Page 2 - Retiree News Spring 2025

2 CSEA RETIREE NEWS
Member Solutions Center:
1-800-342-4146
Employee Benefit Fund (Dental
& Vision): 1-800-323-2732
Health Benefits Department:
1-800-286-5242
Helpful phone numbers:
Pearl Insurance:
518-640-8234
New York State and Local
Retirement System:
1-866-805-0990
AFSCME: 202-429-1000
CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan:
Protecting our health care and retirement security
Retiree Executive Committee Chair Bernadette Giambra:
We need to work to keep our union strong
Hello! Hello!
Happy
Spring!
For many of
us, the warmer
weather also
means a
resurgence
of our CSEA
Retiree local
meetings. I urge
you to join your local meeting,
not only to reconnect and learn
the latest about your pension and
benefits, but to help our union
stay strong as we face challenging
times.
The new administration has
put forward proposals that are
concerning to our union. The
administration has cut federal
workers and programs. Many
public services that we rely on
every day are at risk. A recent
executive order has gutted
collective bargaining rights for
many federal employees. The news
is moving at a rapid pace and there
is confusion.
During these times, we need to
be as informed as possible. We
all have our preferred sources for
news but try to seek out as multiple
sources. It is important to be
nosy – get details and hear many
perspectives. We also need to read
and hear many voices and be open
minded. We may not agree with
what we hear, but we can all learn
from them. Listen to one another
to learn and build solidarity. Never
has this been more important
than now.
It can be tough to digest
everything we hear. However, the
most important thing to learn are
the facts so that we can share
them with our families and closest
friends, but also with our union
family. We all come from different
backgrounds and have varying
views, but we have a common
thread in our union.
If you have a question, please
reach out to CSEA. Our union has
many resources that can help, Even
if we do not have an immediate
answer, we will work with you to
get you on the right path. As union
members, we are dedicated to not
only standing up for what is right,
but to taking care of one another.
We always stand strong and
together.
In Solidarity,
Bernie
Bernadette Giambra, Chair
CSEA Retiree Executive Committee
CSEA Family,
Retirees
across the
country
are facing
growing threats
to the benefits
they have
earned through
their entire lives. Federal cuts to
Medicaid and attacks on Social
Security are looming, creating
uncertainty for millions of seniors
who rely on these programs for
financial and medical stability.
Recent actions from the current
administration, led by Elon Musk’s
Department of Government
Efficiency (DOGE), have put Social
Security at risk. Musk’s push to
access private Social Security data
was recently blocked by a federal
judge, but instead of accepting
the ruling, administration officials
have threatened to shut down
services altogether. This reckless
and unprecedented move puts
retirees in danger, as they rely on
timely Social Security payments
for essential expenses like housing,
food, and medication.
At the same time, Medicaid is
facing deep cuts that would strip
away critical health care access
for seniors. These cuts would
disproportionately affect retirees
who depend on Medicaid for long-
term care, home health services,
and medical expenses not covered
by Medicare. The reality is, attacks
on these programs don’t just
impact one political party—they
affect all seniors, regardless of their
background. No one should be
forced to choose between paying
groceries and getting necessary
medical treatment.
CSEA is committed to fighting
for the benefits our retirees have
rightfully earned. But we can’t do
it alone. Now is the time to take
action. Stay informed through
CSEA’s Legislative and Political
Action’s Federal action webpage,
cseany.org/federal_action. Reach
out to your elected representatives
and tell them, hands off Social
Security and Medicaid!
We will only be successful if we
stand together in resisting these
harmful policies. Together, we can
send a clear message that retirees
should not have to bear the brunt
of government inefficiency and
misplaced priorities. When we
unite, our voices are stronger and
together, we will protect health
care and retirement security for all.
In solidarity,
Mary E. Sullivan, President