Stuck Nation Radio: A Million Municipal Workers’ Healthcare Under Attack; Plus Rev. Barber’s Call to Action

NYC municipal retirees held a “die-in” last year outside City Hall to protest the planned switch to Medicare Advantage. Photo by Joe Maniscalco

By Bob Hennelly

On this episode of Stuck Nation Radio we spotlight New Jersey public workers facing a major healthcare premium spike; the cloudy future for New York City civil service retirees healthcare; and a call to action from Rev. Dr. William Barber.

First up, it’s Dudley Burge, (NJ CWA) and representative of the New Jersey AFL-CIO Public Employee Committee on the State Health Benefits Commission, who discusses last week's vote to raise the healthcare premiums paid by the state’s public sector workers by 20 percent.

Next, we get the latest from Marrianne Pizzitola, a former FDNY EMT and member of DC 37 Local 2507, about her work with the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees. NYCOPSR successfully fought in court the de Blasio administration and the Municipal Labor Committee’s plans to shift 250,000 New York City civil service retirees to a Medicare Advantage Plan. Pizzitola describes the latest developments.

In the final segment, Rev. Dr. William Barber, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign talks about how turning out tens of millions of low wage and low wealth Americans to turnout in 2022 is "awakening a sleeping giant" capable of bringing about a national moral revival that uplifts the poor. 

Bob Hennelly (l) with Rev. Dr. William Barber (r), co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign.