“$600 million?? That’s all??? Somebody should shake DiBlasio’s ex to get the billion dollars that was given to her for some unknown program. SO MUCH money has been wasted in the city and now Mulgrew is crying and trying to save himself so can get votes again. No way in hell am I voting for that traitor!!!!”

“As usual, Mulgrew is lying. The cost of NYC retiree healthcare (NYC pays for the supplemental GHI Senior Care plan) has risen 12% from 1997 to 2025. Not exactly skyrocketing, as he has stated elsewhere.

Thank you for continuing to cover this vital issue.”

“He can’t stop portraying NYC retirees as nervous, ignorant, and fearful. Instead of admitting that Medicare “Advantage” is inferior to traditional Medicare, he claims he’s sorry for upsetting us. I once attended a rally to preserve retiree health benefits where the person next to me was a retired Rescue Diver. I don’t think we scare easily, nor is that the point.”

“MulSCREW still spewing his lies about NYC Medicare Retirees Healthcare costs & his INFERIOR MAP”

“I’m surprised his nose didn’t grow larger with every lie from his mouth! He and Henry Garrido are among the worst of Union Leadership recently. They claim to be faithful Union believers while every action they perform is the opposite of what Union means. Union busting is real and so is the Union motto, “One for All and All for One”. They seem to misinterpret that by thinking it means they are the “One” in the last part of that motto. They lie. They steal. They cheat. They admire Mayors like DeBlasio who would have busted Unions in the City if he had continued. We need competent Union Leaders who truly understand what Unions do for the City, the Nation and the members. Members ARE the Union. Rank and File are dedicated, hard working, loyal people who want the best for each other. They give without getting much in return but accept that willingly. But when they can no longer work they should not have a promise by the City and Union Leadership broken. That broken promise is Union busting! Mulgrew, Garrido, Adams, the MLC, the NYC Council, and even Lee Saunders have done exactly that! It’s time for Change in Union Leadership a better Mayor and more than half the City Council!”

“There’s not a big jump between Mulgrew and Trump. They both feel they can do whatever they feel like and nobody can or will call them out on it.”

“We already know that the unions have betrayed us. Being a union member used to mean something. What does it mean today? That you’re a dues paying chump?”

“As I am going through a job transition definitely needed to read this... Thank you for sharing!”

“Ryn’s column has a powerful message and is wonderfully written with humor as well. I hope Work-Bites publishes more of Ryn’s insightful writings.”

“This is just what I needed to read today. Thank you.”

“At one time, the Democratic Party stood for the working people and protecting them with work rules, wagers, and working condition. Not today, they say it’s someone else’s fault, nothing i can do... whatever. Look at what the City of New York IS doing to its retired Medicare retirees. They are looking to take their Government run health care, Medicare, and replace it with a private for profit company “Aetna” in a Medicare Advantage Plan. Where has the Democrats of yesteryear gone? NO MORE 24… KEEP MEDICARE TRADITIONAL!!”

“The fact that NYCRETIREES are afraid and anxious about loosing traditional healthcare that they earned is true but not the point. The point is that it is the syndicats-unions who are trying and so far losing to take it away!”

“Sorry Mulgrew. Promises made promises kept! We WANT TRADITIONAL MEDICARE! This is called DEFERRED COMPENSATION!
Deferred Compensation Plan - We EARNED IT! DONE.
Ray Markey
President (Ret) The New York Public Library Guild. Local 1930, DC37,
AFSCME
VP DC37 (Ret)”

“My advice to the city is throw in the towel. Adams and Mulgrew feel Untouchable. My former chapter leader taught me never mess with the retirees they are loud and ready to fight the good fight. I remember in the delegate assemblies I attended the retirees were loud and did not take being passed over to speak lightly or ask questions.
I was there when Mulgrew was first elected and the teaching job has gone downhill since then. Even though only some people tried to defend me like Amy Arundell, chapter leader JoAnn Sims (now retired). The new leadership was weak and has been weak for the last 20 years giving in and handing members over to management like they did to me. I was shocked sitting in Federal Court defending myself and my family however it taught me a life lesson this world is not fair. I was a good teacher defending members from a retaliatory administration and I guess being good was not important anymore or standing up for what is right is no longer the noble thing to do. What does Randy Weingarten have to say about her prodigies behavior? She trained him and got him the position when she announced her move to the international. This will tarnish all their reputations as union leaders more worried about making the City and State politicians happy. What would Al Shanker have to say about all this?”

“If Medicare Advantage were so great the City wouldn’t need to bully us into it. Just the fact that we don’t have a choice says all we need to know.”

“An Underhanded, disingenuous, dishonest, despicable snake oil salesman is what Mulegrew is.
He agreed to take money from the Health Stabilization Fund and cut a deal with DiBlasio to pay for raises for his members. 600 million dollars! And, part of this deal, was to put retirees into Medicare Advantage (insurance company coverage) instead of standard
Medicare that they had paid into their whole working lives.”

“He, MLC and DeBlasio took a health stabilization and bankrupted it why to use it to give raises to active workers especially the teachers. Mulgrew just thought that the retirees would just go along with the diminishing their healthcare. He continues to misinform his members about this. Mulgrew takes no responsibility for his blunder. He also thought he would get away with it. If he cared so much about the retirees why has he not backed us up with our court case. Mulgrew and the MLC still owe the city 600 million dollars. He and the MLC still have not informed anyone how they are to pay for it. Actives be very aware how this will affect you. Mulgrew sold his members OUT and he needs to go.”

“Why is the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1056 (Queens NYCTA) & ATU L. 1056 Retiree Chapter, not actively supporting Traditional Medicare? At the same time, the ATU International Union, in Silver Spring, MD, appears to be MIA. Will the Amalgated Transit Union be next in line to throw their Retirees under the bus? ~We keep asking, but they don’t answer... Jerry Fancher, Past Pres. Retired, ATU Local 1056”

“Labor for Traditional Medicare supports our TWU retirees. It is truly amazing that a union with a fighting tradition like the Transport Workers Union would attack their retirees health benefits. Solidarity is a keystone of the movement and retirees are proving this . Three cheers to TWU100R President Lloyd Archer and Marianne Pizzatola, President of the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees for leading this fight to protect traditional Medicare.”

Ray Markey
President (Ret.)
NY Public Library Guild
Local 1930
VP (Ret.) DC37, AFSCME”