ACTION
PAC Legislation
REPORT OF PEF
RETIREES AFT-STATE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
PROTECTION OF RETIREES HEALTH COVERAGE AND PENSION COLA
New York State Retirees have worked a lifetime at lower wages and traditionally
better benefits than our private sector counterparts. We were furthermore led to
believe that our benefits were guaranteed for our lifetime. Using a complex
formula in which unused sick leave was converted into monthly benefit dollars,
“x” number of hours “guaranteed” lifetime coverage. For thousands more
retirees with little or no accumulated sick leave, we were led to believe the
cost would continue, at the same percentage and rate, to be deducted from their
pension. No one knew that this was not “carved in stone.” In fact, few
expected an escalation in healthcare costs on a grand scale and retirees are
helplessly watching their “lifetime” benefits disappear.
Retirees are now faced with a new reality that threatens their fixed income and
their ability to maintain a decent level of healthcare coverage. Moreover,
retirees have no control over new and future union/state negotiations that
threaten to further erode benefits while increasing costs.
Retirees need to protect their benefits and contain their costs. Retirees do not
receive salary increases to offset increased premiums and co-pays.
Whereas retirees have no say in the erosion of negotiated benefits and there is
no legislative protection similar to pension protection, we need to seek
legislative remedies to address post-retirement health benefits protection.
(Including post-Medicare coverage)
Specifically we are requesting that our union continue to support us in our
fight to permanently contain costs and maintain adequate, livable, defined
levels of coverage in perpetuity through legislation and/or at the bargaining
table. We need representation on issues that affect us. We further request that
any proposal would provide a “grandfather” clause to include all retirees.
Additionally, retirees need to fight for continuation of the dental and vision
benefits that we did not know would be completely terminated upon retirement.
The union alternative offered is inadequate and costly.
Finally, New York State Retirees and PEF have fought for and won a minimally
effective Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), which needs to be improved. We
propose fighting for a shorter waiting period before receiving a COLA and an
increase in the COLA to at least parity with Social Security.
Respectfully submitted,
PEF Retirees AFT-State Legislative Committee:
Dave Grier, Ray Ferraro, Cal Thayer, Mary Reid, Ken Hunter,
And PEF Retiree Chapters 8 & 12
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