NASSAU RETIREES IN THE NEWS

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"Public service retiree benefits continue to be threatened across the state"

"The promises made to you about retirement health insurance should be kept" The stronger our membership  and the more voices we can add, the more successful we will be in thwarting such drastic changes.

By Alan Dorn

Updated December 20, 2024

 The temporary restraining order impacts about 4,000 members of the Civil Service Employees Association who work across county departments in a variety of titles from clerical to public works and  prefer to stay in the state-run Empire health plan.

"The County will bear the initial cost of the Empire plan until the arbitrator determines the current employees contribution rate for 2025," Carlton wrote.

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.com

Updated November 25, 2024

 The flawed decisions made by Bruce Blakeman and Joe Cairo have already cost Nassau County valuable political capital, including the loss of Congressional seats 

Enough is enough. This issue isn’t going away, and neither are we. The only difference now is that in 11 months, you’ll be up for re-election, and the 50,000 of us will decide whether to keep you in office—or vote you out.

The choice is yours to make. As I’ve said before, "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." We hope you will choose a clear and responsible path forward. Rest assured; we will choose our free will at the polls.

Nassau’s financial oversight board plans to audit the county’s  spending on outside law firms over the past year, which has more than  doubled since 2022.

On Thursday, the Nassau Interim Financial Authority, or NIFA, posted a request for proposals seeking bids on its website. It marks the first time NIFA has voluntarily opted to audit the county’s administration.

Nassau  County has far surpassed its budget for private law firms since County  Executive Bruce Blakeman took office. The administration has a track  record of approving contracts — some as much as $1,200 per hour —  without legally mandated approval by Nassau’s Interim Finance Authority,  as previously reported by Newsday.

By Bahar Ostadan

bahar.ostadan@newsday.com

Updated November 22, 2024

I am fully aware of your fight to protect the health benefits that you diligently worked for, paid into, and were assured upon your retirement. As public service workers, you made significant sacrifices by choosing careers that, while rewarding, often came with lower financial compensation in exchange for promises of secure pensions and health benefits. It is imperative that those promises are honored.

Throughout my career, I have earned the trust and backing of organizations like the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), reflecting my steadfast commitment to supporting our dedicated public workforce. I recognize the challenges you currently face with the County, and I have been proactive in urging County leadership to seek solutions as well. I have been in touch with top CSEA and County representatives to encourage open and meaningful dialogue.

The fight between Blakeman and CSEA, the county’s largest union, over new health insurance escalated in recent months since the announcement that the members’ current state-sponsored health insurance plan, Excelsior, will be discontinued at the end of this year. The move from Empire, Local 830’s old plan, to Excelsior was projected to save the county some $280 million over the life of CSEA's 13-year contract.

By Nicholas Grasso

nicholas.grasso@newsday.com

Updated November 19, 2024

Public service workers often choose lower-paying jobs in exchange for the assurance of contractual pension and health benefits in retirement. It is essential that public employers uphold these commitments, especially when they are embedded in Collective Bargaining Agreements.  

Nassau County and County Executive Blakeman are breaking the law and these commitments, which were guaranteed to you both in writing and orally. The County must keep you on the Empire Plan, as well as enact protections to prevent future changes. 

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com

Updated June 3, 2024

Nassau County has awarded more than $8 million in contracts to outside attorneys over the past six months and allowed them to begin work on cases months before lawmakers even approved the work, county records show.

The county attorney’s office authorized more than two dozen contracts for legal work in a range of cases months before seeking final approval from the Nassau County Legislature’s Rules Committee, a Newsday review of legislative records found. 

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com

Updated June 3, 2024

A Nov. 15 letter from union leaders to membership accused Blakeman of "disrespect and contempt for his own civilian workforce." It condemned an earlier letter from the county executive’s office to CSEA members about health-plan choices as an effort to bypass the union and "deal directly" with members "in bad faith."

The next race for Blakeman's job is in 2025, so it’s way too soon to tell whether this bitter rift will have an impact on whom the union would endorse, assuming Blakeman seeks a second term.

Dan Janison 

dan.janison@newsday.com

Updated November 18, 2024

Health insurance for thousands of Nassau Civil Service employees hangs in the balance as the ongoing fight between their union leadership and County Executive Bruce Blakeman has gone to court. 

The state's Civil Service Employees Association, which represents about 4,000 county employees, took the rare step of suing Nassau County government over health coverage changes they negotiated in the most recent collective bargaining agreement, rejecting new health plans the Blakeman administration offered last month.

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.com

Updated November 14, 2024

Under intense pressure from its union retirees, the Niagara Falls Water Board has reversed course and will not move forward with a planned change in healthcare coverage. Instead, the board will allow the retirees to retain their current health insurance plan, while also offering the opportunity to switch to an alternative Medicare supplemental plan if they choose.

By Rick Pfeiffer

rick.pfeiffer@niagara-gazette.com 

July 8, 2024 

“This is about a fundamental issue of fairness”   

Albany, NY – New  York State Senator Pete Harckham, along with Assemblymember Ken  Zebrowski and over 200 state and municipal retired employees, plus union  leaders, rallied at a special press conference held in support new  legislation, the Health Equity for Retirees Act, guaranteeing healthcare  benefit protections for retirees. 

NYS Senator Pete Harckham

 New York State Senate

April 16, 2024. 

New York City is Ground Zero in the nationwide fight against privatizing traditional Medicare coverage for retired city workers. So  far, court action by the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees  has succeeded in blocking Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to force city retirees  into a for-profit Medicare Advantage plan.

By Marianne Pizzitola and Gregory N. Heires

March 4, 2024

 The Cortland County Legislature voted Wednesday to rescind its decision to change retired county workers’ health insurance. 

By Phoebe Taylor-Vuolo

November 29, 2023 

 Lawyer Ed Goehler (left) represents the nearly 200 Cortland County retirees who signed on to the lawsuit. Dan Dineen, who worked for the county for thirty-three years, is one of them.

By Phoebe Taylor-Vuolo

November 28, 2023  .

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