Public Employee Press

Gov vetoes OTB health coverage bill

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

Gov. Cuomo vetoed a bill Sept. 23 that would have restored health insurance benefits to retirees of the defunct New York City Off-Track Betting Corp.

"We are very disappointed that the governor vetoed a bill that had overwhelming bipartisan support in both houses of the state Legislature," said Local 2021 President Lenny Allen.

Although the bill, A.5785 and S.4489, was passed overwhelmingly in June by both the Assembly and the Senate, the governor refused to sign it into law, in part because the state could not guarantee funding.

"It is unconscionable that workers who retired after years of exemplary and dedicated service to the NYC OTB Corp. should worry that that their health benefits will not be restored," Allen said.

"These benefi ts were funded by our past economic agreements with the city. Now as some retirees have life-threatening conditions that require constant care and really need health insurance, the benefit is not there for them. Failure to restore these benefi ts is devastating."

Last December when Republican lawmakers failed to support the bankrupt NYC OTB with a restructuring plan, 1,000 employees lost their jobs and 900 retirees lost health coverage.

DC 37's Health and Security Plan extended coverage to OTB retirees, which remained in place as PEP went to press.

DC 37 and OTB Employees Local 2021 are keeping the issue alive: The union's Legal Dept. filed a lawsuit to reinstate the benefits and is awaiting an important higher court decision.

Using DC 37's phone banks and holding ongoing meetings in Albany, Allen said he and Political Director Wanda Williams are relentlessly lobbying key members of the Legislature.

"These workers deserve restoration of the health care benefi ts they worked long and hard for during decades of service to New York," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts.

"The governor's veto has exposed a vulnerable population with outstanding health issues, who don't need to unnecessarily join the ranks of the uninsured."

Local 2021 scheduled a meeting with members and retirees for Oct. 5.