and here we are with another Ex Bd meeting tonight. And I also haven't written about the Jan. 18 Del Assembly, (Mulgrew to Members: Prepare for Premiums – Analyzing the 1-18-2023 Delegate Assembly), which I missed due to a cold.There are too many threads to deal with which you can see if you clicked the links above, so let's focus on the contract teach-in. 

Nick has a related contract item at New Action:

DA Links, No CIty Council Vote on MulgrewCare on Jan. 19 - Mulgrew should take credit - I was just kidding all along, Deal With Aetna falls apart

NYC Council has no plan to pass bill that would let Mayor Adams charge retired city workers for health care: ‘It’s dead’ - Daily News

She cast doubt over the Jan. 26 deadline floated by the administration, though. “It’s not even clear that the deadline was ever [active],” she said before lamenting that the administration hasn’t yet provided the Council with a detailed contract for its preferred Advantage plan. “One of the questions at the hearing was, ‘Where’s the contract?’ ... We didn’t even have a contract to deliberate on as a body, so for me, that was a very important piece of information that we would need to go forward in any decision.”

What a failure of the UFT political machine which Mulgrew tried to activate to pressure the city council. Watch segments of the hearing on the VIDEO.

Add this hit:

• More Bad News for Mulgrewcare - An Injunction for Copayments for Senior Care

• Judge blocks NYC from charging retired city workers $15 co-pays in latest Medicare setback for Adams

Mulgrew, after pushing co-pays as part of the solution, actually tried to take credit for the ruling. James has the story with a response from Marianne:

• RETIREE LEADER MARIANNE PIZZITOLA DIRECTLY ADDRESSES MULGREW AFTER HIS LATEST EMAIL: YOU NEED A COME TO JESUS MOMENT

I have an idea for Mulgrew: Declare victory like he did when co-pays were ruled illegal.

 

Mock UFT Press release: Major victory for UFT as City Council Won't be bringing up and voting on a bill he advocated for

Michael Mulgrew praised The NYC City Council for not voting on the UFT promoted bill urging them to change the code despite his desperate efforts to get it changed. He announced he was just kidding all along and never wanted to have the city code changed so retirees who want to opt out of Mulgrew's fantastic Medicare Advantage Plan could pay $200 a month. "Do you think I'm dumb enough to alienate UFT retirees who are the backbone of Unity Caucus support?"

We heard from Marianne that the city council would not be taking the expected vote on changing the City Council Admin code and most likely will let it die. This is a big defeat for Mulgrew who tried to get UFTers to bombard the city council will pleas to change the bill. But would it shock me to see Mulgrew shrug and take credit as in the faux press release above?

 

 

 

There was a DA on Wednesday (Retiree Advocate was out there handing out leaflets) which I missed because I had some symptoms - I am negative so probably a mild cold. James and Nick have those stories

• LIVE BLOGGING FROM JANUARY 2023 DELEGATE ASSEMBLY (Unedited) - ICE Blog
  

• Mulgrew to Members: Prepare for Premiums – Analyzing the 1-18-2023 Delegate Assembly - Nick Bacon, UFT HS Ex Bd member, New Action – UFT

City Council Healthcare Hearing Update - Links to Video, Exposing UFT Leadership hypocrisy, And Much more

The City Council hearing on Monday went very well.  We filled the Council chamber with about 250 retirees, plus we had about 300 people outside chanting, "Let us in!"  Our government liaisons were able to get the retirees into 250 Broadway so they were warm and could hear the hearing.  As people left the chamber, retirees were permitted to come across the street to the chamber to testify.

We had retirees testifying until 9 pm!  We were heard.    We were also blessed to have Wendell Potter testify with us.  Wendell, is a nationally known whistleblower in the insurance industry.  Here is his newsletter about the hearing.  

The hearing lasted almost 12  hours long.    If you want to watch the full testimony of the day click here.  VIDEO.  ....NY

Monday, Jan. 16, 2022

 

I just checked out the VIDEO of the hearing - it's 12 hours of drama that would make a mint on Netfix. I got to go near the end at 9:54 -9:57 -  But also check out the woman before me - Laura I think her name is - called Mulgrew and crew out and out liars. Her husband has cancer and told her to say don't change the code - fight them. They're trying to privatize like you wouldn't believe and they are watching us - and that code is protecting us and if we let them do it here it opens everything up for them -- truly a wonderful speech. And UFT Ex Bd member Ibeth Mejia who came over from the UFT Exec Bd meeting with us speaks right after me - find other ways to save money. Mulgrew by zoom is around 4:30. Marianne panel follows them at 4:40 and goes on till 5:40 as she is questioned intensely and holds her own. Renowned critic of Medicare Adv Wendell Potter is also part of her panel. If you want a full picture, check out that segment. 

 

I got some pretty good responses to my 2 minutes, plus phone calls and emails from people I hadn't heard from in a while.

I've been trying to write this report of what happened last Monday at the NYC City Council Healthcare issue for a week but kept getting tangled up with the constant flow of information and the report grew and grew until it became totally unwieldy. So I'm starting over.

 

I reported the morning of Jan. 9 as I was watching the hearing from home and writing my testimony:  

• Monday MulgrewCare/RandiCare Update - City Council Hearings ARE ON -- Big crowd outside moved to overflow room - You can live stream.

I left off as I was about to leave to catch the ferry into the hearing and had just sent in my written testimony at around 12:30. I got there around 2:30 and had to go through various checkpoints - the first policeman told me the hearing was over and to go to 250 Broadway -- so I went there and was told they were about to bring down the people from the overflow room so I should go back. I went through 3 different police who all asked me what I was there for: I came to help save yours and my health insurance - and they all laughed and knew exactly what I was talking about and were supportive.

 

So I came in as Marianne was testifying and filled out a form to get on the speaker list. I was told I was at the end and around 5:15 I left to go to the UFT Ex Bd where I had a delicious meal of pork and potatoes --- oh, yeah, some other shit happened worth reporting. I have a few words to say about the Jan.11 UFT ex bd (the good, the bad, the ugly about Unity actions) but will do that in a separate post - you can catch up with James and Nick reports on Jan. 9 EB:

• ICEUFT Blog: MULGREWCARE FALLS FLAT AT CITY COUNCIL HEARING; NURSES STRIKE IN NYC; UNITY HELPS ELECT ICE-SOLIDARITY'S LULI RODRIGUEZ TO VACANT HS EXEC BD SEAT 

• New Action – UFT Who actually needs time to read a contract anyways? – Executive Board Meeting, 1-9-2023 -

As the Ex Bd was ending around 7:15 I received texts from Jonathan and my friend Shelly in San Diego telling me my name had been called, so I went back to the council and pretty much got to speak almost immediately. A bunch of us from Retiree Advocate left together. Some had been there since 8 AM.

James has a weekend update from Marianne who also appeared on Daniel and Leonie's WBAI program Sunday night with an email update:

• The latest email from the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees:  They are advising us to be patient. The most important paragraph from the email: We have asked you all to NOT call City Council.  We are allowing them to absorb this week quietly, and we will advise you to our strategy next week.   Monday is a holiday, and we will be in meetings on Tuesday.  We will advise you of our next steps soon.   In the meantime, look back on all we accomplished together!   You wanted to be heard, and boy did they hear you!   Things are looking good...  just give us a few days..  Be hopeful!   WE ARE!  
  

• ICEUFT Blog: NYC RETIREE ORGANIZATION ADVISES PATIENCE FOR NOW; MARIANNE ON WBAI WITH DANIEL SUNDAY AT 7:00 PM -

 

Jonathan also has a few words: JD2718 A Healthcare Week - a pretty full healthcare week.

 

Stories kept breaking all week. We are prepping for a Jan, 19 rally if a vote comes up but that is still in flux.

A biggie on Jan. 12 was another loss for the city and Mulgrew with the judge ruling on co-payments:

• More Bad News for Mulgrewcare - An Injunction for Copayments for Senior Care

Even funnier was Mulgrew's attempts to take credit for the ruling after he was instrumental in inserting co-payments and bragging about doing so. Does Mulgrew have a memory issue where he forgets what he says ten minutes before? James has the funny take with Marianne's video mocking Mulgrew:

Even funnier than funnier was Mulgrew's own retirees trashing MedicareAdv and pleading in their testimony arguing they desparately want the option of not being forced in MedAdv by the actions of their own union leadership - arguing both for and against the UFT position. They testify at 6:30 point.

• Republicans, UFT/AFT Hate Medicare - but not always - Unity at City Council Hearings Beg to Keep Medicare as their caucus tries to take it away

 Arthur did a piece on the same issue destroying the leaderhip. 

• NYC Educator - UFT Leadership Wants to Preserve Choice (for Those Who Can Afford It) -

 MORE News and links:

Left/Right Coalition at Council:

Don't discount the significance of right wing Republicans and Democratic Socialists coming together, a story that might stimulate national interest: 

You know your for-profit, privatized Medicare Advantage health insurance plan really sucks when right-wing Republicans and left-wing Democrats actually unite to defeat its imposition on municipal retirees. 

DamnYankee @HowardNybx Jan 10

Medicare Advantage has been exposed as a vehicle to enrich for-profit insurance. You don't hear the truth on corporate MSM. You get the truth, unvarnished on Work-Bites https://www.work-bites.com/view-all/in-nyc-theyre-lining-up-left-amp-right-to-defeat-medicare-advantage

The 9AM press conference  

Republicans, UFT/AFT Hate Medicare - but not always - Unity at City Council Hearings Beg to Keep Medicare as their caucus tries to take it away

Adams’s cynical attempt to load the dice so that they always come up snake eyes for retirees was evident in the pleas of a handful of cancer victims so desperate to stay out of Medicare Advantage that they demanded Council members change the law so they could pay for the Medicare/Senior Care plan they currently get for free.  ..

Marc Kagan: Is Adams’ Medicare Advantage ploy ‘a game of chicken?’ - The Chief

These pleas were coming from UFT/UNity Caucus retirees, all of whom have been on the UFT payroll and may still be.It's an old comparison but recall the old joke about the guy who kills his parents and pleads for mercy on the grounds he was an orphan. 

Friday, Jan. 13

 

One of the more astounding events at the NYC City Council hearings on Jan. 9 was the testimony of 4 long-time UFT/Unity Caucus members who were part of the UFT/Unity machine for decades pleading to have the admin code changed so they could choose to opt out of the Medicare Advantage plan Michael Mulgrew has been touting as the best plan in the history of the world - he testified earlier by Zoom (not wanting to hear the jeers of UFT retirees in person). 

So here have these Unity stalwarts telling the council the positions they held in the UFT and also detailing their illnesses and how they fear being put into a Medicare Advantage plan advocated by their own union -- and please allow us to pay to put out by changing the code -- even if many UFT members with lower pensions could not opt out.

Really astounding performance. As they left one of them said to me "I want my choice."

If you look at the UFT official position in pushing a Medicare Advantage program, we see they fundamentally line up with some Republicans and the corp dem party.

The AFT and UFT are taking contrary positions to what they proclaimed in the past -- watch what they do not what they say:

The AFT’s shift on Medicare Advantage and privatization of Medicare

It is interesting to read this as our local Republicans are with us to defend Medicare.

In NYC, They’re Lining Up Left & Right To Defeat Medicare Advantage - Work-Bites

 

Paul Krugman has a column today asking

Why Republican Politicians Still Hate Medicare

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/12/opinion/why-republican-politicians-still-hate-medicare.html

 self-identified Republicans say that they are vehemently opposed to “socialism.” But when an Economist/YouGov poll asked them which programs they considered socialistic, none of the big-ticket items made the cut. Social Security? Not socialism. Medicare — which is, by the way, a single-payer national health insurance program, which we’re often told Americans would never accept — also isn’t socialism.

A Scam of the Century: What’s Wrong with Medicare Advantage? Everything

 

More Bad News for Mulgrewcare - An Injunction for Copayments for Senior Care

Judge blocks NYC from charging retired city workers $15 co-pays in latest Medicare setback for Adams

Holy crap. The Hits Keep coming to Mulgrew and RandiCare.

 I've been working on a blog about Monday's city council hearings and this pops up tonight - I mean last night as it's 1 AM tomorrow - I mean today. We were invited out to dinner tonight and I had two hard drinks. So I get a ping and this news pops up and I assume it's the liquor. 

If I were Lyle Frank I'd hire a food taster.

James posted the news on ICEBlog:

COURT GRANTS RETIREES INJUNCTION TO STOP SENIOR CARE COPAYMENTS

Judge Lyle Frank has granted Medicare eligible City retirees an injunction to halt the GHI Senior Care  copays that the City imposed in 2021 and the unions agreed to. This is another defeat for Michael Mulgrew. We The new copays violate Administrative Code 12-126 which says the City has to pay the full cost of healthcare for City retirees, active employees and our dependents.

Don't change 12-126, City Council!

We understand the City has already appealed but their record against the retiree's lawyers is not good. The legal outlook is positive based on how I read the decision based on 12-126. 

That leads to two important questions:

1-If copays are not legal for Medicare eligible retirees, how are they legal for non Medicare eligible retirees and active City employees?

2-Aren't all of us covered by 12-126? My non lawyer guess is we have accepted the copays for so long the City will say they are now the staus quo. That was their argument with the retirees buy the judge rejected it. The rest of us have accepted the copays for years and years. The moral is to never give the City an inch for a second.

As for City Medicare eligible retirees only, this is from Marianne on Facebook:

Marianne is advising you to bring a copy of the injunction with you to the doctor if asked for a copay.

Monday MulgrewCare/RandiCare Update - City Council Hearings ARE ON -- Big crowd outside moved to overflow room - You can live stream

This Carmen De La Rosa is a hack. This is horrifying already -- comment on twitter

We are on a slippery slope here. If we allow the city to make sub-minimum contributions to our health care, it's not likely to end there. The MLC, with the full support of our union leadership, made a short-sighted cost-cutting deal with the de Blasio administration. Though Mulgrew assured us in 2018 copays would not go up, some have doubled since then. Where can they go from here? The sky's the limit.... Arthur Goldstein, NYC Educator, -- Tell the City Council to Vote NO and RETAIN the City's Minimum Contribution to Our Health Care

Watch the hearing live but have nausea pills ready: https://council.nyc.gov/livestream/. The people from the city are testifying and something the woman said caused the audience to break out in laughter - she might as well be a saleswoman for Aetna.

Jan. 9, 2022

Blogs to check out: 

• Arthur: Tell the City Council to Vote NO and RETAIN the City's Minimum Contribution to Our Health Care - Including Bennett Fischer's great testimony - a few lines of which I have stolen for mine (below).
  

• Nick -New Action – UFT The Case for Tier 6 (and later Tier 4) Members to Oppose Changes to Our Healthcare -

10:40 AM - 

I'm still home because I knew it would be a zoo and just got a message there are 150 people waiting outside to get in. I will get there this afternoon when things lighten up. My written and hopefully spoken testimony is below but first I just received this from a friend's city council member Shahana Hanif, district 39. I've told you that the left and the right are our most adamant supporters. Actually, I see more issues on a broader basis coming - even the House insurrection crew offers interesting possibilities which I will explore -- sort of an anti-corporate mentality counter to mainstream Republican and Democrats.

Stand With Our Retirees

This week, I was proud to stand with our City’s retirees in opposing changes to the City's administrative code (specifically admin code 12-126). In a callous “cost-saving” effort, the Mayor is attempting to strip hard-earned healthcare from thousands of our retirees. After months of court cases, arbitration, and back-and-forth between the City and unions, legislation has been introduced in the City Council to allow the City to privatize healthcare for thousands of retired City workers. Moving from the City health plan to Medicare Advantage will increase costs for retirees and lead to worse health outcomes for individuals across the board. As a City employee myself, I cannot in good conscience support legislation that will strip hard-earned benefits from our public employees. I believe healthcare is a human right, from Medicare-For-All to the New York Health Act, and I will only vote to support legislation that moves us in that direction.

 

At the moment, this legislation has simply been introduced, but there is a hearing scheduled for tomorrow, Monday, January 9th, at 9:30 AM (you can register to testify here or watch on this link). I will keep you updated as this legislation moves and the efforts by those opposed to ensuring our City’s retiree healthcare is protected!

All you right wing readers remember Shahana.

Friday night's Marianne video.

https://fb.watch/hULazAcpLy/

Monday is an important day.

We hope as many of you as possible can join us at the public hearing to give testimony on why the city's proposed amendment to Admin Code 12-126 should not be passed by the City Council. If you can come, we will be meeting at 8;30 in front of City Hall. Or come when you can.

You also can submit testimony on-line. The info is below.

Thank you.

Retiree Advocate-UFT Organizing Committee

Testimony Info for January 9, 2023

City Council hearing on health insurance coverage for city employees, city retirees, and their dependents.

The New York City Council Committee on Civil Service and Labor will hold the legislative hearing on Monday, January 9th, at 9:30 AM in City Council Chambers, City Hall, New York, New York

The hearing is posted online HERE

If you are planning on testifying live in person or via video conferencing, YOU MUST register in advance of the hearing at https://council.nyc.gov/testify/

Please Pledge to Share Testimony To City Council To NOT AMEND CODE 12-126

If you are a city worker, retiree, or have a loved one that will be impacted by the change to code 12-126, submit testimony in-person, virtually, or written, this Monday, 1/9/23!

----------------------------

Testimony Info for Monday, January 9, 2023

The New York City Council Committee on Civil Service and Labor will hold the legislative hearing on Monday, January 9th, at 9:30 AM in City Council Chambers, City Hall, New York, New YorkThe hearing is posted online HERE If you are planning on testifying live in person or via video conferencing, YOU MUST register in advance of the hearing at https://council.nyc.gov/testify/

• If you plan to testify in person, it is recommended that you bring twenty (20) copies, double-sided, of your written testimony to the hearing.

• FACE COVERING MUST BE WORN

• In-person testimony instructions: there is a 2-minute time limit on oral, in-person testimony.

• Please include your name, address, and district, if applicable, on all written testimony.

• Written testimony may be submitted without registration by emailing it to: Testimony@council.nyc.gov or via the Council’s website at https://council.nyc.gov/testify/ up to 72 hours after the close of the hearing.

The entrance to the hearing and restrooms at City Hall is fully accessible: there is no access to snacks or drinks inside the chambers, so come prepared.

For questions about accessibility or to request additional accommodations, please contact Nicole Benjamin, NBenjamin@council.nyc.gov, or 212-482-5176 at least 72 hours before the hearing.

All other questions about the hearing can be directed to Elizabeth Arzt, EArzt@council.nyc.gov, and Nicholas Connell, NConnell@council.nyc.gov.

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RSVP: MAKE A PLEDGE TO SUBMIT ORAL, VIRTUAL, PHONE, OR WRITTEN TESTIMONY NOW

This Monday, January 9, 2023, beginning at 8:30 am, the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees and other allies will gather at City Hall to get through security, followed by a press conference at 9 am.

We need as many who can make it *in-person* to show up at CIty Hall this Monday! This is THE DAY.

If not, please be prepared to give testimony over the phone or on Zoom. And, of course, written testimony will be accepted as part of the public record, also.

Then, beginning at 9:30 am, in the Council Chambers at New York City Hall, the Committee on Civil Service and Labor, chaired by Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, will be holding a public hearing on proposed legislation to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to health insurance coverage for city employees, city retirees, and their dependents.

You can make your pledge here: https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLScxie9oEoH.../viewform...

https://educatorsofnyc.substack.com/.../pledge-to-share...

 

 

Norm Scott Testimony regarding changing administrative code 12-126

 

Jan. 9, 2023

 

My name is Norman Scott. I support keeping 12-126 intact while we continue to negotiate for quality healthcare, and savings. 12-126 ensures an equal subsidy for all city employees and has done so for over half a century, no matter the vicissitudes of city finances and has done so by a defined price threshold set in a city law. If insurance costs less than the threshold we are covered. If it's more than the threshold, we pay the difference. Changing the code allows the city to reduce this threshold. Keeping 12-126 allows the most vulnerable among us remain in publicly run Medicare and doesn't force anyone into the private, regional, for-profit Medicare Advantage ecosystem.

 

My union’s (the UFT) attempts to lobby the city council to change the administrative code comes from the top leadership, not the rank-and-file working members or retirees. At no point have we had a vote or any say in the decision.

 

I retired from the NYC Department of Education 20 years ago after 35 years of service as a teacher. I’ve been on traditional Medicare for almost 13 years I attribute my relatively good health to having a solid, supportive medical plan. Medicare pays 80% and my supplemental 20% has been paid for by my city managed Senior care. So far, I’ve had no denials of medical service and every doctor I go to accepts my current plan.

 

Amending the code would give me the “choice”  to pay almost $400 a month for my wife and I for the same plan we’ve had. I understand the desire to save money but why on the backs of retirees? Working to cut healthcare costs should be the goal. Attempting to change the admin code is being sold as offering retirees an option, for a fee, but also taking away any option for the numerous retirees who cannot afford the fee to opt out of a Medicare Advantage plan: In essence, not having an option at all, but only an option for the well-off, turning the delivery of healthcare services into a means test: Medicare Advantage for the disadvantaged who would have no real choice at all. A two-class system.

 

In addition to having the security of a strong healthcare safety net through traditional government managed Medicare, I also support the concept of traditional Medicare as one of the few public options available, unfortunately, only to retirees. Medicare is a government run program like social security and is supported by taxes we pay into both plans throughout our lives. Medicare has much lower administrative costs compared to private plans and a professional civil servant unionized workforce that can focus on addressing the needs of patients. Medicare sets standards of payments to control costs.

 

The advantages of Medicare for higher efficiency and control over rising costs should be extended to all Americans. Every month I get a statement where a physician or hospital might input an enormous charge and Medicare only pays a fraction. Yet almost every doctor and hospital accept what Medicare pays. Medicare is one of the best ways to control runaway healthcare costs.

 

Medicare Advantage plans are privately owned and managed profit-making operations, with much higher administrative costs than Medicare and with shareholder value being of higher value than patient care. We see expensive and extensive advertising with highly paid spokespeople for these plans and exorbitant executive salaries, dividends, and stock buybacks, often at the expense of patient care though denial of certain procedures and creating delays in gaining access to some procedures. Add the massive cost of lobbying politicians and even union leaders.

 

Recently, the mainstream press, led by the New York Times, has taken up the cudgel of exposing Medicare Advantage plans. The City Council is urged to reject all attempts to expand privatized Medicare Advantage plans and shrink highly successful traditional Medicare.