Saturday, May 10, 2008

ICErs Join Municipal Unions in Rally Opposing the Proposed GHI/HIP Conversion to For-Profit Corporations






In an unprecedented multi-Union display of solidarity ICE members joined the Coalition Against Privatization on Friday to rally at the Superintendent of Insurance and HIP offices against the proposed merger of our largest medical insurance carriers. While the rain came pouring down protesters' spirits were not dampened. Their chants to the Superintendent of Insurance and HIP workers caused wide-spread reaction from the evening rush hour crowd in downtown Manhattan. Beside the UFT members from the Transport Workers' Union, DC 37 and other municipal unions were in attendance.


Protesters criticized the failure of our unions and the insurance carriers to fully disclose their plans. While the UFT and other municipal union leaders may benefit from the conversion of these not-for-profit health care insurance carriers into for-profit entities it is clear that our members will be exposed to increasing co-pays, out of pocket expenses and diminished medical coverage as the proposed entity will seek to maximize profits. Ironically our Union has consistently criticized the Bush proposed and enacted privatization provisions of Medicare as being against the interests of our retired members.


What are our leaders planning to do with the windfall that the proposed conversion will net the Union? Why isn't this being discussed? Why have our resolutions calling for full and frank discussions about this monumental change been consistently tabled?


What is our leadership afraid of?

11 comments:

NYC Educator said...

Why? Is that a rhetorical question? You're asking why the people who crippled seniority, gave us August punishment days, perpetual hall patrol, no right to grieve LIFs, and enabled the utterly predictable ATR situation would make things worse for working people?

You're asking why a union leader admired by Rod "The NEA is a terrorist organization" Paige would endorse yet another potential disaster for union members?

You're kidding, right?

Anonymous said...

Thanks for braving the rain ICErs. Did the media know about the protest?

What has been done to publicize the issue?

Anonymous said...

Go to ED Notes for links to video.

Anonymous said...

"In an unprecedented multi-Union display of solidarity".

How was it "unprecedented"? There have been bigger coalitions with a greater variety of unions.

Try not to pull your shoulder muscles as you're patting yourselves on the back.

BTW, it's good that you guys were able to make it to the Spring Conference. Hah!

Anonymous said...

Team Unity all the way, We are the best. We rule.
Spring Conference baby. Yeah!

Go Randi! Go Randi!

You are either with us or against us!

There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know.

We know we are the chosen ones.

Don't believe me? Watch us at the DA. We raise our cards high and proud. We are good sheep.
Sometimes it's tough. I admit. We have to watch the boss carefully. If she throws her arm out across the podium or flips her hair back or rolls her eyes we know this is the signal. She is unhappy. We want to keep boss happy.

Look I just think she is fabulous. She takes no crap.
Everyone is complaining about the ATRs and rubber room teachers. Randi cares man. She feels their pain. Don't you see that. What's wrong with you people.

Unity #1!!!

Anonymous said...

So not going to the spring conference makes ICErs bad trade unionists. Give me a break.

Anonymous said...

While you prepared for the Spring Conference, some of us worked toward protecting our UFT brothers and sisters...Imagine that...

The Chief - May 16, 2008
Mayor Sounds Alarm Against GHI-HIP For-Profit Merger

By ARI PAUL

Mayor Bloomberg May 6 called on State Superintendent of Insurance Eric R. Dinallo to stop the conversation of the Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York (HIP) and Group Health Incorporated (GHI) into a single for-profit entity.

MAYOR BLOOMBERG: Merger bad for city, workers.
Calling it "bad policy," the Mayor's Office filed a memorandum in opposition to the conversion of the insurers, which provide health-care coverage for 93 percent of city employees.

'Could Increase Health Costs'
"GHI and HIP have each provided quality health insurance benefits to New Yorkers for more than 60 years," Mayor Bloomberg said in a statement last week. "The conversion to a single for-profit entity could increase health-care costs by hundreds of millions of dollars, and threatens the health and financial well-being of city workers and retirees. We don't need city dollars intended to protect hard-working city employees and retirees used instead to pad the compensation of health-care executives. This conversion should be rejected."
United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, who as chair of the Municipal Labor Committee leads the unions in bargaining on health benefits, had in 2006 supported a merger of the two insurers based on the assurance that there would be no negative impact on city workers.
The Coalition Against Privatization, which includes members from the UFT and Transport Workers Union Local 100, held a rally against the conversion May 9 outside Mr. Dinallo's lower Manhattan office. Coalition organizer Billy Wharton said that a for-profit entity would mean higher premiums for city workers.
"What we're trying to do is send a clear message in opposition to the conversion with no strings attached," he said. "I believe once GHI and HIP privatize, it's going to begin to act like every other private health carrier in the country."

Anonymous said...

Mayor Bloomberg with us and Randi on the other side. What a laugh.

Anonymous said...

Silly silly silly sheep.

Bloomberg is posturing. Read the transcripts from the open hearings...Skylar (Bloomy's man)says we are against it blah blah blah and then at the end of his testimony says but if the conversion goes through the city wants to be paid big big bucks.

This is also Unity's perspective...see the letter online at uft.org (search ghi-hip merger)

BLOOMBERG AND RANDI ARE AGAIN ON THE SAME SIDE.

DID YOU WATCH HER ON CHARLIE ROSE? MY GOD I NEVER SAW ANYONE TAKE A BEATING ON THE ROSE SHOW. RANDI LOOKED LIKE A SHELL OF A LABOR LEADER. HER POSTURE...HER PAUSES...HER ASS KISSING OF BLoOMBERG...DID YOU SEE IT UNITY MAN?

BLOOMY AND RANDI BOTH WANT CONVERSION MONEY. SCREW THE WORKERS.

Anonymous said...

silly silly silly sheep

not intended for anon 10:54

sorry.

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