Public Employee Press

Legislature okays OTB retiree benefit

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

The race went down to the wire, but Albany legislators did the right thing June 22 and passed a bill to restore health insurance to about 800 New York City OTB retirees. The retirees suddenly lost their benefits in December when Republican lawmakers rejected a rescue plan and the troubled agency closed abruptly.

DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, Political Director Wanda Williams and Off-Track Betting Employees Local 2021 President Lenny Allen lobbied Albany lawmakers for months for legislation to reinstate and secure the retirees' benefits.

"The Senate's 51 to 11 vote for this bill restores my confidence. It won bipartisan support from the majority in both parties," said Allen. The 11 no votes were Republicans.

The state Assembly passed the bill 81 to 51, with five Republicans supporting the bill. "Our friends and allies did not turn their backs on the OTB retirees," Allen said.

In May the state court system's Appellate Division, canceled the temporary restraining order that had continued the benefits, and DC 37's legal team immediately took steps to bring the case to the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals. The DC 37 Health and Security Plan was providing its supplemental benefits for the OTB retirees as PEP went to press.

State Sen. Andrew Lanza introduced the OTB retirees' benefits bill that sets aside $6 million for their health insurance, with costs to diminish steadily in future years. Lanza won fellow Republicans' support as Democrat Peter Abbate spearheaded the Assembly bill. To become law, the bill needs the governor's approval.

The union leaders expressed disappointment that a bill to restore OTB in New York City had stalled in both houses. The legislation would have allowed the Catskills OTB, owned by Don Groth, to expand its successful operations into New York City, open new betting parlors and rehire hundreds of Local 2021 members.

The state Assembly had drafted a "clean" Catskills bill, but the Senate failed to reach agreement on its more complicated, amended version before adjourning, Williams explained.

"The Catskills bill didn't reach resolution, but we're hopeful that the legislators will take it up during a special session of the legislature," Allen said.

"It was my obligation to get this operation back, and we are not giving up on this fight," said Allen, who worked tirelessly for the legislation.

"It's been a tough and emotional journey, but under the leadership of Lillian Roberts we achieved a solid victory for the retirees. Our friends in Albany acted fairly to resolve a major concern for us and restored the health benefits that OTB retirees worked for all their lives."