January 25, 2013
Dear full-time MSCA faculty and librarians,
The pension reform bill signed into law by Governor Patrick in November 2011 called for the creation of a commission to study and make recommendations relative to retiree health care. On January 11th the Commission to Study Retiree Healthcare and Other Non-Pension Benefits released a report that includes recommendations that, if they become law, would adversely affect some MSCA members. The full commission report, and other documents, can be viewed at: http://www.mass.gov/anf/opeb-commission.html.
The recommendations appear on pages 20 - 36 of the report and should be read as part of the report in its entirety. An MSCA summary of the recommendations will be forwarded as soon possible. The MSCA has questions on the effect some of the recommendations would have if they become law. Whether the changes would affect you would depend on your age and years of creditable service at the time you retire. The changes would affect members regardless of whether you participate in the State Employee Retirement System or the Optional Retirement Plan.
The recommendations, if signed into law, would significantly increase the percentage of premiums some future retirees would pay upon retirement, and would completely eliminate coverage for other future retirees upon retirement. Please note that the recommendations would not affect members while employed, but rather would affect some members upon retirement.
Please know that at this point no legislation has been filed, but legislation to implement the Commission's recommendations is expected to be filed soon.
As a result the MSCA Board of Directors has unanimously passed the following motion: "The MSCA opposes any legislation that would adversely affect current MSCA members' health care coverage upon retirement, or the percentage of premiums to be paid upon retirement, particularly the changes recommended in the report released in January 2013 by the commission established to study non-pension benefits."
You may have read or been made aware of the fact that MTA supports the recommendation in the Commission's report. That is the case.
As MSCA President I felt is was in our members' best interest for the MSCA Board to act this week in order to transmit to MTA's elected officials and to allow the MSCA representative to the MTA Board of Directors to express the MSCA's position regarding the Commission's recommendations as soon as possible. The MTA Board of Directors meets tomorrow and Saturday. I will be transmitting the MSCA position to MTA officials tonight.
Follow-up information and an action plan will be developed by the MSCA Board. Please send your thoughts and suggestions to your Chapter leaders so that we can compile and review your suggestions and formulate an action plan.
I apologize for the lack of a summary at this point but the MSCA Board has been discussing what to do and I have been in touch with other MTA-affiliate Presidents regarding their positions relative to the Commission's recommendations.
The MSCA Board will be calling on you to help have our voices heard in the legislature.
C. J. O’Donnell MSCA President
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