Thanks. They do support us. This piece is only aimed at UFT, though. Marianne likes to use YouTube to get the word out. I'm old-fashioned, still writing.
One of their arguments, in their last flyer, was that we are a one-issue campaign. That's not really true, though. A second big issue is democracy, and Unity is very weak at that.
Mulgrew's man, Tom Murphy, is running on a platform of rejecting incivility. He thinks the trouble with the RTC is that the members are angry with him. Retiree Advocate thinks there is no greater incivility than giving away our Medicare benefits.
I wish Retiree Advocate had the resources to afford a direct mail campaign to all 70,000 UFT retirees, like Unity does, but we don't. What we have is our issues: Standing up for retiree healthcare, preventing retirees from being forced into a Medicare Advantage plan, giving RTC members a voice in their chapter, and generally restoring sanity to the RTC.
Without any issues, all Unity has is direct mail. Let's look at the cost of Unity's direct mail campaign. First, commercial printing of a full color ad on an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper, folded twice, placed in a printed, sealed envelope, conservatively costs 35¢ per piece (according to Google). Multiply by 70,000 UFT retirees, and you get $24,500.
Then, those envelopes are addressed and mailed by the UFT, which is charging 64¢ per piece for postage. Plus, presumably, a printing and processing fee, but let's just say 64¢ per piece, which is what we see on the envelopes. Multiply that by 70,000 and you get $44,800.
$44,800 + $24,500 = $69,300. Unity is running scared. $69,300 worth of scared.
Well said. How Murphy musters the audacity to claim ignoring member needs represents civility goes beyond my imagination. The only thing harder to fathom is anyone off Unity's payroll voting for him.
AMEN! Your pieces are are a joy to read Arthur. Marianne's a godsend, and the invaluable comments, including by Bennett Fischer, are not to be missed! What a coalition of activists you are! QUICK ALERT to fellow retirees who may have made the mistake I've done in past elections -of checking off individuals along with the Slate of my choice. Such a bad idea. Remind friends not to select individuals, regardless of how much they're cared for. We'll make our votes count ONLY by checking off a Slate. So, if you want to preserve our earned healthcare and stop the privatization/destruction of traditional Medicare -hands down!- vote RETIREE ADVOCATES!
I agree but I receive her e-mails and she can reach UFT retirees. This article is compelling
and we need to get the word out.
I will share your thoughts with her.
This article should be distributed by the New York Organization of Public Service Retirees: ASAP.
Thanks. They do support us. This piece is only aimed at UFT, though. Marianne likes to use YouTube to get the word out. I'm old-fashioned, still writing.
Their flyer so obviously does not appeal to ordinary retirees...
I figured they must be worried about motivating their own supporters to vote.
But they can't really talk about health care - and that's the #1 issue right now.
Thus, one of the saddest campaign flyers I've ever seen.
One of their arguments, in their last flyer, was that we are a one-issue campaign. That's not really true, though. A second big issue is democracy, and Unity is very weak at that.
Mulgrew's man, Tom Murphy, is running on a platform of rejecting incivility. He thinks the trouble with the RTC is that the members are angry with him. Retiree Advocate thinks there is no greater incivility than giving away our Medicare benefits.
I wish Retiree Advocate had the resources to afford a direct mail campaign to all 70,000 UFT retirees, like Unity does, but we don't. What we have is our issues: Standing up for retiree healthcare, preventing retirees from being forced into a Medicare Advantage plan, giving RTC members a voice in their chapter, and generally restoring sanity to the RTC.
Without any issues, all Unity has is direct mail. Let's look at the cost of Unity's direct mail campaign. First, commercial printing of a full color ad on an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper, folded twice, placed in a printed, sealed envelope, conservatively costs 35¢ per piece (according to Google). Multiply by 70,000 UFT retirees, and you get $24,500.
Then, those envelopes are addressed and mailed by the UFT, which is charging 64¢ per piece for postage. Plus, presumably, a printing and processing fee, but let's just say 64¢ per piece, which is what we see on the envelopes. Multiply that by 70,000 and you get $44,800.
$44,800 + $24,500 = $69,300. Unity is running scared. $69,300 worth of scared.
Well said. How Murphy musters the audacity to claim ignoring member needs represents civility goes beyond my imagination. The only thing harder to fathom is anyone off Unity's payroll voting for him.
AMEN! Your pieces are are a joy to read Arthur. Marianne's a godsend, and the invaluable comments, including by Bennett Fischer, are not to be missed! What a coalition of activists you are! QUICK ALERT to fellow retirees who may have made the mistake I've done in past elections -of checking off individuals along with the Slate of my choice. Such a bad idea. Remind friends not to select individuals, regardless of how much they're cared for. We'll make our votes count ONLY by checking off a Slate. So, if you want to preserve our earned healthcare and stop the privatization/destruction of traditional Medicare -hands down!- vote RETIREE ADVOCATES!
Thanks, Laura, for your kind words and great advice!