PEP, May 2012: Letters to the Editor

Public Employee Press

Letters to the Editor

What the New York Post wouldn't print
Editor's note: The following letter was sent to the New York Post, which did not publish it:

Local 1549 represents 311 Call Center Representatives. Your article on the backed-up calls and staffing shortages (April 4, 2012) is accurate.

To make matters worse, the city recently hired 300 CUNY students on a part-time basis to take the place of trained civil servants whose numbers have been reduced as the result of attrition.

What's even worse is that management has been shifting work from the public Call Center to private contractor, while asking our members if they "would like to go home" since there is "not enough work for them."

This is outrageous.

—Eddie Rodriguez
President, Local 1549

Retiree thanks Health and Security Plan
For those of us retirees who are Medicare-eligible, there was a change-over from our Innoviant Drug Plan to the new DC 37 Medicare Part D Plan as of Jan. 1, 2012. The actual switch was accomplished in a month's time. The need for the speed was to let the DC 37 Health & Security Plan take advantage of the significantly larger reimbursements of the Affordable Health Care Act.

The record time in which this change-over occurred could not have been accomplished without the dedication and hard work that Administrator Cynthia Chin-Marshall and the staff of the DC 37 Health & Security Plan displayed.

Although there were a few glitches everyone worked long and hard to iron out the kinks. Sending Dennise Frank to Florida to meet with my members was something we really appreciated.

Hats off to Health & Security for all their hard work in accomplishing this changeover on such short notice.

—Caryle-Linda Rosenblatt
Florida Coordinator
DC 37 Retirees Association

Payday loan scam: Who was the celeb?
In the article on Tier 6 in the April 2012 PEP, I read that reducing pensions is a key goal of conservatives.

If I am not mistaken, Governor Andrew Cuomo is a liberal Democrat, but he attacked pensions, calling for pension "reform" and tried to direct funds to Wall Street 401(k) plans.

On another note, there was also an article on the scam of payday loans and the terrible results on members of our union.

It was reported that a celebrity-endorsed loan company was involved.

Would you please identify the celebrity involved so everyone will know who to watch for.

—Janis Byrne
SPAA, Local 1549

Editor's note: Unfortunately, many celebrities have been endorsing various payday loan companies. The member in the PEP article mentioned seeing a commercial with Montel Williams, a celebrity she trusts, endorsing the MoneyMutual firm.