Reflections’ Ways We Could Improve Benefits Why the Contract Is Positive for Archives
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Official Publication of the Rochester Regional Joint Board Volume 31 Number 129 Summer, 2013 Benefits improved for Sidney Hillman Health Center patrons Significant new improvements have been announced to the already great Sidney Hillman Health Center (SHHC) benefits. SHHC president Gary Bona- donna said the improvements come in three major areas — prescription drug co-pays, expansion of benefits for older children, and more convenient blood screenings and urine testings. Gary Bonadonna Dr. Brian Heppard “I am extremely pleased about For the first time, all children parents. (See details in the these improvements to the under age 26 now have full first bullet above.) It also benefits of our Hillman pa- pharmacy and optical means that those same trons,” Bonadonna emphasized. benefits if they are covered dependents are now entitled “I am confident that our mem- under their parents’ health to free eye glasses every two bers will definitely be pleased insurance. years, the same as eligible also,” he added. members and spouses. In addition, no proof of Here is a look at the improve- college status will required • The blood screening and ments: for those older than 19. urine testing process has been streamlined. • A zero co-pay for all pre- Under the old program, scriptions costing less than dependents were not eligible SHHC patrons will now have $4 — meaning those medi- for free eye glasses every those tests done at a lab that cines will be totally free. two years and were only is convenient for them and Other prescriptions costing covered for Hillman benefits their doctor — they no $4 or more will continue to until age 22 if they were longer have to come to the be deeply discounted at the enrolled in college. Hillman Center. Hillman $4, $10 and $20 rate, de- benefits will continue to pending on the medicine This means that eligible cover the co-pays for most children’s prescription drugs diagnostic testing not fully • Two improvements have are now covered at exactly been made in coverage for the same rate as their (Continued on next page) eligible dependent children. Sheraton workers win hikes totaling $1.10 Local 4 members working at that classification rises to $8.90 the Sheraton at the Falls hotel an hour. Laskowski also noted in Niagara Falls have ratified a that Local 4 members who are new contract that will boost red circled will get all of the wages by $1.10 over the life of raises other employees are getting now and over the next five years. The chief negotiator said business rep Peter DeSabio played a key role throughout the pact, business rep and chief the talks, as did the Local 4 negotiator Greg Laskow-ski negotiating committee. Those Lorraine Trippy announced. committee members were Rose Bondanella, Debbie The five-year agreement will bring an immediate 20¢ an Dennis, Rick Mameli, Me- Health Center linda Martin, Stanley T. hour increase, Laskowski Tryninewski and Tammi reported. That will be followed benefits improved by identical hikes in 2014 and Walaszek. (Continued from Page 1) 2015; in 2016 and 2017, the hikes jump to 25¢ an hour, the covered by primary insur- business rep said. ance. Check out “Overall, this is a good agree- Hillman medical director Dr. ment for our members because Joint Board’s Brian Heppard noted that the it guarantees steady wage changes are the result of a increases every year over the web site year-long, comprehensive, top- life of the pact — and because To keep informed about to-bottom review of the Health there were no the latest news, check Center and its programs. changes to medical benefits at the Joint Board’s web a time when most companies The director said, “We wanted are demanding that employees site frequently. That’s to look at every thing to ensure contribute more,” Laskow-ski where you will find we are meeting the real-world stressed. breaking news posted, needs of our patrons and to see as well as Photo Gal- if there were financially viable He cited two other examples of leries and Reflections’ ways we could improve benefits why the contract is positive for archives. even further. I think we’ve members. One is that the succeeded on both counts.” starting pay for new room Point your browser to attendants is going up to $8.65 www.rrjb.org. Lorraine Trippy, manager of the an hour and the top rate for health, patient services and registration departments, agrees. “I personally know many of our patrons. I can say for certain that the improve- ments we’re making to the benefits will definitely help large numbers of them. They will be very pleased at what we’ve been able to do for them,” she stressed. Trippy added that patrons with questions should feel free to call the Hillman Center for answers. That number is (585) 473-2000. Greg Laskowski T W O current undocumented work Joint Board ers, including a path to citi zenship continues focus • Improvement, not expansion, of temporary worker programs on activisim that are limited to temporary or seasonal jobs — not perma- Activism continues to be an nent jobs. important focus for the Joint Board and its allies, Board Sweatfree Campaign organizer and activist Shirley “Fran” Sobczak reports. The Board is actively support- ing the Sweatfree New York A measure of success from that Campaign. That campaign is focus came recently when the asking Governor Cuomo to state minimum wage was create standards that would increased from $7.25 an hour ban the state’s purchase of to $9. Sobczak calls it a “mini- apparel, textiles and footwear mal victory.” made in sweatshops. She notes, “In the first place, Sobzcak notes that sweatshops even $9 an hour is too low for are often the scene of numer- workers to really have a decent Shirley “Fran” Sobczak ous labor, health and safety wage — and reaching that $9 conditions that include child an hour will take three years to labor, intimidation of union That approach is important, become law. supporters, unpaid overtime, she said, to make sure immi- and dangerous work situations. “There are other problems, too. gration doesn’t depress wages and working conditions or The increase is not indexed to Social Security encourage marginal, low-wage inflation, and it does not in- clude ‘tipped’ employees. The industries that depend heavily The Joint Board continues to on substandard wages, benefits new law also will give compa- work with fellow activists and and working conditions. nies tax credits for hiring 16- to political allies to protect Social Security, the bedrock of most The organizer pointed out that American workers’ retirement. this approach to immigration Proposals being floated in Con- reform requires five major, gress include raising the Social interconnected pieces: Security retirement age and curbing cost of living raises. 19-year-olds. This will definite- • An independent commission to Sobczak is emphatic: “We should assess and manage future im- ly adversely affect older work- be expanding Social Security, not migration flow and needs, ers who are applying for mini- cutting it! Social Security bene- mum wage jobs, because based on actual labor market fits are earned, and are not shortages companies will tend to hire the entitlements!” younger workers to get the tax credit. • A secure and effective worker Campaign Finance Reform authorization process “Yes, I’m happy they raised the The Joint Board is endorsing minimum wage but not happy • Rational and realistic border the campaign for Fair Elections control workers got stiffed!” Sobczak for New York. That campaign said. seeks to establish a system of • Adjustment of status for public funding of elections. The Here are other issues the Joint goal is to thwart today’s situa- Board and other activist groups tion where special interests are also focused on: have almost free reign to elect and influence politicians. REFLECTIONS Immigration Reform Published by the Rochester Sobczak notes, “When politi- Regional Joint Board, Sobczak stresses that compre- cians ‘owe’ corporations and Workers United, for its hensive immigration reform “is lobbyists who finance their a must. We need reform that affiliated membership. campaigns, they are no longer Offices located at 750 East includes strong, new labor accountable to the people of Avenue, Rochester, NY standards and their effective the state.” enforcement of workers’ rights 14607. and workplace protections.” T H R E E Maribel Mercado — “It’s great and so wonderful the union was able to save our jobs. I like working here, and it would have been hard to go try to find a job somewhere else.” Roberto Perez — “I feel really grateful for all the efforts the union made to save our jobs. If I had lost this job, I would have had to go on unem- ployment and it would have been very hard for me.” Hickey Freeman workers grateful for union’s efforts to save their jobs Late last year, the jobs of some 400 union members working at Hickey Freeman were saved through a major effort by the Joint Board and Workers United. That victory came because of the unions’ efforts and through the Joint Board enlisting the aid of two of its powerful politi- cal friends and staunch allies — Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Louise Slaughter. The unified efforts of the Joint Board, Schumer and Slaughter paid off in a big way. An acquisition deal saved Hickey and its parent company, Sevinç Ozturk — “I am so Hart-Marx — and the jobs of our Hickey union members. happy, very, very happy be- cause this is like a second It marked the second time in three years that the union home to me — and I need the helped save the plant.