“We need to stay together and not accept this take over can we retirees take her to court do we have a case terrible what unions turned into. It’s all about taking away from us retirees what we signed up for the day we retired. Our signature on those documents we signed doesn’t mean anything? I’m sure Ann is leading the good life she needs to be removed from her position be safe my friends and pray we keep our Medicare not the mess they want us to accept”

“I did not sign up to attend Ann Widger’s meeting. In fact, I filled out paperwork in March requesting they no longer take monthly retiree union dues from my NYCERS pension and that they refund what dues they took as of the takeover. But in spite of this, my phone rang on April 25 and without any permission from me, they patched me in to this meeting without one word of explanation. I listened to Ann’s pledge of allegiance blather, and then a memorium for someone she knows in Florida, and then I hung up the phone. I thought her purpose was so that she could claim that lots of retirees attended her meeting and therefore were okay with the administratorship. Sure enough, I soon received an email from Ann Widger that talked about the large number of retirees that attended her meeting. This is a fraud.”

“We already know that the unions have betrayed us. Being a union member used to mean something. What does it mean today? That you’re a dues paying chump?”

“People used to go into EMS bc they wanted to help others, make a difference, etc and those are the exact same qualities the City has used to underpay and otherwise exploit them. You can’t have this unique, high volume experience anywhere else so if you want it the City has you over a barrel. Even with the sky high attrition, half the force is veterans who endure 2nd class treatment bc they’re drawn to the work despite the financial sacrifice.
I did my 25 years and topped out around 60k. EMS deserves MORE than parity, tbh.”

“Thanks for sharing your good heartfelt thinking…🙏”

“As I am going through a job transition definitely needed to read this... Thank you for sharing!”

“Ryn’s column has a powerful message and is wonderfully written with humor as well. I hope Work-Bites publishes more of Ryn’s insightful writings.”

“This is just what I needed to read today. Thank you.”

“At one time, the Democratic Party stood for the working people and protecting them with work rules, wagers, and working condition. Not today, they say it’s someone else’s fault, nothing i can do... whatever. Look at what the City of New York IS doing to its retired Medicare retirees. They are looking to take their Government run health care, Medicare, and replace it with a private for profit company “Aetna” in a Medicare Advantage Plan. Where has the Democrats of yesteryear gone? NO MORE 24… KEEP MEDICARE TRADITIONAL!!”

“I thought New York State forbid 24 hour shifts, and that it is only in the city that they exist.”

“Thanks for spelling it out in black and white. A very clear picture emerges. Excellent journalism!”

“I am a City retiree but not from the UFT. However, my wife is a retired UFT member and I have seen and heard a great deal about the problems with the current leadership in the UFT Retirees Chapter and the Mulgrew team. Having been in leadership in my Local and active for over 24 years, I know how important unions are to our survival.
It is especially critical that the fight against the MAP is successful. It is a matter of life and health for all of us as we age.
The Retiree Advocate/UFT slate is composed of dedicated union activists who understand the realities we face.
I support their efforts to change the leaders of the Retiree Chapter in this coming election.

Mike Stein
Secretary-Treasurer (Ret) EMTs, Paramedics and Fire Inspectors
Local 2507, DC 37, AFSCME”

“Although I was never a member of the UFT I do believe in solidarity. The current leadership of the UFT and DC37 have led the fight to force retirees into a Medicare Advantage. They gave us no choice. They have seriously jeopardized our health care I urge every one who can to vote for the Retiree Advocate/UFT slate.

Ray Markey
President (Ret) The New York Public Library Guild. Local 1930, DC37,
AFSCME
VP DC37 (Ret)”

“My advice to the city is throw in the towel. Adams and Mulgrew feel Untouchable. My former chapter leader taught me never mess with the retirees they are loud and ready to fight the good fight. I remember in the delegate assemblies I attended the retirees were loud and did not take being passed over to speak lightly or ask questions.
I was there when Mulgrew was first elected and the teaching job has gone downhill since then. Even though only some people tried to defend me like Amy Arundell, chapter leader JoAnn Sims (now retired). The new leadership was weak and has been weak for the last 20 years giving in and handing members over to management like they did to me. I was shocked sitting in Federal Court defending myself and my family however it taught me a life lesson this world is not fair. I was a good teacher defending members from a retaliatory administration and I guess being good was not important anymore or standing up for what is right is no longer the noble thing to do. What does Randy Weingarten have to say about her prodigies behavior? She trained him and got him the position when she announced her move to the international. This will tarnish all their reputations as union leaders more worried about making the City and State politicians happy. What would Al Shanker have to say about all this?”

“If Medicare Advantage were so great the City wouldn’t need to bully us into it. Just the fact that we don’t have a choice says all we need to know.”

“To call trump Fascist with absolutely no proof is disgusting and unprofessional
And should be retracted. The author of this article needs to go to therapy for his TDS
The economy and his policies during his presidency were the best this country has seen in decades. I will make it a point to never read one of his articles ever again as now I know where his mindset is.”

“Since Eugene Debs has been referenced, it’s an opportunity to point out he did not begin his life in the labor movement as anything near a class struggle unionist. He was a skilled railway trades worker, who quickly rose to the presidency of his AFL craft union. During the Great Strike of 1877, he spoke out against the strikers and attacked the use of the strike tactic. Like other railway crafts unions, his tried to continue working, that is, they scabbed. In the years after that, there was a growing realization among many railway workers, including Debs, of the weakness of craft unionism, and the American Railway Union was founded in 1894, with Debs as president. Even then, he opposed the boycott of Pullman cars called for by the striking Pullman workers, but when the ARU convention approved it, he led the boycott, which in turn led to his imprisonment. It was only this encounter with the repressive state that formed him into the Eugene Debs who, we see from how this article invokes his name, is a symbol of class struggle unionism.”

“This article should be sent to mainstream media. I inquired to ny post about this situation and the mayor and gov with no response. Crickets!”

“Why is the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1056 (Queens NYCTA) & ATU L. 1056 Retiree Chapter, not actively supporting Traditional Medicare? At the same time, the ATU International Union, in Silver Spring, MD, appears to be MIA. Will the Amalgated Transit Union be next in line to throw their Retirees under the bus? ~We keep asking, but they don’t answer... Jerry Fancher, Past Pres. Retired, ATU Local 1056”

“Labor for Traditional Medicare supports our TWU retirees. It is truly amazing that a union with a fighting tradition like the Transport Workers Union would attack their retirees health benefits. Solidarity is a keystone of the movement and retirees are proving this . Three cheers to TWU100R President Lloyd Archer and Marianne Pizzatola, President of the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees for leading this fight to protect traditional Medicare.”

Ray Markey
President (Ret.)
NY Public Library Guild
Local 1930
VP (Ret.) DC37, AFSCME”

“I have been married 55 yrs. and we still have that communication breakdown! Well said. I glad I found you again.”

“I doubt Adams wants to be seen giving raises to NYC employees while there is a migrant expense problem. Wishful thinking, though.”

“280,000 NYC workers represented by Unions get retroactive raises while 20,000 managers will not get the same because of a migrant problem ? Managers were furloughed during covid , we did not get the last tranche 0.87 % of the raises that were agreed to by city hall in 2019 to pay for the parental leave and yet we are being punished for a problem we did not create ? We go above and beyond keeping the lights on for the city , working in emergencies without OT , filling in for roles that the city has not filled yet we are the ones who do not get the same raises as everyone else does . This is a travesty”

“Amen to all that, brother!

Some former and present unionists raised the issue of endless tax dollars for wars vs uplifting our communities, at a December 13 NYC City Council public hearing.. About thirty working people — no bankers, no “robber barons” — showed up to testify.

We in Move the Money-NYC pushed for that hearing. Our dream like Rev. King’s is to reallocate our tax dollars now hoovered up by the Pentagon to the tune of nearly a TRILLION dollars this year — and put much of that money to work in our communities. Let’s improve our transit options, our schools and healthcare etc etc instead of endless warmaking. Now we are pushing the Council to vote and make this the official stance of NYC, by calling on Congress and the President to change course.

Long live the spirit of Dr. King!”

“Love it! Thank you for writing this….maybe it will save some heartache ….and lives!”

“Mayor Adams and the MLC thought they could roll right over their retirees. They were wrong. Labor for Traditional Labor is glad to join ranks with our TWU retirees in fighting this attempt to force us into a Medicare Advantage Plan.

Ray Markey (Ret)
President
New York Public Library Guild
Local 1930, DC37, AFSCME
VP DC37 Executive Board”

“As retirees we are no longer represented by our unions and don’t vote in union elections. Yet the union leaders on the Municipal Labor Committee are deciding our health care benefits. How is that fair?”