excellent column....in the "how did we" list, I might add: 1) how did we end up with leadership that has decided that healthcare is no longer a main focus and that we should put our energy and efforts and focus on other issues? 2) how did we end up with leadership who has decided that the medicare advantage issue no longer is an issue because we have a new mayor in nyc?
As for your number 2 comment, that's the position of Unity. I'd argue we ought to not simply accept the words of the folks who'd have dumped us into MA based on lies. I'd further argue that Mamdani has shown himself capable of sharp position reversals.
it’s also the position of RA. bennett fisher explicitly stated it at the second RA membership recruitment meeting and it was echoed by others who seemed to be in leadership of RA
I think that at first Bennett wanted to work with Marianne and nycretirees.org but after the early RTC meeting that Marianne was invited to to speak and was then pressured to leave as she wasn’t a “UFT” member, his attitude changed. He was most likely pressured.
There has always been little communication and no planning with the RA delegates, and then UNITY pushed through their no outside interference resolution, and RA decided to run with ARISE.
Next steps are a. RA agrees to work with us, or b. they don't, and we run without them. Regardless, if you read this, you have a good idea what our platform will be. You also know that communication is something my friends and I do NOT neglect.
Huge thanks to our fellow retiree warrior and Arthur! Such KEY fact-based questions and demands pertaining to our RTC. Anyone serious about protecting our benefits and promoting trust in our union governance won't sidestep what each point brings up.
I love this and as a delegate I would be proud to run again, this time with you, Arthur, as the candidate for President of our Retiree chapter. We need change as the people at the top of RA abandoned us, forgetting they couldn’t have won without Marianne and the mission of her organization.
Perhaps. I'd like to determine our approach to the next election first. I don't currently see these meetings as helping to achieve the goals for which we were elected.
I would venture to say there are many actions we could take to build upon the nothing we are doing at the moment. When, for example, have we demonstrated against Mulgrew's working against our interests? When have we embarrassed him and Unity in the press for lobbying against us? I would conjecture that we could takes such actions, say, more than zero times. I'd also like to see us writing to the chapter whether or not Unity approves.
I am down with all of that. Who else is? We could meet at the Wall Street bull, controller of our monies and could demand our pharmacy benefits, no co-pays, no deductibles. When do we start?
We need new leadership, or, at the very least, a new direction. I'm ready now. Meanwhile, we can keep working with the NYC Org of Retirees, who are already doing the work.
Perhaps if there were bullet point to salient demands, more people could or would unpack the paragraphs to find the salient points. What do you (or we) want/need? As a once-editor (magazines), I’d recommend this. Your points are sterling (I think) but dimmed by the tarnish of bashing retirees present leadership, and an evident delight in words-for-words’s sake. Perhaps, make “Four points?”
excellent column....in the "how did we" list, I might add: 1) how did we end up with leadership that has decided that healthcare is no longer a main focus and that we should put our energy and efforts and focus on other issues? 2) how did we end up with leadership who has decided that the medicare advantage issue no longer is an issue because we have a new mayor in nyc?
As for your number 2 comment, that's the position of Unity. I'd argue we ought to not simply accept the words of the folks who'd have dumped us into MA based on lies. I'd further argue that Mamdani has shown himself capable of sharp position reversals.
it’s also the position of RA. bennett fisher explicitly stated it at the second RA membership recruitment meeting and it was echoed by others who seemed to be in leadership of RA
Yes and I am disappointed by that.
Thanks to Arthur for printing the words of our brave anonymous warrior.
You're very welcome, Gail.
Powerful Arthur.
I am in & agree we must do this.
mea
Thanks Mea!
I think that at first Bennett wanted to work with Marianne and nycretirees.org but after the early RTC meeting that Marianne was invited to to speak and was then pressured to leave as she wasn’t a “UFT” member, his attitude changed. He was most likely pressured.
There has always been little communication and no planning with the RA delegates, and then UNITY pushed through their no outside interference resolution, and RA decided to run with ARISE.
This all sounds good to me.
Next steps?
Next steps are a. RA agrees to work with us, or b. they don't, and we run without them. Regardless, if you read this, you have a good idea what our platform will be. You also know that communication is something my friends and I do NOT neglect.
Huge thanks to our fellow retiree warrior and Arthur! Such KEY fact-based questions and demands pertaining to our RTC. Anyone serious about protecting our benefits and promoting trust in our union governance won't sidestep what each point brings up.
Thanks, Laura. We will have more, and soon.
I love this and as a delegate I would be proud to run again, this time with you, Arthur, as the candidate for President of our Retiree chapter. We need change as the people at the top of RA abandoned us, forgetting they couldn’t have won without Marianne and the mission of her organization.
Thanks for your kind words, Renee. If we run with or without RA, we won't forget that.
You are probably right, but I so want us to have input from the members.
I'm focused on that.
Meet prior to the next RTC meeting to plan?
Perhaps. I'd like to determine our approach to the next election first. I don't currently see these meetings as helping to achieve the goals for which we were elected.
Good. I would only add more specifics as to "how to" rather than "what I don't like."
I would venture to say there are many actions we could take to build upon the nothing we are doing at the moment. When, for example, have we demonstrated against Mulgrew's working against our interests? When have we embarrassed him and Unity in the press for lobbying against us? I would conjecture that we could takes such actions, say, more than zero times. I'd also like to see us writing to the chapter whether or not Unity approves.
I am down with all of that. Who else is? We could meet at the Wall Street bull, controller of our monies and could demand our pharmacy benefits, no co-pays, no deductibles. When do we start?
We need new leadership, or, at the very least, a new direction. I'm ready now. Meanwhile, we can keep working with the NYC Org of Retirees, who are already doing the work.
Perhaps if there were bullet point to salient demands, more people could or would unpack the paragraphs to find the salient points. What do you (or we) want/need? As a once-editor (magazines), I’d recommend this. Your points are sterling (I think) but dimmed by the tarnish of bashing retirees present leadership, and an evident delight in words-for-words’s sake. Perhaps, make “Four points?”
Mountain of words comes to mind.
If there's anything inaccurate here, or in anything I've been writing, you're free to point it out.
Can’t find it. Give me four—or two— points of direction: what do we need in Retirees leadership?
You can't find any inaccuracies? Fine. I didn't think so.
why should there be only two or four points? all stated were accurate. what we need in leadership is people who don’t minimize or dismiss our concerns
There are, in fact, several points here, and more are coming.