12 July 2013

 

AFSCME Sub-chapter 161

 

Dear member;

 

We will meet again at Ruby Tuesdays Restaurant at 5203 Old Orchard Road, Skokie,Il., on Wednesday, 17^th July. The meeting starts at 11 AM.

 

The meeting’s guest speaker is Mr. Peter Starzynski, field director, of We are Illinois. This is a community group working to pass a Fair Tax referendum in November 2014.Since we will need political allies to fix the structural debt crisis and secure our pensions, Peter and his organization deserve our consideration.

 

Health Insurance update: SURS and SERS retirees have been sent a letter describing the general outline of a State designed and monitored Medicare Advantage plan. That will be available January1, 2014. AFSCME Council 31 has a standing Labor/Mgt committee currently working on details before it is implemented. This is a work in progress and August 1^st is the goal for sending out a detailed plan with choices and costs.

 

Keep in mind, this has been a tough negotiated health plan. The Legislature wanted to stick you with the Mercer Plan($ 5000-6000 premium). While no retiree is on the standing committee, Mrs. Virginia Yates, our Council 31 Retirees President, sits on the Council 31 Executive Board. We still have a voice in decisions about health insurance and pensions.

 

The political situation: The legislature adjourned without passing SB1 or SB2404. A conference committee has been created to find a compromise. On Tuesday, thecommittee members were met by AFSCME retirees and Council staff outside the hearing room. Many of the committee members represent districts where our members live. In the weeks ahead, I will be asking members to call and visit districtOffices. Senator Biss will be holding a forum this Sunday, July 14^th, at the Levy Center in Evanston (see below). Meeting time starts at 3PM. My thanks to all of you who called and e-mailed your Senators and Reps. Anders Lindahl, of Council 31 communications, said the We are One switchboard counted over 30,000 calls to Springfield from across the state.

 

We have a new Retiree Co-ordinator. Mr. David Amerson. He starts Work on August 1^st.

 

 Sincerely,

 

Charlie Hogan,

President

 

 

 

For all who are interested: issues of On the Move, published 6 times annually by Council 31 of AFSCME can be viewed by clicking here.

 

Our website (which includes a copy of this letter) can be viewed by clicking here.

 

 

From: “Henry Bayer, AFSCME Council 31” <webaction@afscmeillinois.org>
To: 
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 1:57:15 PM
Subject: Time for Sen. Biss to hear from us!

Please attend the Pension Town Hall meeting this Sunday, 3:00 p.m. at the Levy Center, 300 Dodge Ave., Evanston. North suburban state Senator Daniel Biss has been one of the loudest voices in Springfield calling for drastic reductions in the retirement security for public employees in Illinois. He has sponsored legislation to cut pension COLAs, increase the retirement age and push workers into so-called “defined contribution” plans. He has repeatedly voted in support of Speaker Michael Madigan’s SB1, the bill that would dramatically reduce retirement earnings for both current and future retirees. And he has voted against the proposal backed by AFSCME and other unions for a fair solution to the pension funding crisis. Now Senator Biss sits on the select Conference Committee on Pensions that includes a handful of state lawmakers charged with devising a “compromise” solution. The committee has heard from a variety of experts on many options, but there is no indication that Senator Biss and his colleagues are working for solution that is fair to workers and retirees, while fixing the state’s real crisis, an unfair and inadequate revenue system. NOW WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE SENATOR BISS LISTEN TO THE REAL STAKEHOLDERS IN THE PENSION CRISIS. This Sunday afternoon, Senator Biss will be hosting a Town Hall meeting on “Pensions and Fiscal Stabilization” in Evanston. It is our opportunity to show up in force, and let him hear directly from those his plans would hurt, while demanding that he support a fair a solution to the real pension crisis. Please plan to attend this critical and bring your friends and family who care about retirement security. WHAT: Pension Town Hall meeting WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday, July 14 WHERE: Levy Center 300 Dodge Avenue Evanston, IL 60202     Click here to sign up for the AFSCME Council 31 Action Center. Click here to tell a friend about the AFSCME Council 31 Action Center.           Click here to unsubscribe. Please do not reply to this e-mail. The box is not monitored for replies.