UFT Contract and Unity Scare tactics plus Retiree Advocate Lists City Council Members to ask to co-sponsor Bill 1099 to offer option to remain in Medicare

Two main items for today. The contract vote is supposedly wrapping up with the possible count being July 6 - but there are so many snafus in how ballots are being returned, we may find votes for entire schools possibly getting "lost." 

 

Get the details on the snafu at EONYC:

Will Our UFT Ratification Votes for the Tentative Contract be Received or Counted?

A rushed ratification process along with botched mail return labels and confusing emails lead to serious questions about election integrity.

I'm not going to get further into the gritty details and leave it to Arthur, EONYC, Nick and Jonathan - hey, where are the lady bloggers in NYC Ed?

 

• 2023-2024 Calendar ‘Fixed’ – Regardless of How You Vote on the Contract

• A Different Kind of ‘Pay cut:’ When Student/Employee Data is Compromised

• Rushed UFT Contract Ratification Process Leads to Integrity Questions

• Intimidation during the vote – 37½ minutes

• Are there health care cuts in this contract?

• Union Bosses Vs. Union Members

 

Skinny Awards Tonight

Tonight is Leonie Haimson's Skinny Awards honoring Jamaal Bowman -- a bunch of us will be there --  you probably can still sign up or make a donation to the work Leonie does. Bowman is probably the only true education advocate in Congress. And he supports us on the healthcare issue.

 

 

City Council Updates

Harry Garrido  appeared on NY1 in an Errol Lewis (way over rated) interview that was sponsored by guess who -- AETNA.

Retirees Slams DC 37 Garrido over Threats at Press Conference today, June 22 Rally pics

Breaking on Tuesday Primary:

Of the contested City Council seats that may affect an eventual Medicare vote:

• It looks like our D42 Socialist friend Charles Barron is out, as of January, as he is significantly trailing UFT-endorsed candidate Chris Banks.
• Yusef Salaam will replace our friend Kristin Jordan Richardson who did not run. Salaam is nominally a progressive. He beat KRJ's centrist challenger Inez Dickens (who was endorsed by the UFT) in something of a surprise upset.
• Our solid Republican friend, Ari Kagan, will go up against our wishy-washy Democratic friend, Justin Brannan, in the newly drawn 47th District in Brooklyn.
• The newly drawn, majority-Asian, 43rd District in Brooklyn's Sunset Park Chinatown may be a close race in November featuring a hard-right Democrat, Susan Zhuang, versus a yet-to-be-determined, actual Republican (either Ying Tan or Vito LaBella).

In other contested races involving 1099-supportive friends, Christopher Marte cruised in D1 (Yay!), Lynn Schulman is well ahead in D29, and Linda Lee cruised in D23.

The UFT seems to have bumped off Barron - bad news for retirees.

 

Video from rallies and press conference:  

https://youtu.be/BEPlvjzFFPU 

 

Message from Retiree Advocate 

As many of you have heard, there is a new bill in the NY City Council that would require the City to offer Medicare-eligible city retirees and their Medicare-eligible dependents at least one Medigap plan with benefits equivalent to or better than those available to city retirees and their dependents as of December 31, 2021.

It would provide retirees with the health coverage that they have had for decades and would stop the unacceptable transfer into a Medicare Advantage Plan.

Let's do what we can to make this Bill get the support it needs to become binding.

Contact City Council Members

Ask  them to co-sponsor Bill 1099

Sample Letter

Good morning CM               ,

I am a New York City retiree, and I am urging you to support Council Member Barron's Retiree bill 1099  which guarantees all city retirees and their dependents the right to remain on traditional Medicare with a Medicare Supplemental (or Medigap) plan paid for by the City of New York as required under Section 12-126. 

I ask and expect your support for this bill. Will you co-sponsor, support and vote for bill 1099 to protect retirees' healthcare options? I request  your response asap.  

https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6267700&GUID=9021FA22-8CC9-48BA-AB3F-4AA87098B367&Options=ID|Text|&Search=barron

Thank you, 

Name,

?? year retired teacher, UFT retiree

Email

Phone Number

City Council Spreadsheet with Contact list- June 26, 2023

Yellow = Co-sponsors of Barron’s Healhtcare Bill

District 1-Christopher Marte- COS-Caitlin Kelmar ckelmar@council.nyc.gov  Leg. Dir. Ian Wang Iwang@council.nyc.gov 

District 2- Carlina Rivera- COS is Katie Loeb-kloeb@council.nyc.gov   district office-212 6771077, leg. office-212 788 7366 

District 3-Erik Bottcher- Leg. Dir. Pam Comerford  pcomerford@council.nyc.gov  District Office: 212-564-7757

District 4- Keith Powers- Hayley Brundige  legislative director and budget director hbrundige@council.nyc.gov  COS is Ben Jacobs bjacobs@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7393 District Office: 212-818-0580

District 5- Julie Menin- District5@council.nyc.gov  Chief of Staff Jonathan Szott  JSzott@council.nyc.gov Leg Dir-Brandon Jordan  bjordan@council.nyc.gov  Scheduler/Director of Constituent Services -Cameron Koffman CKoffman@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-6865

District 6- Gale Brewer-Shulamit Puder, Chief of Staff spuder@council.nyc.gov d06scheduling@council.nyc.gov  Rosalba Rodriguez- rorodriguez@council.nyc.gov 

District Office: 212-873-0282 Legislative office 212-788-6975

District 7- Shaun Abreu-COS-Amber Moorer-amoorer@council.nyc.gov Policy and Budget Dir. Jalissa Quigley-jquigley@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7007 District Office: 212-928-6814

District 8- Diana Ayala-COS Elise Encarnacion eencarnacion@council.nyc.gov  212-788-6960. Ashley Aviles-Asst to Office of Deputy Speaker-Asaviles@council.nyc.gov Dir of Budget-Stephanie Herrera- sherrera@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6960 District Office: 212-828-9800/ 347-297-4922

District 9-Kristen Richardson Jordan- kjordan@council.nyc.gov  646 960 1344 COS Jack McClatchy@council.nyc.gov   or ghearne@council.nyc.gov 929 595 4586 Lisa McKraken lmccraken@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7397

District 10-Carmen de la Rosa-COS- James Burke-jburke@council.nyc.gov  Leg Dir- Kiana Diaz-Kdiaz@council.nyc.gov  (646) 670-6901Legislative Office: 212-788-7053 District Office: 917-521-2616 

District 11-Eric Dinowitz-Chief of Staff Jenna Klaus Jklaus@council.nyc.gov    For scheduling inquiries contact d11scheduling@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: (212) 788-7080 District Office: (718) 549-7300

District 12-Kevin C. Riley- COS is Simone Jones- sijones@council   Budget Director- Jahmal Yapp Jyapp@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: (212)-788-6873 District Office: (718) 684-5509 or 347-326-8652

District 13-Marjorie Velazquez- district13@council.nyc.gov COS- Jackie Crossan jcrossan@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7375 District Office: 718-931-1721

District 14- Pierina Ana Sanchez- constituent services -Adrian Cacho acacho@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7074 District Office: 917-409-6376‬

District 15-Oswald Feliz- Theona Reets-COS and Budget Director- treets@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office:212-788-6966 District Office: 718-842-8100

District 16-Althea Stevens- COS Kate Connolly  kconnolly@council.nyc.gov . Dep. COS- Tyreke Israel  tisrael@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6856 District Office: 718-588-7500

District 17-Rafael Salamanca-  Salamanca@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7384 District Office: 718-402-6130

District 18-Amanda Farias- Randi Malman rmalman@council.nyc.gov . Leg. Dir. is Rebecca Nieves-rnieves@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6853 

District Office: 718 792-1140

District 19-Vickie Paladino- Constituent Services Evelyn Mallo  emallo@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7250

 District 20- Sandra Ung- COS-Alexander Hart ahart@council.nyc.gov  Community Liaison- Dan Lin dlin@council.nyc.gov District Office: 718-888-8747

 

District 21-Francisco Moya-  COS is Meghan Tadio  MTadio@council.nyc.gov Leg. dir- Rebecca Beaver rbeaver@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6862 

District Office: 718-651-1917

District 22- Tiffany Caban-COS Steph Silkowski -ssilkowski@council.nyc.gov Leg. Director-Madhuri -mshukla@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6963

 District Office: 718-274-4500

District 23-Linda Lee- COS Amanda Vazquez Amvazquez@council.nyc.gov  

District 24- James F. Gennaro- COS- Henry Yam hyam@council.nyc.gov  Leg. Dir.-Nabjot Kaur-Nkaur@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6956

District Office: 718-217-4969

District 25- Shekar Krishnan-  COS is Chuck Park-cpark@council.nyc.gov Leg. Dir. is Greg Clark-gclark@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7066 District Office: 929-293-0206

District 26- Julie Won - Carolina Gil Chief of Staff CGil@council.nyc.gov   Legislative Director - Isaac Blasenstein IBlasenstein@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7370 District Office: 718-383-9566

District 27- Nantasha Williams-  Budget and Leg Dir. Everton Smith esmith@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7084 District Office: 718-776-3700

District 28- Adrienne Adams-Chief of Staff Jeremy John- Jejohn@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-6850 District Office: 718-206-2068

District 29- Lynn Schulman- COS Seth Urbinder  surbinder@council.nyc.gov - (718) 544- 8800

District 30- Robert Holden- COS-Daniel Kurzyna dkurzyna@council.nyc.gov  Leg Dir-Craig Caruana-ccaruana@council.nyc.gov Budget Dir-Sally Wong swong@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: (212) 788-7381 District Office: (718) 366-3900

District 31- Selvena N. Brooks-Powers-district31@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7216 District Office: 718-471-7014 or 718-527-4356

District 32- Joann Ariola-COS Phyllis Inserillo   pinserillo@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7069  District Office: 718-738-1083 or 718-318-6411

District 33-Lincoln Restler-  COS Mariana Alexander malexander@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7348 District Office: 718-875-5200

District 34-Jennifer Gutierrez- COS-Anna Bessendorf - Abessendorf@council.nyc.gov  Leg Dir-Anya Lehr- alehr@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7095 

District Office: 718-963-3141

District 35- Crystal Hudson- Dir. of Policy and Budget Andrew Wright anwright@council.nyc.gov. COS- Cassie Addison caddison@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7081 District Office: 718-260-9191

District 36-Chi Osse - Chief of Staff, Naomi Hopkins, nhopkins@council.nyc.gov  Policy & Legislative Director- May Vutrapongatana  - mvutrapongvatana@council.nyc.gov-   Scheduler is Christina Serrano cserrano@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7354 

District Office: 718-919-0740

District 37- Sandy Nurse -COS-Carlos Munoz  cmunoz@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7284 District Office: 718-642-8664

District 38-Alexa Aviles-Chief of Staff- Edward Cena ecerna@council.nyc.gov. Leg. Dir. Christina Bottego-cbottego@council.nyc.gov scheduler- JAlort@council.nyc.gov 

Legislative Office: 212-788-7372 District Office: 718-439-9012

 

District 39- Shahana Hanif- Nora Brickner Chief of Staff  nbrickner@council.nyc.gov Leg dir- aliao@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6969 District Office: 718-499-1090

District 40-Rita Joseph -  Leg Dir jdesouve@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7352 District Office:718-287-8762

District 41- Darlene Mealy- Legislative Office: 212-788-7387 District Office: 718-953-3097

District 42-Charles Barron-COS: William Clay wclay@council.nyc.gov Also: Vinson Verdree- viverdree@council.nyc.gov 718 649-9495 212 788-6957

District 43-Justin Brannan-Chief of Staff- Christopher McCreight -CMccreight@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7363 District Office: 718-748-5200

District 44-Kalman Yeger- Budget Director- Maria Markh mmarkh@council.nyc.gov   COS? Linda Pillcorema- Lpillcorema@council.nyc.gov  askkalman@council.nyc.gov  

Legislative Office: 212-788-7357 District Office: 718-853-2704

District 45-Farah N. Louis-  For leg. and budget Dir. Ruth Guillaume rguillaume@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-6859 District Office: 718-629-2900

District 46-Mercedes Narcisse- COS   Saye Joseph  sajoseph@council.nyc.gov  Frank Shea- Dep. COS fshea@council.nyc.gov Legislative Office: 212-788-7286 District Office: 718-241-9330 

District 47-Ari Kagan-  COS Jeanine Cherichetti   jcherichetti@council.nyc.gov Also Ather Tirmizi- Budget Dir. atirmizi@council.nyc.gov  Legislative Office: 212-788-7045 

...

 

Retirees Slams DC 37 Garrido over Threats at Press Conference today, June 22 Rally pics

We thank Councilman Charles Barron and the brave co-sponsors of the City Council for standing up to this thuggery by Mr. Garrido and introducing Int. 1099, which will protect the earned Medicare benefits of their constituents. ... NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees

Monday, June 26

The rally last Thursday was packed with retirees and supporters. When I left to catch the 2:30 ferry back to Rockaway there were still hundreds of people still hanging out. I have pics below. How interesting that Charles Barron, an open socialist, who has often been shut out of the mainstream, has become a hero to the retirees which includes people on the right. It proves something many of us on the left learned in our own schools when we won elections: stand up for people and they will look past your politics they disagree with. Other left wingers in the Council back us.

The other point is that the right wing Republicans also support us - my own Joanne Areola - I never vote Republican but on this issue alone I may vote for her next time.

This morning there is a press conference to expose Henry Garrido from DC 37 for his attack on the bill Barron presented.  I've got a zoom at 10 so I'm not going to be there. The assumption has been that Mulgrew is also threatening City Council members who support the bill with no endorsements. They should call his bluff as those people will get the votes of 250K retirees which is worth more than a UFT endorsement, which has often been a kiss of death.

On the other hand, there is a theory floating around that if Mulgrew was smart (certainly far from a given) he would support the Barron bill, which would maintain the Senior Care option and allow people to remain in traditional medicare as a way out of the mess he's gotten himself and us in. It is pretty funny to see people I meet in other unions say what a rat Mulgrew is.  

Speaking of rats:

One more point -- Retiree Advocate Caucus UFT and CROC - Cross Union Organizing Committee which includes retirees from other municipal unions, were involved in the rally and bought out their people.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

June 25, 2023

 

New York City Organization Of Public Service Retirees Responds to Union Boss Henry Garrido’s Misrepresentations & Smears on NY1 with Errol Louis

PRESS CONFERENCE WITH COUNCILMAN BARRON

MONDAY, JUNE 26^TH

11 AM

CITY HALL

On Thursday, June 22^nd, District Council 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido delivered a two-page missive declaring legislation (Int. 1099) proposed by Councilman Charles Barron of District 42 in Brooklyn, the most irresponsible proposal in the history of the City Council. That same day, the NY Daily News reported how Mr. Garrido was planning on threatening council members who supported the legislation - not because the bill to protect Medicare for retired public servants has merits - instead, due to him making a deal with the devil to trade away those benefits for his own enrichment. 

Accordingly, to try and clean up his bullying, he went on a P.R. sprint to justify his actions by going on an unchallenged interview on NY1 with Errol Louis to misrepresent and distort his actions without any fact-checking or pushback. 

Several Unions - not all - within the Municipal Labor Committee bulldozed the Municipal Retirees into an inferior Medicare Advantage Plan that will cause some to lose access to their doctors, physicians, and treatment facilities while undergoing severe ailments like cancer and dialysis run by a company - CVS/Aetna - that's under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for defrauding the Federal Government for Medicare Fraud. 

Moreover, the NY Post Editorial published an OpEd laying out the true reasons for this switch to a Medicare Advantage Plan by stating, "The projected savings help fund the latest round of municipal labor contracts that hike wages for cops, teachers, firefighters, sanitation and clerical workers." ...

There we go. 

“Mr. Garrido admits his Stabilization Fund is empty, but he’s not telling you they misused it and now are selling off retirees and the disabled for a cash infusion. There are no $600 million savings to the NY taxpayer as that money goes to the same unions stealing the benefits earned and paid for by senior citizens and people with disabilities.  He should collectively bargain for benefits, something retirees can no longer do. We live that adage, ‘If you don’t have a seat at the table, you must be on the menu. Mr. Garrido picked the wrong main course!’” said Marianne Pizzitola, President of the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees.

NYC Municipal Retirees, all former Union workers, are being forced into a privatized plan that will cause us harm in funding current workers' raises. That is just wrong. 

We thank Councilman Charles Barron and the brave co-sponsors of the City Council for standing up to this thuggery by Mr. Garrido and introducing Int. 1099, which will protect the earned Medicare benefits of their constituents. 

###

Marianne Pizzitola

President

NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees

And

FDNY EMS Retirees Association

 A few pics from the rally with credit to me and Denise Rickles from retiree Advocate.