“Regrettably for us, Phil recently decided upon a career change and left the teaching profession. We wish him the best, knowing that he can look back at this (coalition bargaining) as a milestone during his years as a union leader.”

“I appreciate Chet’s kind words,” comments Katz. “As I leave teaching and my work with the union, I am confident that with coalition bargaining, Brookline retirees and survivors will be able to best protect their health insurance rights and benefits.”

“Adopting Section 19 couldn’t be done without a few changes in the insurance plans, namely higher co-pays for office visits ($5 to $10) and prescription drugs ($5 to $10 for generic and $10 to $20 for brand name), as well as new co-pays for day surgery ($150) and inpatient hospital stays ($250),” continued Riley. Ed Note: For retirees enrolled in the Medicare supplement plans, there will be a new three tier co-pay for prescription drugs, with this and all plan changes taking effect on November 1. “But these changes are well worth what we retirees have gained over the long term, with coalition bargaining.”

Among the gains with coalition bargaining is that retirees truly have a seat at the negotiating table, with union representatives, over the design of the insurance plans (i.e. benefits, co-pays, deductibles, etc.), as well as their premium contributions. According to Riley,“For many years, I’ve served on the town’s insurance advisory committee (IAC), where we can only recommend changes but have no real say. Brookline’s adoption of coalition bargaining marks a new beginning for the town’s retirees and their survivors by giving them a strong voice on an issue of such vital concern to them.”

“And, it follows that the person, who sits at the negotiating table for retirees, possess the knowledge and experience needed to be effective,” adds Association President Ralph White. “Our Association has selected Chet Riley as that person on Brookline’s PEC.

“In addition to serving on the Brookline Retirement Board and the IAC, Chet is currently the MACRS (Massachusetts Association of Contributory Retirement Systems) vice president. His exemplary track record as a strong advocate for retirees and employees, definitely speaks for itself.”