Better Dental? Elections have consequences

The insurgents won the Retiree Election in the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) in June. We took office in July. This summer has been about getting set up, getting ready. Every officer, every executive board member of the Retired Teachers Chapter (RTC) ran as part of the Retiree Advocate (RA) slate. We’ve met several times, made plans for Labor Day, are working on plans for the first RTC meeting on October 22.

We also won all 300 retiree delegates to the UFT Delegate Assembly. Those delegates will start, in October, voting on policy for the entire union. And those 300 delegates, if the rumor is true, have already changed things.

Three hundred delegates is a lot. The UFT has, I don’t know, about 5000? But at any given Delegate Assembly (DA), somewhere between 400 and 1200 seem to vote. So 300 is a lot.

Of course, not everyone will attend every DA. When Unity had the 300 retiree delegates (this winner-take-all system is sick), it was hard to tell, but I think they often brought fewer than 100 retirees. So one thing we have been working on is a system to get more RTC delegates to attend DAs and participate. We’ve generated some real enthusiasm; I’m optimistic.

And if we have 200 – 250 delegates showing up – there’s the obvious question – to do what? Largely, listen to the reports, listen to the debates, make up their minds, and vote. This is a huge change. Barr takes his glasses off or puts them on, to signal Unity delegates how they must vote. Unity operates with “plants” in the assembly with scripts, and Mulgrew knows to call on them. Unity delegates read statements that were prepared for them, not their own words. That’s gross. And we (RA) are not operating like that.

But will RA or the RTC delegates bring matters before the Assembly? Of course. We were elected to change things. And looking at the issues and motions and resolutions from the last few years, several things stood out. We are angriest about Medicare, and what Unity (and Mulgrew, and the Welfare Fund) tried to do to retirees. Furious. But Mulgrew has backed down.

Aggravating, Annoying, UFT Dental Coverage

Another issue that came up easily brought together in-service and retired members: the UFT Welfare Fund’s dental coverage. Reimbursements have not increased in almost a decade. They are fairly low, even compared to other unions. My dentist won’t go “in network” because the reimbursements for cleanings, fillings, and crowns are way too low. Members find that implants aren’t covered, or are covered so minimally that they are left with big bills. Many dentists accept our plan, but then bill on top of it. Dental has UFTers annoyed…

Dental coverage costs money. But the UFT Welfare Fund has been stockpiling large amounts of cash. A decade ago they had a reserve that would not quite cover the payouts for a single year (if money ever stopped coming in, which it won’t). This year the Welfare Fund has almost three year’s reserve. That’s a lot! (2013 – $252 million; 2023 – $866 million). Also, the Welfare Fund, since 2016, has run a “surplus” of between $40 million and $100 million each year. This is not called “profit” because the Welfare Fund is “non-profit” – but you get the idea. They’ve managed to squirrel away – it’s getting near a billion dollars – and it is growing rapidly – while members are having trouble finding dentists.

Last April some Delegates brought a motion to the Delegate Assembly – it said, in essence, spend a little of that gold on improving our dental care. Unity used a procedural trick to defeat the motion – and they did stop it – but the margin was three votes. 3. One, two, three. Are you thinking what I am thinking? What difference would 300 new, independent, make-up-their-own-minds RTC delegates make? Mm-hm.

(For the April vote, see the details below, and the text of the resolution, at the bottom of this post.)

At the following two exec board meetings Welfare Fund representatives tried to justify Unity’s quashing dental improvements. Prescription drugs are costly, they said. They are holding money aside for Ozempic. They are doing a better job than the PSC (the CUNY Professional Staff Congress, that actually has better coverage than ours). When they were coherent, they were not compelling. There really was not good response

Elections have Consequences – 300 Delegates make a Difference

Clearly a dental resolution was going to be in the cards. We would have won. And we would have shown the whole Delegate Assembly that the 300 new delegates make a difference. We would have shown the whole UFT. Elections have consequences.

But Unity figured this out.

Later this month, probably at the Town Hall on September 17 or the Chapter Leader meeting September 18, UFT leaders will announce a plan to improve our Dental insurance. It will be something. It probably will not be enough.

But remember – the people bringing you these changes voted NO on improving dental in April. What happened? 300 new retiree delegates happened. Independent voices at the DA, that’s what happened. Even before the first day we show up, our presence, or rather, the rumor of our presence, is already forcing Unity’s hand. Those footsteps Mulgrew is hearing? That’s us.

Elections do have consequences. We just won a dental victory without firing a shot. I wonder what we will change next.

April 17, 2024 Motion to Improve Dental Care – Unity blocked it from the agenda:

April 2024. In hall: 47 yes, 184 no. On the phone: 432 yes, 298 no. Total 479 yes, 482 no. The motion failed.