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Jessica Kerr's avatar

Arthur , You've said it all , just as it is. Sadly. Wish that you were Prez of the UFT or or RTC!! I hope we can fight this and win. At least we have Marianne on our side. She is doing for us, what our UFT should be doing for all of us, especially we who are Retired.!!!

Arthur Goldstein's avatar

We do indeed, and she's doing the work we pay Mulgrew and his ducklings to do.

peter cherr's avatar

great column as usual....however, I'm surprised that you are surprised that Bennett Fischer didn't bring up the co-pay resolution. he's become a mulgrew apologist and defender. he's even said our medicare/medicare advantage issue and fight is over and it is time to put our energies into other causes.

Arthur Goldstein's avatar

I have not heard Bennett say that. I have heard others in RA say it, though.

peter cherr's avatar

he specifically and emphatically said it, going on a bit, at one of the RA zoom meetings. he and others were correcting me when I pointed out that the fight about medicare advantage was not over. he specifically said the issue was not something we had to worry about because of our mayor and because not one person in government or our union wanted to put us in medicare advantage anymore. it was the same meeting where mr. halabi announced he was against 1096

Arthur Goldstein's avatar

Wow. I didn't catch that. He did, though, write a column where he emphasized that Mamdani's position meant we were no longer in danger. Given Mamdan's various reversals, I can't accept that. I was at a meeting where Michael Shulman announced that health care was no longer the issue, and that it was creeping fascism. To me, one issue does not eclipse or preclude the other.

peter cherr's avatar

at the meeting I'm talking about, michael shulman was one of the people, among others, that basically said we no longer had to worry about our healthcare and had other priorities. with proposals mamdani made about the budget, including raising property taxes on everybody, possibly raising taxes on people with incomes as low as $25,000 and playing with pension funding by the city, and that he won't even talk to marianne pizzitola about the medicare advantage issue, why would anyone believe he wouldn't screw retirees about medicare if it was expedient for him?

Arthur Goldstein's avatar

I don't think that's Mamdani's goal, but there will be budget issues in the future. The fact that this budget will be met with quick fixes that won't repeat makes that a more viable possibility. And the fact that Mulgrew can't be trusted is important. We really need 1096.

peter cherr's avatar

I don't care what mamdani's goals are. he's quickly shown he's willing to go back on positions and promises. so, he could easily go after our healthcare if it helps him with budget issues and his other agenda items. and he's done nothing to show he cares about municipal retirees or old people, unless they fit with his affordable housing agenda. words mean nothing. action means something. if he came out in support of 1096 I might be persuaded not to be terrified of him and what he might do to make my life harder and less affordable

Alan Ross's avatar

Thank you Arthur for keeping up the good fight including against the Michael Mulgrews i.e. union leaders who sell out their unions. I wonder what puinshment such creatures Dante would have envisioned for them when they get to Hell.

Arthur Goldstein's avatar

Pretty sure he'd send them to work in classrooms like the rest of us. That's what they dread most.

Josephine Riccio's avatar

great read honesty and facts says it all. thank you for all your hard work. Need to share this information.

SHERYL's avatar

Why aren’t we, All the retirees inundating Mulgrew with lettersi of shame for his actions against us? Emails, snail mail’s. He needs to be shamed.

Arthur Goldstein's avatar

His email is mmulgrew@uft.org. In my experience, he does not respond to negative messages, but have at it. Best way to shame him, IMHO, is to defeat him in an election.

Ellen Metzger's avatar

What can I say? Arthur, you never fail to accurately present the despicable machinations of our “leader.”

We all need to be aware of what’s going on. I wish you were our president.

Arthur Goldstein's avatar

Well, that makes one of us. I'm pretty happy where I am. However, we do need a president who represents us, and we haven't got one now. But thank you for your vote of confidence.

Patricia Dobosz's avatar

Spot on criticism Arthur as always!

Please sign this petition:

https://stop-charging-retirees-835c6bcf.base44.app/

Arthur Goldstein's avatar

Thanks Patricia.

Jerry Longarzo's avatar

Spot on as always!!

Arthur Goldstein's avatar

Thanks Jerry