Page 6 - Retiree News Winter 2021

Union members fight back against attempt to cut retiree health benefits
JAMESTOWN — Even after you retire, CSEA members will stand with you to keep your retirement security strong.
One of the latest examples of this solidarity was in the City
of Jamestown, where CSEA and other union members recently stood together and successfully convinced the City Council to defeat a proposal by the mayor that would have forced city retirees off their city-provided health care coverage our union had previously negotiated for them.
The council recently approved several amendments before passing a 2021 budget, the most significant being no changes to health insurance coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees. It didn’t happen without a fight.
In the months before the budget was passed, Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist and the council publicly discussed the proposal that would supposedly save the city over $1.1 million in health care costs.
Sundquist had proposed to cut the city’s budget on the backs of
retirees, specifically by cutting the negotiated retiree health insurance plan and requiring retirees age 65 and over to enroll in a Medicare supplemental plan.
Standing strong
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge, many local governments are scrambling
to balance their budgets as the federal government has not delivered much-needed aid to local municipalities despite the recent passage of federal COVID stimulus funds.
When the Jamestown mayor released his proposal, union members were determined that the city would not balance its budget on the backs of its public retirees, both present and future. CSEA, along with other unions, stood together to fight this proposal on behalf of retirees.
Union members and other
allies came forward to point out the mayor’s proposal not only violated city collective bargaining agreements, it reneged on hard- earned benefits earned by retirees.
Chautauqua County Local President Bonnie Peters addresses rally attendees.
Union representatives discussed their concerns with council members. Shortly before the budget meeting, several council members said they didn’t think
the proposal should remain in the budget, with one reason being the change was not negotiated with the city’s six collective bargaining units.
Making our voices heard
CSEA members joined with other city employee unions for a socially distanced rally in November to oppose the proposed changes to the retiree health care provisions.
More than 150 people attended the demonstration, held with COVID-19 safety protocols, sharing personal stories with local media and chanting, “Hands off my health care!”
“We demanded Jamestown city officials make
no changes to retiree health care provisions spelled out in our contracts, and they
demanded our retiree members be held harmless throughout the 2021 Executive Budget process and that is exactly what happened.”
CSEA Chautauqua County Local President Bonnie Peters said if the mayor and the council ignored union demands, all six city unions would have vigorously pursued legal remedies to keep our retired working families whole.
“We are very satisfied how
the council voted, and we hope this sends a strong message to other municipalities that you can expect a labor fight if you try to circumvent the language in our collective bargaining agreements,” said Peters. “We just want an element of trust and transparency present in our relationships with our elected officials. Is that too much to ask?”
— Ove Overmyer
Union members protest in solidarity over proposed retiree healthcare changes.
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CSEA RETIREE NEWS
heard us loud
and clear,”
CSEA Western Region President Steve Healy said after the city’s November 30 budget meeting. “We
Healy