LONG ISLAND CHAPTER OF NYSARA MEETING AT NYSUT
Don’t let anyone tell you that retired people are not active or interested in their future welfare because on April 28, 2017, over 50 retired union and community members met at the NYSUT Hauppauge office to attend a meeting of The Long Island Chapter of the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans (NYSARA) to hear about health care and the New York State Constitutional Convention.
Joan Perrini, Suffolk Retiree Services Consultant, welcomed everyone, and then introduced Martha Livingston PhD, Chair of the Public Health Department at SUNY Old Westbury. Dr. Livingston believes that a single payer health care program, similar to Medicare, should be established in this country for all citizens and she urged all to be alert to changes being proposed by the current administration.
Next, Joan Perrini introduced Barry Kaufman, President of NYSARA (New York State Alliance for Retired Americans). He spoke about the upcoming ballot vote on November 7, 2017 to determine if we are in favor of having a New York State Constitutional Convention. Every 20 years, New Yorkers have the opportunity to decide, by ballot vote, whether they want to open the Constitution for review. Barry explained the dangers in doing this because the Constitution protects and guarantees many rights that we have in New York State. For example,
the Constitution:
- guarantees a public employee defined benefit pension which cannot be impeded or impaired.
- protects against age discrimination.
- provides social welfare and public relief.
- guarantees oversight and protection of nursing homes.
- guarantees labor rights, the right to join a union and collective bargaining.
- provides for minimum wage protection.
- protects the “forever wild” provision for the Adirondack Forest, as well as clean air and water.
These are among the rights and protections that can be disrupted or eliminated by opening the New York Constitution, not to mention a potential cost of hundreds of millions of dollars to conduct the business of this convention. In 1967 the committee proposed many changes to the Constitution, but fortunately these changes were all vetoed by the people.
Both speakers pointed out how important it is to stay aware of our rights and privileges and continue to be active in the organizations that will lobby for us. The New York State Alliance for Retired Americans is such an organization. It is endorsed and supported by our union, NYSUT. We urge you to attend meetings and keep abreast of these important issues.