Public Employee Press

Victory in Albany, after a long struggle
OTB retirees win health coverage

The state budget that passed in April included $5 million to restore health insurance benefits to Local 2021 Off-Track Betting Corp. retirees, their spouses and vested former employees who were eligible to retire but did not, but is limited to those who reside in New York State.

"DC 37 never gave up on winning justice for these retirees, who until now have been unfairly deprived of benefits they had earned," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. "It is unfortunate that out-of-state retirees are not included, but nothing could be done to reverse this."

"This is a good and positive victory," said Local 2021 President Paulette Sher. "We finally won part of the battle and restored the retirees' benefits. This is a big step in the right direction."

AFSCME President Lee Saunders worked closely with Roberts on the union's March 5 Lobby Day to convince Gov. Andrew Cuomo to support the plan to restore the benefits. which were cut off shortly after the beleaguered betting agency was closed in December 2010.

"For two years the state Legislature worked with DC 37 and crafted four bills that appropriated $7 million to fully restore OTB retirees' health benefits. Each time the bills received overwhelming support from the Senate and Assembly," said Political Director Wanda Williams, "and each time the governor vetoed those bills."

This time the Senate and Assembly provided for the state budget to fund the benefits, and the $5 million appropriation will be part of each year's budget until there are no more DC 37 OTB retirees or vested members left, Williams explained.

Of the 427 former OTB employees eligible for retirement, 208 are DC 37 members who are vested after five or 10 years of employment but have not retired.

Covered retirees, their spouses and the vested members will have health insurance as long as they remain state residents. Health insurance coverage for those under 65 is effective April 30, and in 2014 they will enroll in the state health exchange created under the Affordable Care Act. Those over 65 are eligible for Medicare; the new state benefit includes optical, dental and prescription drug benefits coverage.

OTB retirees can call 800-777-2021 for more information.

"Lenny Allen, the late president of Local 2021, and Stu Leibowitz, the late president of the DC 37 Retirees Association, fought long and hard to restore the retirees' benefits. It was a long time coming though it is not all we wanted," Roberts said, "but Lenny always believed we would win economic justice for these retirees, and he battled for this victory to his last breath."