Retiree Health care coverage has hit a nerve point here. It should have! In 2013 there will be NO HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ANY RETIREE'S CITY WIDE! You think with all the city employee's now employed we could get together with these other Unions and work out a retiree health deal for 2013 and after? We could contribute NOW for future health care coverage and if current retiree's want in then they can also voluntarily contribute.
At the very least F.O.P. should explore a tax deferred retirement medical savings account concept. This way if you want in then OK, and if not then go your own way.
It now costs a retiree with a spouse $600.00 a month for Health coverage not including prescription drug costs. That is with the City Plan. In 2013 just 6 years from now w/o City plan we could be looking at $1500.00 a month for a retiree with spouse. Can you afford $18,000.00 a year in Insurance premiums? What about pre-existing conditions? Can you even get coverage? Will you be old enough for Medicaid/Medicare? Will it be here?
THE #1 CAUSE OF BANKRUPTCY IN MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES IS ONE CATASTROPHIC MEDICAL CONDITION. ARE YOU GOING TO LOSE YOUR HOUSE? THE LIFE YOU WORKED SO HARD AT CREATING? WILL YOU BE LIVING ON THE STREETS? THIS IS REALITY!!!
THIS ALONG WITH PENSION REFORM ARE TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES AFFECTING ACTIVE P.O.'S TODAY.
WE MUST ENSURE OUR FUTURE! W/O A SOLID FUTURE WHAT DO WE HAVE?
THE F.O.P. NEEDS TO IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS THESE ISSUES!!!
IF THEY DON'T WANT TO THEN I URGE ALL P.O.'S TO BITE THE BULLET AND START STASHING AS MUCH CASH AS POSSIBLE IN EVERY FINANCIAL WAY POSSIBLE!!! A NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TASK BUT ONE THAT WE MUST AGAIN TAKE UPON OURSELVES BECAUSE NOBODY SEEMS TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR US.
DO WE HAVE ANY BUDDING WALL STREET GENIUS' OUT THERE OR RETIREMENT SPECIALISTS TO START US GOING ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC? WHAT CAN WE DO INDIVIDUALLY? ARE THERE SPECIAL PLANS WE CAN NOW CONTRIBUTE TO?
PLEASE SPEAK UP AND HELP US ALL OUT. I WILL DO SOME RESEARCH, TALK TO SOME PEOPLE AND GET BACK TO YOU WITH VIABLE OPTIONS!
DOES THE GUY SITTING ON MAYOR DALEYS LAP LOOK LIKE THE GUY BELOW?
President Mark Donahue Salary: $182,000.00 plus a FOP car.
THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS TO THE MEDIA!!!
Mark Donahue states in Chicago Tribune Metro Section Thursday, March 29, 2007: "Mark Donahue defended Police Supt. Cline's announcement of a plan to more quickly strip P.O.'s of their badges!"
GOD BLESS OUR FALLEN
R.I.P. OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS
17 comments:
Establish VEBA accounts. VEBA accounts could be used for health care costs for retirees. The dilemia is that everybody must participate in the plan. For example, if the FOP and the city establish such a plan if 2% of your salary would be a contribution to fund the plan their is no option to not contribute. However, the contributions are tax free going in and coming out. The PB&PA and the Chicago Firefighters unions have side letters in their contracts regarding negotiations pertaining to VEBA accounts. The FOP has stood silent. You were elected to lead Donahue. Do something. It scares me when I hear active members say I have to stay til age 60, because I can't afford the insurance. 2013 is around the corner.
When I brought this topic up the other day we had an Asshole reply , Mr. Song & Dance. I thought it had to put out in the main stream just to let all the young coppers know that the City & FOP are not here to help you in this matter. Seems FOP doesn't care about retirees in future contracts and the City could care less. Anything that can be accomplished by the rank and file would be greatly appreciated by us retirees. We need your help now.
Fight for what you have and fight for what you want. Thanks for starting a Post on this matter. I just hope that it doesn't get negative against us. All we did is RETIRE ! God Bless the CPD !!
All very true and we desparately need something to be done and soon. I had a medical condition over the past 13 years leaving me with approximately 195K left on the BC/BS. When I called around inquiring about insurance policies, the agents were astounded that we had 1.5 million for life. Most are 5 million. I also was fortunate enough to stay on the job until I was 60 for the exact purpose of having my ins. premiums paid for. When I called the FOP and asked who was going to pay the premium when I ran out,they could not give me an answer and referred me elsewhere. I still don't have an answer. Also, my wife is 8 years younger and will be 60 in 2013. WTF?
Here is the problem, no one cares. Plain and Simple. I bet that little prick of a Mayor will be taken care of without a cent coming out of his pocket. I bet everyone of these corrupt assed aldercreatures are taken care of as well. If they aren't look at their salaries they can afford it. I think if anyone had half a brain in their head, they would get all the FOP's in Illinois to get together tell their perspective agencies to piss off and get one statewide insurance policy through blue cross or whomever. There are people that are in the trade unions that get full coverage on about everything. Lasic, dental, eye and so on. Here, if you lose a tooth, you pay for it to be replaced because it is "cosmetic", lasic eye surgery comes out of pocket because it is "cosmetic". That is a load of malarky. Dude has better insurance through the state then we do and he doesn't even pay taxes.
This is Mr. Song and Dance:
My point was that I bought the argument the first time and now when I retire there won't be any health insurance for me.
I voted for the contract and wanted to help retirees. I said Yes, we will all be retired one day.
I now regret that line of thinking.
They did use that "you will be retired some day too" argument to make that premium reduction a top level issue.
Then after it's done, the settlement comes along and it's agreed by the parties that after 2013 there won't be any health insurance for retirees.
I will be on my own when I retire. I don't expect to see health insurance and the scary part to me is I don't have faith that my pension will be there either.
I know social security won't be.
I congratulate you on your retirement.
I am sorry I got angry.
I still believe however that if we push too hard to help retired members we will shoot ourselves in the foot.
I really don't believe that I will see the pension benefits that you did and I further don't believe that I will get a group health policy either.
I cared and now I am screwed.
I am sorry if you think I am an asshole but I really cared the first time and I feel I got shafted.
Nice site minus the damn Cubs thing on the front page.
SERGEANT'S RESULTS ARE OUT ! ! ! !
"Sgt results are out. If you scored 143 or higher you will be 300 spots out or closer. A score of 133 will get you around 1150 or so and a 124 will land you around 2400. This is a bullshit test. 10 points is not a lot of space but it is the difference of between 286 and 1168. A grader of the test could mess up 10 points. I'm sick of the city and its bullshit. Also you assholes that claim you made it legit. Remember "10" points is the difference of almost 800 spots. I scored in the top 150 and didn't study and shouldn't be a Sgt. But I will because of the bullshit scoring. By the way I scored a 151."
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That's not all.. These promotional exams that the city has been giving the past few years are scientifically designed so that the tests are nothing more than just a sort of “lottery”. (the tests are designed by “Jeanerette” [not sure on the spelling])
If you recall the City lost a suit filed by African Americans last year in the Circuit Court in regards to the Firefighter Entrance exam. The decision by the judge was that it is a known fact African Americans do not fare as well on written exams. Therefore a more passable exam must be designed - - that is EXACTLY what this last sergeant’s and lieutenant’s tests were like. You will see enough minority candidates get though this test just because of “the luck of the draw” factor.
Think about it, you ask many sharp P.O.s who have a real college degree from some big name school and have actually studied.. they may have finished 2000 on the list. Then you talk to a guy who never cracked a general order and just showed up for the hell of it… he finishes around 200. In reality, the slug who did not study only got 15 or 20 more points on the test but that’s all it takes on such a “lottery ticket” style assessment exam. BULLSHIT.
Ohh, by the way, do think the new Chicago Police Department blog would print what I just said??
About 530 were made off the list for the 1998 sergeant’s exam. Add the "meritorious" people and it was OVER 700 people. A total of 4 large classes, one class made each year between 1998 and 2001. You will never see that many again. The reason so many people were made was because of the large number of people hired in the late 1960's and early 70's were retiring between 1998 and 2001.
As far as the 1993 sergeant's test; about 430 were made off that test/list. They did not have the "meritorious" system for the 1993 test .. That’s when the City had to really work hard to 'fix' things.
(and oohh, I don't thing I could say this on the department's new 'Checkerboard' blog either.)
Slightly off topic:
When you go to the emergency room now for service they hit you with a $100.00 co-payment. (PPO or HMOs)
SOLUTION: Lie about your name and address.. fu%K em' The entire State of California does not have any insurance papers. Do you think the hosptal turn them away?? Hell NO!
Sign me up right now for one of those VEBA accounts. Take the 2% heck take 4%.
Im sitting in a bad spot- I had planned on leaving in 2016 with 25 years on.
I really dont forsee myself being a "friendly" Wal-mart greeter.
This city, the fop, and 99.9% of all the politicians make me sick. I hope you all rot in hell!
You screw a hard working city employee...yet any ghetto mongril can go on SSI for drinking, ingrown townails, bunyuns. Yet when we retire the ghetto rats get all out benefits. Next time you see a politician...punch them in the fuckin head.
Does this site ever get updated? Or did the owner give up?
A guy in 011 use to talk about this several years ago. At that time he had figured out that if we were to increase our union dues by 20 a month that after a few years it would be worth a few million dollars.
Of course it was ear marked for retiree health care.
We all made the grave mistake of trusting mayor Daley.
This loathsome weasel gets totally free health insurance as do the aldermen.
DONAHUE makes D-8, 145,000. The rest of the girls(humps) make 100,000 how does that help any member of F.O.P. ? It doesn't and never will. The truth is that the small group will change who they support AS CHANGE. Remember DONAHUE was part os the NOLAN team but NOLAN could not run any more. FACT!! It's time to stop supporting the status quo. Almost every person on the F.O.P. negotiating committee is in a management spot=EXPLAIN THIS. How do the fireman get more vacation than we do . EXPLAIN THIS. Education requirements without financial benefits EXPAIN THIS. Folks, common sense prevails, DONAHUE is terrible for the group. Very good for the individuals and the alderman.
If they are no good for us, then lets do something already! Quit bitching, spread the word and move on this! I am sick of it too! Lets get a real union with balls to force the city to at least recognize the insane amount of dangerous work we do every single day. FOP is useless. What can we do, really?
No offense but the retirees have been pissing on our boots for years at the FlOP meetings. Its because of their votes we could never change FlOP issues at election time. Dump Flop and get our own insurance.
To Bad for you now.
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