Page 4 - CSEA Retiree News Spring 2019

“This is is no time to be complacent”
CSEA retirees pledge to stay strong
When CSEA retirees move to to Florida after their their careers they bring with them them their their pensions health care care and retirement retirement benefits that allow them them to have a a a a a a a dignified retirement retirement At recent retiree local meetings in in Florida our members pledged to not only fight for for retirement security for for all public employees but to stand strong
with future retirees who are facing challenges “We’re at a a a a a tough time for retirees ”
CSEA President Danny Donohue said “While we need need to to to continue to to to protect protect our own pensions and and benefits we also need need to to to help protect protect our brothers and and and sisters who provide public services [in Florida] and and are paid little money Working people everywhere deserve respect It’s up to to us to to make the change ”
The U S S Bureau of of Labor Statistics reported in in early 2019 that while 24 percent of of all workers in in in New York State are represented by unions only 6 8 percent of all workers in in Florida have union representation While CSEA retirees in in Florida know they they are are facing challenges they they are are still ready to fight “This is is a a a a a a a a very serious time for unions ”
said Florida State Retirees North Local 952 1st Vice President Joan Reinhart said “This is is no time to to be complacent Make calls and and write letters [to elected officials] and and attend rallies You may be retired but you are a a a a a a a a a a strong
voting bloc We have to do what we can ”
Reinhart urged meeting attendees to to to reach out to other union members “We all have friends who are union union members members and they they may say to to you ‘they can’t touch me me because because I’m retired ’” Reinhart said “We need to to to to tell these people to to to wake up because because they can touch us ”
Meeting attendees also heard from Florida state legislators who are standing up for retirees and working people Florida State Rep Amy Mercado who represents the Orlando area spoke about how union-negotiated benefits made a a a a a a a a a a a difference
in in the life of a a a a a a a a a relative who has been battling a a a a a a a a a serious illness for years “Thanks to a a a a a a a union she is still alive and fighting ”
Mercado said Florida State Rep Tina Scott Polsky who represents the Palm Beach area decided to to get involved in in politics to to make positive change 4 “Though you you are retired it’s great to see you you working working for retirees and working working people ”
she said In addition to learning more about challenges facing our union retiree members got important
CSEA President Danny Donohue addresses members Metropolitan Region President Lester Crockett meets with Local 950 member Yvonne Taylor updates on their health insurance learned learned about about the the My CSEA App (see page 8) learned learned about about member-only benefits through through a a a a a a a lively round of “Jeopardy” and even got to strike a a a a a pose through through our CSEA Selfie Station Craig Walker and Florida State Retirees North Local 952 Unit 7 Treasurer Delores Walker pose for a a a a selfie “ I I think CSEA is a a good union union a a a a strong
union union I I urge people to to to join us and see that we’re never going to to to stop
fighting and stay strong
”
— Barbara Martinez Local 950 2nd Vice President “ Local Local 950 950 2nd Vice President Barbara Martinez and Local Local 950 950 Treasurer Annie Porter celebrate their victory at the the Pearl Insurance/CSEA Member Benefits “Jeopardy” game In the early days [of
my career] I I didn’t have benefits and CSEA fought for me Now I I have benefits that I I enjoy in my ”
— Deloris Eason Local 952 retirement Union strong
Unit 2 2 Secretary Florida State Rep Amy Mercado addresses members Capital Region President Ron Briggs left assists Local 951 members Richard Bartlett and Marie-Ange Pierre at the vendor tables CSEA RETIREE NEWS