Written and edited by Norm Scott:
EDUCATE! ORGANIZE!! MOBILIZE!!!
Three pillars of The Resistance – providing information on current ed issues, organizing activities around fighting for public education in NYC and beyond and exposing the motives behind the education deformers. We link up with bands of resisters. Nothing will change unless WE ALL GET INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE!
I'm
rushing to get this our before my wife wakes up with the list of
honey-do's in prep for 30 of her family members coming for tonight's
seder.
Retiree Advocate was out in force before and during
yesterday's Aetna screw-you retirees presentation at the monthly chapter
meeting and we got loads of people signing our petition for a
referendum on healthcare, now approaching 5,000, one quarter of what we
need according to the constitution. Entire schools are rolling in, which
means active members see the threat to their own healthcare with an RFP
(Request for Proposal) out there while Sorkin hides behind his
non-disclosure. At the Exec Bd when he said he was so proud of signing
that I wanted to ask why sign it?
Toward the end of the meeting, a
few activists stood in the back of the room and held up some signs and
RTC CL Tom Murphy went nuts, threatening to end the meeting and yelling
for security to remove them.
LeRoy Barr in the house.
Oh, the horrors. I took this photo in the hall. Note the photo of Albert Shanker looking on. So, I have a lot to report but not enough time.
The meeting was a boring Aetna presentation. I learned from one of the ladies attending how Aetna cheats to make even more money out of the Medicare system by changing your healthcare descriptions to upcode you for illnesses you might not even have. Imagine going to a hospital and your record is does not accurately reflect your true health?
Geof Sorkin: I have NDAs. I am proud that I will not reveal who the
potential bidders are.
Yes, UFT Welfare Fund head Sorkin is proud to sign Non Disclosure Agreements as an excuse to withhold information from UFT members who pay his high salary.
The UFT has refused to disclose or publicly
discuss the RFP except in the vaguest details (there are apparently four
bidders left but bet
heavily on Aetna). This is the original RFI (Request for information), which proceeds the RFP:
They will probably try to save money by more
creating aggressive levels of hospital and doc networks with higher copays for more
expensive hospitals and doctors. The City wrote an article about the RFP:
PSC covers it: “You
should also be aware that the City is entering into negotiations for a
new Comprehensive Benefits Plan (CBP) to replace GHI, the plan in which
most of PSC’s active employees are enrolled, starting in 2024. The
intent is to keep the CBP premium-free while saving 10% on the current
costs. MLC union representatives have not seen the proposals, but they
are under review by the MLC executive committee and health technical
committee”
Tonight was mostly about healthcare. Kate Connors came to the Open Mic to talk about the New York Health Act. Ed Calamia asked about Aetna’s ongoing MAP fraud case, to which leadership answered it would not affect our deal. I asked about what specific ‘cost savings’ were being discussed by the vendors in the new in-service RFP, but didn’t get many details.
Nick: Want to ask a question. We’re hearing about an RFP with four
potential providers to potentially replace GHI at a lower cost. Not
asking about the four respondents – asked last week and wasn’t answered,
though you’re free to tell us. However, we know how some of the cost
savings have been realized for retirees – like prior authorizations. We
also know about some of the cost savings we’ve already realized for
in-service – like forcing first year teachers onto HIP or adding huge
copays in GHI for most Urgent Cares – 15 bucks to 100 bucks since 2016.
What types of ‘cost savings’ are these four vendors suggesting to make
the cost savings? What types of copays? What types of networks –
diminished? New prior authorizations?
Geof Sorkin: I have NDAs. I am proud that I will not reveal who the
potential bidders are. Benefit design: a number of things: looking to
replicate to GHI, but also looking across the country and seeing how we
could leverage things. We have not met with any of the bidders. Michael
has said we’ve identified 4. One of the complexities is we are looking
at the info they’ve provided and it’s not always an apples to apples
comparison.
Due to the Moratorium Act, @uftnyc couldn’t screw retirees without doing the same to in service workers or he’d face litigation! We hear this week begins negotiations for the in-service workers healthcare plan and it’s been said they are eliminating all health care plans, except for HiP HMO and replacing the Emblem plan with Aetna. That’s it! First they came for retirees. Now they come for you....NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees Inc
leadership, let’s be clear. Wages, pension, & healthcare are mandatory subjects of bargaining. We have a right to have a say in these matters. All groups are signing, actives, retirees,
No MORE Unilateral Decisions on COVID MOAs, Vaccinee, Healthcare.
Mr. Mulgrew, TEAR DOWN THAT WALL
=================
Greetings Retirees & Retirees In Training!
Today we are emailing Comptroller Brad Lander and telling him to
object to registering the AETNA Contract! An easy email, that goes to
our new Action Network site! And then send one to City Council! THERE
ARE LOTS OF LINKS OF HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS IN THIS NEWSLETTER! AND SAVE THE DATE! TUESDAY APRIL 11th,City HALL. More to follow! BE READY FOR A PROTEST/RALLY!
HIS IS A CALL TO RALLY FOR US
TO BE HEARD! TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! AFTERWARDS, WE WILL BE ATTENDING
THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING & URGING THEM TO INTRODUCE OUR PROPOSED
BILL!!
BRING YOUR LOVED ONES, THIS AFFECTS THEM TOO! THIS RALLY IS FOR
RETIREES AND RETIREES IN TRAINING (In-service/active workers). THIS IS
YOUR HEALTHCARE THE MUNICIPAL LABOR COMMITTEE - DOMINATED BY THE UFT AND
DC37, AGREED TO DIMINISH. ELIMINATING ALL OUR HEALTH PLANS AND
FORCING US INTO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE IS ANTI LABOR AND UN-AMERICAN.
MEDICARE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFIT!
BE THERE WITH US!
Dress comfortable, bring a snack, and be prepared to be with us all day. We have the rally and then the Council meeting.
AETNA has been sending out their mailers on the new plan. We are
aware. The contract is NOT registered yet, and we still have
litigation to file... BUT... you MUST call your doctors and hospitals
to see if they will accept the AETNA Medicare Advantage PPO plan. You
want to ask if they are in network and if not, would they accept the
plan for payment. If your doctor is NOT in Network or advised they WILL
NOT take it for payment, please click here to complete our survey!
Whenever you receive documents or a package from OLR or AETNA, please
mark it with the date it was delivered to you. Our attorneys are
working on our case ahead. So please be patient, do your email
assignments!
LASTLY..... Are you an active or retired UFT member? If so, read this, if not, please disregard. From the NYC Educators:
We are tired of leadership's unilateral decisions and givebacks that
have hurt and diminished our health benefits since the ill-fated,
non-transparent 2014 and 2018 labor contracts which bartered "cost
savings' to the City in exchange for our hard-earned healthcare.
Moreover, there are sound alternatives they have refused to explore that
would help bring down costs.
As we approach a new labor contract deal, more givebacks have been
negotiated away by the present leadership. Retirees are now being
forced into a privatized Medicare Advantage plan with limited networks,
life-threatening pre-authorizations and a labyrinth for seniors to
seek reimbursements for any uncovered care. In addition, a new,
undisclosed and "no-frills" cheaper plan is now being devised to replace
the premium-free GHI plan most active members have relied on for
decades.
Our present and future healthcare, and the healthcare of our families, is not for sale.
The photo above is what I picked up in my mailbox on Monday. Last night I got a message from my building saying my mailbox was full and mail had to be moved to the front desk. I'm heading in early to pick it up before going to the healthcare rally at City Hall at noon.
In case you hadn't hear, there is a petition which is scaring the hell out of the leadership despite the fact we need 20,000 signatures to force a referendum on health care changes, a seeming impossible number unless it goes viral. And yesterday, in an attempt to suppress the petition, Unity Caucus operatives only helped spread the word, as James pointed out.
Even some of our people who were skeptical at first, are signing on. The other day some New Action retirees went to a middle school and spoke at 4 lunch hours and got a great response.
In the meantime, Unity and the UFT high-priced leadership has gone nuts attacking the opposition and making accusations. Arthur has a reponse
An Update as Educators of NYC reports: Day 10 of the@UFT healthcare referendum petition drive & we are at ~ 2300-2400 signees. The petitions continue to pour in
Let’s let
leadership know we are union strong and that we are the union.
Please share the petition with your colleagues in your chapter.
http://hcpetition.educators.nyc
Municipal
Workers to Hold Emergency Rally to Express outrage at Mayor Adams’
decision to force
250,000 Retirees into Medicare Advantage
The
rally is April Fools Day-themed: “Mayor Adams, Don’t Try to Fool
Municipal Retirees”
What:
Municipal
workers from across the city will rally at City Hall the day after
Mayor Adams’ signed
a
contract that
sold
out 250,000 retired city employees and their dependents by
forcing them into an inferior Medicare Advantage Plan.Retireesare
here to tell Mayor Adams that
theywant
Medicare Not Profitcare.
The
theme of the rally, which takes place the day before April Fool’s
Day, is “Mayor
Adams, don’t try to fool municipal retirees!"
The rally is organized by the Cross-Union Retirees Organizing
Committee (CROC) and the Professional Staff Congress, the union
representing active and retired faculty and professional staff at
CUNY.
Visuals
Will Include:
Speaking
program of retirees, municipal workers, union leaders and elected
city officials including Council Members
Christopher Marte, Alexa Aviles, Kristin Richardson Jordan.
A
chanting crowd of retired and active workers with music, noise
makers, signs, crutches, walkers, and canes.
April
Fool’s Day themed signage, “We’re Not Fools” hats, and
slogans.
When:
Friday, March 31st
at 12pm
Where:
Outside City Hall Park on Broadway and Murray Street
Rally at City Hall
WE ARE NOT FOOLS, MAYOR ADAMS!
We Want Medicare, Not Money Care! Friday, March 31, 12 Noon - Broadway & Murray St.
No to Medicare Advantage
NYC retirees do not want to be forced onto Aetna’s for-profit Medicare Advantage plan! NYC retirees demand to keep our traditional Medicare & premium free Medi-gap insurance.
Yes to “Option C”
The Mayor has a choice to make by April 1st. Tell the Mayor to Choose “Option C” in the Aetna contract which would let us keep what we already have. Retirees & Active Municipal Workers: We Need You There
Bring your signs, noise makers, wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, canes, your sense of humor and sense of outrage!
Here is the
article that was behind a Paywall. Please come to tomorrows Rally at
city Hall at 12 Noon to tell the Mayorf Not to Try to Fool Municipal
Retirees.
Retireesare
here to tell Mayor Adams that
theywant
Medicare Not Profitcare.The fight will continue.
Mayor Adams signs controversial
contract that
eliminates traditional Medicare for retired NYC workers
Mayor
Adams signed off on a contract Thursday that will eliminate
traditional
Medicare coverage for retired city government workers and shift
them into a
privatized version of the program instead — a highly
controversial move that
immediately drew a lawsuit threat from a grassroots retiree
group.
The
contract with private health insurance giant Aetna is the
culmination of a years-long
effort by
the city to enroll its roughly 250,000 municipal retirees in a
Medicare
Advantage Plan.
Under
the deal inked by Adams, the city’s retirees — most of whom are
on a
traditional Medicare benefits structure that includes a Senior
Care supplement
— will lose their current coverage
and be automatically
enrolled in an Advantage plan administered by Aetna, effective
Sept. 1.
The
Advantage setup will save the city some $600 million annually
thanks to
increased federal subsidies, an allocation Adams described as
critical at a
time that the municipal government is staring down a $10 billion
budget deficit by
2026. In a statement, Adams also argued the
Advantage plan will
improve health care coverage for city retirees.
“This
plan improves upon retirees’ current plans, including offering a
lower
deductible, a cap on out-of-pocket expenses, and new benefits,
like
transportation, fitness programs, and wellness incentives,” said
the mayor.
“This Medicare Advantage plan is in the best interests of both
our city’s
retirees and its taxpayers.”
Tens
of thousands of retired teachers, cops, firefighters and other
city workers say
Adams is wrong.
Citing
federal studies that show Advantage plans can deny beneficiaries
“medically
necessary” care,
retirees have called on Adams since he took office to let them
stay on
traditional Medicare, contending that the switch would put them
at risk of
losing access to certain doctors, medical procedures and drugs.
A
group called the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees
successfully
convinced courts last
year to block the
first iteration of the Adams administration’s
Advantage plan — and
Jake Gardener, a lawyer for the group, told the Daily News on
Thursday that
they will file another lawsuit in hopes of derailing the new
plan as well.
“We
will be challenging this violation of the retirees’ health care
rights in
court,” Gardener said. “This is just the latest example of the
city trying to
save money on the backs of retired and disabled city workers.
What this would
do is to jeopardize the health of a quarter million elderly and
disabled city
workers.”
Retirees
are resisting the Advantage switch, in part, because Aetna will
require
pre-authorizations for some forms of care, a protocol that does
not exist under
traditional Medicare. They fear this will result in diluted
coverage, and have
depicted it as a life and death issue.
“Retired
firefighters, police, EMT workers and teachers will be forced
into a
privatized, managed care plan that has strict in-network,
pre-authorization and
referral requirements that will cause potentially
life-threatening delays and
denials of care,” said Marianne Pizzitola, a retired FDNY EMT
who leads the NYC
Organization of Public Service Retirees.
“Many
of the quarter-million respected public servants, and all the
current NYC
public employees, will be harmed by this damaging decision by
Mayor Adams.”
In
his statement, Adams said he sympathizes with the angry
retirees.
“We
also heard the concerns of retirees and worked to significantly
limit the
number of procedures subject to prior authorization under this
plan,” he said.
The
reason courts blocked
Adams’ first plan
was because it would’ve levied a $191 monthly premium on
retirees who wanted to
opt out of Advantage and stay on traditional Medicare. The
courts found that
penalty violated a local law requiring the city to provide its
retirees with
premium-free coverage for life.
Adams’
administration, with support from
the city’s
Municipal Labor Committee, says the new plan
structure complies with
the court rulings because there will no longer be a $191 penalty
on the table
as the premium-free Advantage coverage is the only insurance
option available
to retirees.
Gardener
disagreed and claimed the new plan is also illegal.
“Forcing
them into Medicare Advantage by not even giving them the option
of keeping
their existing health insurance is far more damning and just as
illegal,” he
said.
Gardener
declined to say exactly on what grounds his group will challenge
the new plan,
but added: “We have a number of grounds that we will be relying
on to ensure
that the savings the city is looking to achieve is not obtained
solely on the
backs of retirees.”
There is still time to register for tonight's Retiree Advocate-UFT's meeting at 7pm on Zoom. Register Here: https://bit.ly/3yr6M8K (Close to 250 people are already registered.)
DONATE TO THE UFT PETITION CAMPAIGN FOR A HEALTHCARE VOTE - IT IS COSTING MONEY TO MAKE SURE EACH ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE WILL NOT BE TOSSED OUT BY THE UFT LEADERSHIP.
A Tale of 3 city teacher unions - and UFT/Unity are the losers
Sunday, March 26, 2023 - This post is loaded, so sit back or just ignore and go out and get some sun
No matter the liberal blather from the UFT (we support the LA teachers for not crossing picket line but would jump off the roof of 52 Broadway of NYC did the same), we have an ineffective right-center UFT leadership compared to the left wing leadership in Chicago and Los Angeles and the compilation I've gathered below proves it, not only ideologically, but in terms of actual political and economic accomplishments. My comment above about changing the leadership does not mean dumping Mulgrew for another Unity Caucus hack but removing Unity from leadership. Note these articles.
In the UFT we have decreased militancy - actually no militancy. Well, if you consider "wear certain colors certain days" as militancy.
The increasingly militant autoworkers had their first direct election of a national president and an insurgent won - barely. He said:
“This is the end
of company unionism, where the companies and the union work together in a
friendly way, because it hasn’t been good for our members ---- President Is Ousted in United Auto Workers Election --
"Company union" increasingly strikes a chord when talking about the Unity crowd. When Marianne appeared on Brian Lehrer the other day, his first comment was how surprised he was that the UFT was teaming up with the Adams administration against its own members.
We are not surprised.
A long-time UFT activist asked: What would happen if we had direct elections for presidents of the AFT and NYSUT? Right now only winner take all Unity delegates (750) vote in those elections.
There is actually a new petition campaign in the UFT to bring a level of democracy with a petition campaign based on the UFT constitution calling for a member vote on healthcare changes (as opposed to Mulgrew backroom deals through the MLC).
Sign the petition for a democratic vote on healthcare.
Attend the Retiree Advocate Zoom Sunday, March 26 at 7PM. Register: https://bit.ly/3yr6M8K
Are
you fed up with our union leadership making bad decisions for us
without our input? We never got a chance to vote about our Medicare with
Seniorcare being taken away from us. RA has no representation in the
DA, ExBd or RTC despite receiving 30% of vote in last Chapter election.
Time to build our caucus and get ready for next year's Chapter Election.
Find out how by coming to the Retiree Advocate's meeting on March 26
at 7pm on Zoom.
This morning, the Municipal Labor Committee, a group of approximately
100 NYC public sector unions, voted to ratify an agreement with the
city and Aetna to transition Medicare-eligible retirees to a Medicare
Advantage plan.
CSA voted “no” on behalf of our membership.
Throughout this entire process, we have been committed to fighting
for the highest quality of healthcare possible for every retiree. Our
retiree members have consistently asked that we advocate for an option
for Medicare-eligible retirees to keep their current plan. For a variety
of reasons, city retirees will not be allowed that choice at this time,
and too many retirees have limited options.
To be clear, our vote was not a referendum on the process nor the
Aetna proposal itself. The MLC has been diligent in fighting to protect
Medicare-eligible NYC retirees during these complex negotiations, and
Aetna has customized their proposal to try and mirror our current Senior
Care plan. Aetna representatives have been collaborative and
responsive; we greatly appreciate that they addressed our members
directly on a Zoom yesterday afternoon. They have committed to returning
to speak with our members again now that the agreement has been
ratified. Thankfully, many CSA members have had their most critical
questions and concerns addressed, and we are pleased that we were able
to support these retirees and advocate on their behalf.
However, there are currently too many CSA retirees who still believe
this plan is not right for them and their families. In January, I took
an oath to represent all CSA members to the best of my ability, and it
is my belief, along with our leadership team, that voting “no” today was
the right decision for our union.
Other union leaders within the MLC also did what they felt was right
for their members, resulting in enough votes to ratify the agreement.
Aetna has pledged to begin communicating immediately providing further
details and answering your questions. The MLC and the city will work to
ensure that the plan is implemented as promised. The dedicated staff and
leadership of the CSA Welfare Fund will begin to immerse themselves in
the new plan which include many additional, unique benefits.
We will continue to communicate regularly with you in the coming
weeks and months. Please be reminded to contact CSA Headquarters or the
Retiree Chapter with any questions or feedback about the negotiation
process. If you have specific questions regarding the transition to the
Aetna plan, please contact the CSA Welfare Fund directly.
As always, I thank you for your honest feedback, patience, and support.
Jenny
Brown reports on the vote by New York City’s Municipal Labor Committee
to scrap some of the best retiree health care coverage in the country
and push retirees onto the for-profit Medicare Advantage plan.
Protesters
in New York City against the mayor’s and the
Municipal Labor
Committee’s effort to change a city law protecting
their health care
benefits, photo undated. (Cross-Union Retirees Organizing Committee)
Defying
two years of protests and lawsuits by union retirees, New York City’s
Municipal Labor Committee voted March 9 to scrap some of the best
retiree health care coverage in the country. The change would put
250,000 city retirees into a for-profit Medicare Advantage plan run by
Aetna.
Twenty-six
unions in the MLC voted no, while others abstained. But their votes
were swamped by the votes of the largest unions on the committee, AFSCME
District Council 37 and the New York United Federation of Teachers.
Retirees
and active members protested during the MLC vote and marched to City
Hall. They are asking the city council to strengthen the law protecting
retiree health care. The NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees
promises to sue.
In traditional Medicare, available when you turn 65, you present your card, get care, and the government pays for it.
With
Medicare Advantage, a for-profit insurance company gets money from the
government to cover you. But they get to take a fat cut — Medicare
Advantage is now the most lucrative sector of an already-lucrative
health insurance industry. And they get to say what care you can get.
Medicare
Advantage plans negotiated by employers and unions provide worse
coverage than traditional Medicare. But they are generally better than
the individual Medicare Advantage plans that seniors may sign up for
themselves and which are advertised on late-night TV.
Medicare
Advantage plans that individuals buy on the private insurance market
may work out to have cheaper premiums than traditional Medicare because
they wrap in a drug benefit and may cap out-of-pocket expenses. But they
are notorious for denying expensive care, imposing narrow networks of
doctors and hospitals and ripping off the government.
On
the other hand, union-negotiated Medicare Advantage plans are the
result of insurance companies having to negotiate with unions and
employers to sign up large groups of retirees, and that may restrain the
most egregious abuses. Still, some retirees in negotiated plans report that they were denied care at the most difficult time in their lives.
Department of Health & Human Services, Washington, D.C. (Sarah Stierch, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)
In
both cases, the for-profit insurance companies that run the plans have a
strong incentive to deny care. Every dollar they don’t pay for your
care is a dollar earned by shareholders and CEOs, who often take most of
their compensation in stock. Stock prices are based on how little care
the company can pay for.
Traditional
Medicare (part A & B) costs $164.90 a month and covers hospital
costs and 80 percent of non-hospital costs. But medical costs are such
that the 20 percent gap in coverage can quickly become ruinous. So, the
government set up a regulated market of Medigap supplements.
Retirees can pay additional premiums to private insurance companies to
cover the final 20 percent, and cap out-of-pocket costs.
Medigap
plans can cost as little as $75 a month, but can cost hundreds more,
depending on the plan, your age, gender and whether you smoke. Unlike
Medicare Advantage, however, these Medigap plans are heavily regulated.
It
is this gap for which New York City union retirees over age 65 are
covered by the city’s Senior Care plan. The city also pays the monthly
premiums for traditional Medicare, so retirees get premium-free
coverage.
Numbers Don’t Add Up
States and municipalities have increasingly tried
to put retirees into Medicare Advantage plans once they reach age 65.
Where unions have fought the change, as in Washington state and Vermont,
they have been able to prevent the switch. But in New York City,
retirees have been fighting not just the city but also their own unions
to keep from being shunted into a for-profit plan.
Public
employees in New York City have given up a lot over the years to keep
their ironclad retiree health care coverage and it paid off until now.
Along with paying traditional Medicare premiums, the city pays for
Senior Care, the wrap-around supplement that picks up nearly all costs
not covered by Medicare, along with drug benefits.
Rally in Washington, D.C., February 2013. (Djembayz, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons)
Leaders
of District Council 37 and the UFT claim the Medicare Advantage plan
will save money and provide the same coverage. But the numbers don’t add
up, said Len Rodberg, a retired City University of New York health
policy expert who will be affected by the change. “Medicare Advantage
starts out 20 percent below what Medicare does, in terms of actual money
available to spend on health care,” Rodberg said.
Traditional
Medicare pays 3 percent overhead. By contrast, Medicare Advantage plans
have to make a profit for shareholders, and they also pay huge
executive salaries and maintain enormous staffs to protect their profit
margins by delaying and denying care. In these for-profit plans, Rodberg
said, “basically anything that costs money would need pre-approval.”
Municipal
Labor Committee leaders said their consultants told them the difference
would be picked up by the federal government, Rodberg said. But while
the federal government used to subsidize for-profit Medicare Advantage
plans 20 percent over what they paid out for traditional Medicare
patients, that subsidy is now down to 2 percent.
Medicare
Advantage plans also cut costs by contracting with certain providers.
This means the insurance company will only pay for care provided by
certain doctors or hospitals. For retirees who move to states with
spotty coverage, Rodberg said, “suddenly their Medicare card won’t work,
cause they’re in Medicare Advantage, not Medicare.”
Quick Reaction
Retired
teacher Gloria Brandman heard about the change in 2021 from friends in
PSC-CUNY, the union of faculty and staff at the City University of New
York. She and other teacher retirees swung into action, holding a
webinar that drew 400 people. The recording of the webinar circulated
widely, leading to a whirlwind of protest which forced UFT’s president,
Michael Mulgrew, to hold a town hall where he tried to sell the change.
Retirees
from the teachers, AFSCME and several uniformed service unions formed a
Cross-Union Retirees Organizing Committee to fight. Brandman and other
CROC activists hounded newly elected Mayor Eric Adams at every
opportunity.
New YorkCity Mayor Eric Adams February, 2022. (Marc A. Hermann / MTA, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons)
They
rallied when the MLC met: “We marched on the hottest day of the year,”
Brandman recalled. They held a Valentine’s Day “Don’t Break Our Hearts,
Mayor Adams” event.
In
October they held a “Halloween Horror” press conference, saying “Mayor
Adams, You’re Scaring Us to Death.” (“Death masks optional,” said the
invitation flier).
A
city law requires that all the health care options the city provides be
premium-free. That law turned out to be an important backstop and the
NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees sued to get it enforced. A
judge agreed that it was against the law for the city to charge seniors
an extra $191 per month to stay in original Medicare.
So
Adams and the MLC leadership asked the City Council to change the law.
They walked into a buzz saw. After vigorous protests and reams of
testimony from retirees and active union members objecting to the change
— which could have undermined active members’ health care as well — the
City Council declined to alter the law.
In
her testimony before the council, Jen Gaboury, PSC chapter chair at
Hunter College said, “We know these ‘savings’ don’t come from some brand
of private business magic. If you get this money, you’ll be denying
care and/or delaying treatment to your own people, older city workers.”
Contracts Held Hostage
Part
of the problem is that the unions created a $600 million hole in the
last round of contracts and they’re trying to plug it now. They
negotiated to use a health care stabilization fund, designed to equalize
costs between health plans for active members, to bolster wage
increases. Now the fund is broke and that threatens to raise health care
costs for active members.
At the City Council hearings, PSC-CUNY proposed a way out of this mess. Retired professor James Perlstein described it in his testimony:
“(a)
Redirect funds the City holds in reserve to bridge the Municipal Labor
Committee Stabilization Fund for three years, (b) Create a stakeholders
commission charged with finding a path to control health care spending,
with hospital pricing as a priority, and (c) Develop a sustainable
mechanism for funding City health insurance.”
PSC also suggested that New York City’s very profitable non-profit hospitals contribute, since they don’t pay taxes.
None
of these steps have been taken, so far. Instead, city administrators
continue to push Medicare Advantage. “The city’s taken a hardball
position that it won’t negotiate new contracts until the unions save
them $600 million by moving forward with Medicare Advantage plan,” said
Rodberg in February. The city promises to replenish the stabilization
fund with the estimated $600 million it will save from the switch.
AFSCME
DC 37 members have been working for 18 months without a contract.
Recently the city and the union inked a tentative agreement with raises
that don’t even keep up with inflation. Other city unions object that
this low bar will harm their negotiations, since the city expects the
first agreement settled by a major city union to set a pattern which the
other municipal unions will largely follow.
And
while members will get to vote on the agreement, they won’t be able to
vote on the retiree health care concession their union agreed to behind
closed doors. It seems that as a condition for settling, the dominant
MLC unions agreed to impose what the retirees call “the nuclear option,”
deliberately misreading the city law they tried to change, and making
Medicare Advantage the only option for retirees.
Any
retiree who wants to stay in traditional Medicare would have to pay for
all of their coverage, as if they had no union at all.
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