The UFT election starts in April and ends in early May. Ballots are by mail. Electoral politics might be playing a role in the UFT convincing the city to delay the implementation of Medicare Advantage Plus (Mulgrewcare). Michael Mulgrew had been promoting Mulgrewcare until a judge ruled Thursday that the law says the city cannot charge retirees or active city employees for healthcare unless it is above the cost of the HIP plan. This is the language the judge used in citing the city's administrative code:
This section states unequivocally that “[t]he City will pay the entire cost of health insurance coverage for city employees, city retirees and their dependents, not to exceed one hundred percent of the full cost of H.I.P.-H.M.O. on a category basis.2”
The city and unions (the Municipal Labor Committee) were violating the law by agreeing to charge retirees who wanted to keep their current Senior Care supplemental Medicare insurance $191 per month if they opted out of the new privatized Mulgrewcare. The unions led by the UFT were trying to save the city hundreds of millions of dollars on the backs of retirees. Read the email below from the UFT and pay close attention to the words "until further notice" as to how long city retirees on Medicare can keep their current healthcare plan. The city and MLC could possibly try to force all retirees into Mulgrewcare and not offer them a choice. My educated guess is any changes will take place only after the UFT election.
United for Change will fight any and all healthcare givebacks if elected to run the UFT. We will use every resource the Union has including mobilizing our members. Active or retiree healthcare coverage must not be diminished in any way. What Mulgrew is going to do if he is reelected is unknown but look at his record. He has made cost savings on healthcare, otherwise known as givebacks, a major part of his negotiating strategy. It is reasonable to conclude that new healthcare givebacks for both active and retired UFTers will be coming when "further notice" from Mulgrew and Mayor Eric Adams is given.
It's not fear-mongering to warn people that Mulgrew agreed to healthcare savings in the last two contracts and now must find more. United for Change will not be bound by past UFT folly and will use all legal means to preserve the healthcare coverage we are entitled to.
The latest from Mulgrew and Retired Teachers Chapter Leader Tom Murphy:
Retirees will remain in their current health plans until further notice
After the judge issued his ruling on Thursday, we have argued that the NYC Medicare Advantage Plus plan should not take effect until all of the legal issues arising from the court case get sorted out. Now we have just received word from the city that the new plan will not be implemented on April 1.
Medicare-eligible city retirees do not need to opt out of the NYC Medicare Advantage Plus plan in order to remain in Senior Care or their current health plan. All retirees will remain in their current plans at the current rates until further notice.
The city’s decision is the best course of action under the circumstances. We know this whole situation has caused great stress for UFT retirees, but we hope this latest news brings you some relief.
UFT President Michael Mulgrew will share the latest information at our next RTC membership meeting on Tuesday, March 8. If you have not already done so, please use this online form to register.
One of the opposition groups in United for Change is the Retiree Advocate. They have been against Mulgrewcare all along. They will be holding a Zoom meeting on Sunday evening.
*This post was updated.
9 comments:
The cat is out of the bag for Mulgrew. Nobody is being fooled into thinking that he actually had anything to do with the lawsuit to stop his "Mulgrewcare". Retired teachers are a smart bunch and know that it was Mulgrew who sold them out. They will be voting against him in huge numbers in the upcoming election. The problem is the vast majority of rank and file teachers do not even know about what Mulgrew did to the retired teachers and that these same teachers are not aware that their current healthcare will more than likely targeted in the next contract. It is up to all of us to spread the word about voting Mulgrew out.
Every retiree I know is blames Mulgrew for this mess. Each was prepared to pay to keep their coverage. Without that option they’ll blame Mulgrew for that too. Every active teacher I know already hated Mulgrew. James correct if I’m mistaken….retirees basically decide the election since active teachers don’t vote in numbers higher than retiree numbers.
8:45,
Retirees traditionally have a higher turnout than active UFTers in UFT elections. Except for high school teachers, who more often than not vote opposition, UFTers who vote generally vote for Mulgrew in high numbers. We are hoping that Mulgrew's inadequate pandemic response, the Mulgrewcare fiasco, and opposition groups working together finally change that.
Wondering who or what else is funding Mulgrew's reelection besides Unity? The city and several corporations have lots to lose here as do parallel union leaders in the MLC. Mulgrew goes down, other heads may roll, too
There is a long simmering hatred of Mulgrew that started way before Covid. Many teachers never bothered to vote in the past but this might be the year that the silent majority will finally vote against Mulgrew.
Mulgrew vigorously supported the Med Advantage debacle. Vote him out.
Until further notice is code for Mulgrew working along with NY city to wreck the retiree's current GHI Senior care plan which they you to keep. Mulgrew is toxic. Do not rust him. Do not vote for him. Get out the retiree vote to eject him from the UFT presidency.
Retirees, Mulgrew is telling you that he working to get rid of your retiree health care plan. He has not given up.
Still time to register for the Retiree Advocate Zoom event tonight, Sunday March 6 at 7PM. Register here: https://bit.ly/3I7YLZz
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