March 6, 2024
Retired City workers protested today outside of 75 Maiden Lane downtown. Their cause was the recent takeover of the DC 37 Retirees Association by AFSCME and their ongoing struggle to prevent privatization of their Original Medicare and supplemental health insurance coverage.
Activists called out Henry A. Garrido, Executive Director of District Council 37 and a major booster of the $15 Billion Aetna Medicare Advantage privatization scheme. “Leaders have more in common with bosses than with the people they’re supposed to be representing. Garrido earns $325,000 a year!” one activst announced. The protesters chanted, “hands off our Medicare!” in reply. Sally Robinson, a retired 36 year veteran of Local 372, took the mic to say, “now they’re trying to mess up our health coverage and that ain’t right.”
Marianne Pizzitola, Leader of NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees said, “what they (DC37) did was they negotiated away our Medicare.” Regarding the takeover of the DC37 Retirees Association by AFSCME and the ongoing effort by the Adams Administration to migrate retirees into Aetna Medicare Advantage despite their objections, she said, “they woke up a sleeping giant.” Another retiree activist pointed out that this Medicare Advantage issue is national, citing a West Coast Union that has reached out to discuss how to fight it there.
What follows is 1) a news release from the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees and 2) an email message from Ann Widger, Retirees Association of DC 37 Administrator and Director, AFSCME Retirees regarding the takeover of The DC37 Retirees Association, and 3) a YouTube video on the topic from the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees.
1: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees Stands in Solidarity with DC37 Retirees for A Press Conference and Rally in Protest to AFSCME
Manhattan, NY, March 5, 2024 Outraged by the hostile takeover of the DC37 Retirees Association, the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees stands in unwavering solidarity with our fellow retirees.
For years, we’ve fought tirelessly to defend traditional Medicare, only to face betrayal from those who once swore to fight for us. Now, the DC37 Retirees, despite belonging to a supposedly powerful union with a long history of leadership, face draconian punishment for simply advocating for the exact cause we champion.
Their supposed leaders, failing their fundamental duty, offered no support or guidance before seizing control of the DC37 Retirees Association. This outrageous double standard becomes even more egregious when considering other union groups with similar issues faced no such consequences.
This betrayal goes beyond the takeover itself. In June of last year, a powerful AFSCME official, Ann Widger, threatened the DC37 Retirees Association for daring to support our legal fight to protect traditional Medicare. Her message: continued donations would result in receivership. Following through on her threat, the hostile takeover occurred when donations resumed.
Unions, once beacons of dissent, now stifle these very voices and threaten those fighting for their fundamental rights.
We are the backbone of the labor force who demand a swift return to the core values of unions: protecting workers and retirees, not silencing them.
This attack on retirees trying to protect their earned Medicare benefits is shameful. AFSCME, once a champion for Medicare alongside Dr. Martin Luther King and President Johnson, now allows its largest district council to force retirees into a privatized, for-profit plan that weakens their access to doctors, denies care, is rejected by many of our healthcare providers, and puts seniors’ lives at risk.
We thought we were UNION!
PRESS CONFERENCE:
Join us on Wednesday, March 6th at 11 AM at 75 Maiden Lane as we fight for justice, our healthcare future, and the soul of the union movement!
2: Email message
Dear AFSCME DC 37 Retirees Association Members,
On February 22, AFSCME President Lee Saunders placed the Retirees Association of DC 37 under emergency administratorship. This means that the national union has assumed responsibility for the day-to-day affairs of the Association. To carry out these responsibilities, he has appointed me, Ann Widger, Director of AFSCME Retirees, to serve as the Association’s administrator and Terri Brady, Retirees Field Coordinator, to serve as deputy administrator.
The decision to place an AFSCME affiliate under administratorship is never made lightly, and only when absolutely necessary to protect the interests of you, the membership. In this case, the International Union recently became aware that the DC 37 Retirees Association was not following AFSCME’s Financial Standards Code or Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requirements, which jeopardized the Retirees Association’s funds and assets.
Unfortunately, the IRS has revoked the Association’s tax-exempt status for failure to file its annual tax return for the past six years. Again, this puts the Retirees Association’s funds and assets at risk. The Retirees Association also has not conducted an outside audit since at least 2017. These are serious failings. In pursuing these matters with the Association, it became clear that there was no significant effort or progress being made to correct them. While there is no evidence of any individual financial wrongdoing, these matters cannot go unaddressed.
I realize that some will say this is about the current debate around retiree health care for New York City retirees. Make no mistake: It is not. It is about serious violations of AFSCME’s Financial Standards Code and the International Constitution, which has resulted in the IRS revoking the Retirees Association of DC 37’s tax-exempt status.
My goal as Administrator is to put the Retirees Association’s affairs back in order. Retiree members are a vital part of our union. You have a right to an organization that lives up to the highest standards of fiscal accountability, responsibility, and transparency. I look forward to moving forward together. To stay up to date, please visit www.dc37retireesassociation.org.
In solidarity,
Ann Widger
Retirees Association of DC 37 Administrator and Director, AFSCME Retirees
3. YouTube video:
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