NY Retiree Advocates Open Up Two New Fronts in Fight Against Healthcare Privatization

NYC municipal retirees rally in support of a new bill introduced in the City Council this week to protect traditional Medicare coverage from privatization. Photos by Joe Maniscalco

By Joe Maniscalco

New York City municipal retirees rallying outside City Hall in support of new legislation by Council Member Charles Barron protecting traditional Medicare got more than they expected Thursday, when they learned New York State Assembly Member Kenneth Zebrowski is also introducing similar legislation at the state level.

“This issue isn’t just about New York City — this issue isn’t just about New York State — protecting our retirees is an issue everybody should care about across the United States of America,” Assembly Member Zebrowski [D-96th AD] told municipal retirees and their supporters gathered on Broadway.

Tipping his hat to Barron, the Rockland County representative said the fight to preserve traditional Medicare for municipal retirees will now be fought on two fronts.

New York City Council Member Charles Barron addressing municipal retirees and their supporters before introducing a new bill to safeguard traditional Medicare from privatization.

“I can’t sometimes be as fiery as Charles,” Assembly Member Zebrowski continued, “but I can tell you that we are gonna double-team this issue because I am holding in my hand today a bill that I’m gonna file to protect your retiree healthcare in New York State.”

The assembly member said “colleagues in the City Council are gonna pass a bill to protect [Medicare] in New York City — and we are gonna pass a bill in New York State to protect your healthcare rights, and everybody’s health rights across the State of New York. This is about fairness, this about equity. You bargained for this — you worked for this — you earned it.”

Marianne Pizzitola, head of the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees and president of the FDNY EMS Retirees, highlighted the state level contract fight now embroiling TWU Local 100 members and their traditional Medicare coverage. 

New York State Assembly Member Kenneth Zebrowski holds up a copy of new legislation aimed at protecting traditional Medicare for retirees on the state level.

“Their union has a tentative contract that strips away their Medicare supplemental or MediGap plan, and leaves them with two Medicare Advantage plans by Aetna,” Pizzitola said. “They are in the same situation as we are.”

Proposed retiree legislation aimed at protecting traditional Medicare from privatization has been left flopping on the City Council’s deck since last winter because Speaker Adrienne Adams has consistently opposed it.

“I will get a good night’s sleep because I’m doing the right thing,” Council Member Barron told retirees. “And I believe the people of New York will respect those of us who are not afraid to stand up to the powers that be.”

New York City Council Member Shahana Hanif thanks municipal retirees for “holding her feet to the fire.”

Council Member Shahana Hanif [D-39th District], co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, said that she’s heard from municipal retirees urging her to take action against privatization every day since taking office last year — and because of that, she is now a co-sponsor of Barron’s bill.

“I thank you for holding my feet to the fire and demand that we protect choice in our healthcare because healthcare is a human right,” she told demonstrators.

Municipal retirees wait outside City Hall to watch the introduction of Barron’s bill, which was streamed live from a truck.

With the introduction of Barron’s healthcare bill, fellow Council Member Chris Marte [D-1st District] said city retirees fighting Mayor Eric Adams and the heads of the Municipal Labor Council [MLC] on privatization, are now going to be able to “see those council members who are on the right side of history — and the ones who are not.”

“You are going to be able to see who is for the people of New York City, who are for the retirees,” he said. “We're gonna be able to organize and fight to make sure that this bill passes the City Council.”

Council Member Ari Kagan [R-47th District] also spoke out in support of Barron’s healthcare bill.

However, none of the dozen City Council members, including Speaker Adams, who where just on the other side of the City Hall fence rallying in support of striking WGA workers, managed to make it over to the municipal retiree rally against healthcare privatization. 

“This whole debacle started because the United Federation of Teachers’ Unity leadership decided they wanted a raise by selling off the Health Stabilization Fund — $1 billion to pay for that year’s collective bargaining,” Pizzitola said. “The Health Insurance Stabilization Fund was created in 1986 to pay the difference in premium between HIP and GHI. So, basically what they did, they sold off your healthcare to finance premium for active workers — and no one is saying that out loud.”

Roughly 100 municipal retirees stood outside the gates of City Hall to watch the stated City Council meeting where Barron introduced the proposed legislation as it was live-streamed from a truck.

Municipal retiree and cancer survivor Roberta Gonzalez was among those who were still out there to greet Council Member Barron when he emerged following the introduction of the bill. 

“He said our legislation now has a number, 1099, and it will now go to committee for review,” Gonzalez told Work-Bites. “It’s the Civil Service and Labor Committee headed by Carmen De La Rosa — who is buddies with [DC 37 Executive Director] Henry Garrido — who is threatening City Council members with withdrawing his union support and funds if they favor retirees.”

Gonzalez added, “It’s mafia tactics, and I’m not sure how brave City Council members are.”