Misrepresentation

To the editor:

A Dec. 10 email blast from DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido to union members contains misinformation and needless attacks on the 250,000 New York City retirees and dependents.

Mr. Garrido states that “Absent a viable solution to pay for working and retiree member health care, all of our premium-free health care benefits will continue to be at risk.” He claims that this is all because “a group of retirees” sued the city to stop the transfer of all 250,000 people to a Medicare Advantage plan. Viable solutions to reducing health care costs while maintaining premium free Medicare for retirees have been offered by several groups, including the Professional Staff Congress. Furthermore, moving the current GHI Senior Care program’s $600 million to the Health Benefits Stabilization Fund does not or will not save the taxpayers money.

Mr. Garrido misrepresents Intro 1096-2024, Council Member Christopher Marte’s bill to protect retirees’ premium free Medicare, calling it “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” and urges his members to call the City Council to oppose the bill. 

The Municipal Labor Committee, which Mr. Garrido co-chairs, has consistently rejected our attempts to sit at the table to represent retirees. We are asking for a voice, not a vote. We have also requested the City Council to form a blue-ribbon panel to address the rising costs of health care for workers and retirees.

Finally, we cannot forget how Mr. Garrido was complicit, if not instrumental, in removing the duly elected officers of the Retirees Association of DC 37 on the pretext of their failure to file IRS paperwork. This was another major blow to the retirees who worked hard for the City, and to build a strong union, and retiree organization that Mr. Garrido undermined for advocating for its members.

Stuart Eber.

The writer is president of the Council of Municipal Retiree Organization (COMRO).