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Retirees | ||
See Us in ActionAFSCME retiree chapters and subchapters are involved in the life of their communities, with activities that range from legislation to politics, from member-education to community services. Chapters hold conventions and regular membership meetings, as well as education conferences and social events. Here are a few examples of retiree members in action. For more on joining or starting an AFSCME retiree group, click here.AFSCME Retirees Fight Medicare Advantage.JPG) Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are private insurance policies that are designed to replace regular Medicare. In an effort to move Medicare toward privatization, the Bush Administration and its congressional allies championed legislation in 2003 to subsidize these plans. As a result, they now receive federal payments that average 13 percent more than the cost of providing services under the regular program (and some plans are receiving much higher payments than the average). Over the last three years, participation in private MA plans has grown from 13 percent to over 20 percent of Medicare beneficiaries and insurance companies have seen record profits. One reason why MA participation has grown so rapidly is that insurance companies have started marketing the plans to large employers, promising to share a portion of the federal subsidy. Companies such as John Deere, Lucent, Sears and Xerox have succumbed. Thousands of their retired employees have been removed from Medicare and employer-sponsored Medicare supplements, and placed in private MA plans. The public sector has taken the bait as well. Encouraged by a desire to cut growing retiree health costs, the state of West Virginia, the Ohio School Employees Retirement System and the City of Houston are just some of the public jurisdictions that have switched to MA. The Pennsylvania story is particularly hard to swallow. There, Gov. Ed Rendell made a decision on his own to make the switch. He never consulted with AFSCME or the state legislature. Pennsylvania state retirees were told to choose an MA plan by May 1, 2008. Rendell also raised their co-pays for prescription drugs. Before the plan took effect, Pennsylvania Council 13, Retiree Chapter 13 and the International Union fought back. When meetings with Rendell's staff proved fruitless, letters were sent to all Chapter 13 members, urging phone calls and postcards to the governor. Chapter 13 Pres. Dan Mazus and other chapter leaders attended subchapter meetings throughout the state, informing members and organizing protests. Council 13 Exec. Dir. David Fillman even traveled to Washington to testify before Congress, citing the shortcomings of MA plans and urging a roll back in their generous federal subsidies. Meanwhile, word got out that some of the major medical centers in the state, including the University of Pittsburgh and University of Pennsylvania networks, refused to accept the state's primary MA plan - citing low reimbursement rates and slow payment schedules. State retirees were so concerned that they stampeded the governor's information meetings, causing traffic jams on the interstate. Despite the uproar, however, Rendell has refused to back down. The retirees have started looking at possible legislative strategies to restore their benefits. Illinois Chapter 31.JPG) Chapter 31 held its 11th biennial convention in Springfield, with over 100 delegates representing 23 of 25 subchapters statewide. Delegates could choose from a variety of workshops, including "The Coming Fight over Retiree Health Insurance," "Pension Politics" and "Fighting Medicare Privatization." At plenary sessions, they heard from such speakers as Henry Bayer, executive director of AFSCME Council 31; Roberta Lynch, Council 31 deputy director., and Steve Regenstreif, national director of the AFSCME Retirees. Special presentations were made by Terry Reed of the Illinois Labor History Society and Ethel Barbee RN, of the HEART Organizing Committee, who discussed AFSCME efforts to form a union of nurses at eight Resurrection hospital sites in Chicago.Longtime Chapter 31 Pres. Doris Clark stepped down at this convention and delegates passed a resolution making her the first official "President Emeritus." They proceeded to elect Virginia Yates to be the new chapter president. Delegates also elected Exec. Vice-Pres. Shirley Byrd; Northern Vice-Pres. Hal Gullett; Southern Vice-Pres. Dorothy Asbury; Rec. Secy. Barbara Franklin; Sec.-Treas. Delores Wasmund; and Trustees Florence Blimling, Marion Eliot and Arlou Waller. Discussion included the need to protect the State Employees' Retirement System - under attack by Gov. Rod Blagojevich - and traditional pensions in general. A state ballot measure in November will call for a constitutional convention and the retirees expressed concern that it could threaten the constitutional protection of the state pension plan. Wisconsin Chapter 7
LaPoint is a 45-year member of AFSCME and a retired employee of the Eau Claire school district. He's a former vice president of Council 40 and, for many years, has served on Wisconsin's statewide PEOPLE committee. On the national level, LaPoint is the current Chairman of the AFSCME Retirees Council and represents the Retirees Council on AFSCME's International Executive Board. West Virginia Chapter 77
Chapter 77 is in discussions with West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin and state legislators regarding the amount of public retirees' pensions that should be exempt from state personal income tax. Pensioners in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) and the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) are currently allowed to exempt only $2,000 from their taxes. According to Chapter 77 Pres. Ernest "Spud" Terry, other public retirees in the state receive exemptions that are considerably higher. "The State Police Retirement System is fully exempt,"Terry said, "while military retirees can exempt over $20,000. We'd like a tax exemption for PERS and TRS retirees that's comparable." During the last session of the legislature, Chapter 77 worked in coalition with other public retiree groups to help pass tax exemption legislation. A bill was introduced to increase the exemption amount for state pensions to $20,000. Unfortunately, it didn't succeed on the first try, but Terry remains hopeful that talks over the summer will lead to a more successful bill this fall. CSEA Florida Retiree Locals
New York/CSEA Chapter 1000's three Florida locals held their annual conventions in April. Retiree Local 950 met in Tampa, Local 951 in West Palm Beach and Local 952 in Hernando. All three groups are made up of New York public retirees who've made Florida their retirement home. To help them stay up-to-date on retirement issues back home, the conventions featured reports on the New York State Retirement System and on health care benefits for state retirees. At all the events, the key note address was delivered by Danny Donohue, president of New York's CSEA Local 1000, who conveyed the importance of organizing Florida retiree-members for legislative and political action. Other speakers included regional staff representing U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL); staff of local Area Agencies on Aging; and representatives of Florida's Chief Financial Officer, who discussed state consumer issues. The Tampa meeting featured an additional presentation: a report on identity theft by local law-enforcement officers (pictured above). For more on joining or starting an AFSCME retiree group, click here. |
Jerry LaPoint
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Jerry LaPoint, president of Retiree Chapter 7, was recently appointed to the Executive Board of AFSCME Wisconsin Council 40. In his new role, LaPoint will report to the board on retirement issues affecting AFSCME members and make recommendations for union action. .JPG)
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