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NARROW WIN FOR GLOUCESTERS RETIRED TEACHERS |
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2007 JULY - Over 100 retired Gloucester teachers, plus a few still teaching, packed the City Hall auditorium on May 2nd to oppose a proposal to pull the city’s retired teachers out of the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) insurance plan and place them in the same plan as Gloucester’s other employees and retirees.
<*><*>After more than three hours of argument and debate led by a number of
retirees and Gloucester Teachers’ Association President Mary Rudolph, a
vote was taken by the City Council resulting in a narrow 4-3 vote to
keep the retired teachers in the state plan.<*>Known as the Retired Municipal Teachers (RMT) plan, there are currently
74 cities and towns who previously voted to insure their former
teachers with the GIC. All retired teachers, insured by the GIC, are
frozen at a 90-10 split, with their community picking up 90% of the
premium cost. Other retirees are covered by the insurance split set by
their community. In Gloucester’s case, it’s a 75-25 split, with the
city paying 75% of the premium cost.<*>The move to bring the retired teachers into the city insurance plan was
researched and promoted by Ward 1 Councilor Jason Grow, who projected
that the city could save as much as $455,000 in the coming fiscal year.
The savings would come from the city’s contribution rate for the 270
teacher retirees or their surviving spouses.<*>Leading the opposition were Mary Rudolph, president of the Gloucester
Teachers’ Association (GTA), and Roy Spittle, a retired Gloucester High
teacher. Both had worked to organize retirees prior to the City Council
session and were well prepared to make their case for keeping retirees
in the state plan.<*>During Grow’s testimony in favor of pulling the teachers out of the
state plan, there were occasional outbursts from the retired teachers.
Council President James Destino gaveled them to order and chastised the
teachers as if they were unruly students taking advantage of a
substitute, according to the local press.<*>Slanted Press<*>“The press coverage of the local paper (Gloucester Daily Times) was
slanted,” said retired teacher Yvonne Silva. “Mary Rudolph is a very
dedicated person, but the paper painted her in a negative manner.”
Silva went on to point out that teachers made sacrifices during wage
negotiations, knowing that lower insurance premiums after retiring
would balance out. “Wage sacrifices also resulted in lower pensions. To
increase our health insurance premiums would mean that the city isn’t
living up to their obligation. There’s a sense of fairness involved,”
said Silva.<*>Roy Spittle, who received high praise from his fellow retirees for his
factual presentation and debating style, says that the 4-3 win is just
the beginning. “It’s not over. It’s (insurance) going to change…
Whether for better or worse we really don’t know. But we do have to
stay organized and hold on to the four votes we have in our favor,” he
said. “There’s a Council election coming up this fall, and also we’ll
have a new mayor, with our current mayor John Bell not running for
reelection.”
Voting against removing the retirees from the State’s GIC were
Councilor's Sefatia Romeo, Bruce Tobey, John “Gus” Foote and Walter
Peckham.<*>Voting to shift retired teachers to the city insurance plan were Jason Grow, James Destino and Jackie Hardy.
Two councilors did not take part in the vote. Councilor Michael McLeod
abstained from voting because his sister is a retired teacher.
Councilor Al Swekla is a retired school superintendent with RMT
insurance and, therefore, did not vote.<*>Originated in 1970<*>Since the Commonwealth’s RMT insurance plan originated in 1970, the
number of communities enrolled in the plan has been as high as 78.
Currently there are 74 school districts with RMT coverage.
In January 2004, the Lynnfield Board of Selectmen voted 3-0 to remove
their retired teachers from the state plan and transfer them to the
town’s plan. This was the first time in 30 years that a school district
exited the state RMT plan.
In May 2006, the Franklin Town Council, by a vote of 7-1, pulled their
teachers from the state plan, but not effective until July 1, 2007.<*>Both Lynnfield and Franklin had moved to leave the state plan a year
earlier than the actual vote. However, because of the protests of the
retired teachers, officials backed off for a year, but it was only a
temporary reprieve.
“I agree with Roy Spittle that it’s not over in Gloucester,” said
Association President Ralph White. “It’s obvious that a 4-3 vote leaves
the Gloucester retirees in a tenuous position. However, unlike
Lynnfield and Franklin they did win the vote. We’ll be sharing our
experience, regarding the Lynnfield and Franklin losses, with
Gloucester’s leaders. We have some strategy that will be very helpful.”
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Healthcare 
