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CWA District 6 Retiree Informer

A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 V O L U M E 1 5 / 0 8

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On August 2, 2015 the District 6 RMC met in Houston, Texas in conjunction with the CWA Dis-

trict 6 Conference. Ray Kramer President of the District 6

RMC conducted the meeting and as is the custom the Dele-

gates present introduced themselves and gave a brief run-

down of what is going on in their Retiree Chapters. Speak-

ers at the meeting included CWA District 6 Vice President

Claude Cummings, Jr. The Vice President opened his re-

marks stating no other District does what District 6 Retirees

do and that he was proud of the work our Retirees do. He

also addressed the recent issue of the changes in the tele-

phone discounts for Retirees from AT&T. Vice President

Cummings stated this is not only a Retired Members issue

but is also an active Members Issue as well. VP Cummings

also stated that AT&T has agreed to meet with a panel of

Retirees from across the nation to discuss issues regarding AT&T Retirees issues, seek solutions

and to get more information out to Retirees. Also discussed was the recent issue raised by

some Retirees about the AT&T Basic Life Insurance and some Retirees seeing a reduction in the

amount of payout to their beneficiary. The payout was capped at rates of pay based on 2009

salary levels. If you retired before 2009 your payout level should not change if you retired after

2009 than your payout would be based on 2009 salary levels. This was a result of 2009 bargain-

ing.

Also speaking at the meeting was Assistant to the Vice President Sylvia Ramos who welcomed

the Delegates and thanked them for their efforts on behalf of all Retirees.

President Kramer in his report stated that Retirees in this country are in the battle of our lives

to save Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. President Kramer answered questions on a

potential buyout of some pensions from Lucent for those who retired post 1989. All buyouts

are voluntary. The meeting was adjourned with all Retirees invited to stay for the District 6

Conference.

District 6 RMC President Ray Kra-

mer addressing Retirees at Houston

Meeting

DISTRICT 6 RMC MEETS IN HOUSTON

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P A G E 2

The threat to the

middle class is

apparent..

We Must Build A Movement! By Claude Cummings, Jr. CWA District 6 Vice President

C W A D I S T R I C T 6 R E T I R E E

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For the latest breaking news that all CWA Retirees need to know follow us on Facebook.: https://

www.facebook.com/groups/CWAD6RetireeOutreach/

Claude Cummings

Jr., Vice President,

District 6

At times I sit back and marvel how the landscape has changed for Organized Labor and

workers in this Country. While some may see it as bad now I see it as an opportunity to

make our movement even stronger. The battles we face today for economic justice and to

secure the “American dream” for all of us are tougher than any time since Organized Labor

has risen to prominence. For me it seems these changes have happened almost overnight

but fact, we are living the results of decades of work against what we do and out way of

life. The ability for a worker to organize and reap the benefits of a collective bargaining

agreement with their employer constantly under attack. That is a well-known fact I have

lived with since I have joined the Union Movement. What I find even more dangerous with

the happening in so called recent times is the direct attack and weakening of our Democra-

cy. The money that is involved in politics has basically put our Government up for auction

to the highest bidder. In the 2012 elections candidates spent $7 billion to run for office and

it is believed to run for President in 2016 candidates will have to raise $1 billion to be com-

petitive. Money in politics in my opinion is a major roadblock in this Country having a rep-

resentative government that truly stands for its citizenry. Collective Bargaining and Organ-

izing have never been harder. From 1930 to 1960 more than 10 million American Workers

in the private sector, joined unions and availed themselves of collective bargaining agree-

ments. In the last 50 years or so that number has diminished to levels not seen since be-

fore the great depression. The threat to the middle class is apparent. We now live in a

Country where the wealth is controlled by one percent of the citizens. The American Work-

ers productivity has increased, yet wages have not kept pace. In fact, studies show the gap

between increased productivity and real wages is almost $600 a week, yet the gap be-

tween the average worker and CEO’s is the largest in the world. As I alluded to earlier it

seems we have the best Government can buy. One that is more interested in winning re-

election or raising campaign funds than it is in fair treatment of all its citizens. With the dis-

astrous Citizens United Supreme Court ruling Corporations are free to buy politicians and

continue to push their anti-worker agenda. Fortunately our union recognized the issues

that hold us a t bay and jeopardize our way of life and have taken action. Realizing we can-

not win this fight alone we gather allies wherever we can find a common interest and work

toward building a movement. We have realized that we cannot win this battle alone with

union card holders but it will take a movement with allies everywhere. An attack on Work-

(Continued on page 6)

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Attention Former Southwestern Bell Retirees

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By Kathy Coker, D6 Retiree Activist

If you are a Legacy S (Southwestern Bell) retiree, here are three things you may need to know:

1. If you were a bargained-for employee on payroll in 1989, you have a “death benefit” payable to

your beneficiaries after your death that is NOT life insurance. You can call the Fidelity Service Cen-

ter at 1-800-416-2363 and ask that your death benefit be calculated. Be sure and refer to it as a

death benefit, and do not call it life insurance. This money will be distributed to the same benefi-

ciaries as your life insurance money will be. Once you get that figure, be sure and tell the executor

of your will/children, etc. so they will know that both monies should be distributed upon your

death. For more information see page 4 of this publication.

2. If you retired after September 1, 1992 and before April 6, 2009, you may possibly have some mon-

ey in a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). You can call 1-800-283-3211 to find out if you have

spent all the money that was in the account or still have a balance. The money never goes away

until it is spent up, so it is worth checking out. For more information see page 5 of this publication.

3. AT&T recently went to a new vendor for life insurance, and after an audit was done, it was discov-

ered that some retirees had an amount that was higher than it was supposed to be for their basic

life insurance. The basic life insurance amount was capped as of December 31, 2009. Apparently

some retirees who retired after 2009 were capped as of the year they retired, rather than 12-31-

09. If this applies to you, you have probably already received statements from AT&T advising you

of this and correcting the amount of your basic life insurance. If you have any further questions,

call Hewitt or go to the AT&T retiree web site and look at the Summary Plan Description (SPD) on

life insurance.

If You call the CWA Benefit Rep Hotline Calling the Hotline

As a reminder, if you call into the CWA Retiree Benefit Hotline, please state your name clearly, and give your tele-

phone number at least two times. We do not have “state of the art” equipment, and sometimes the recording is

very hard to hear. We do not want to miss any retiree calls, but recently several calls have been so hard to hear

that we were not able to make contact with the person that called. Thank you for your help in this matter.

Follow us on Facebook!

For the latest breaking news that all CWA Retirees need to know follow us on Facebook.: https://www.facebook.com/

groups/CWAD6RetireeOutreach/

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Legacy S AT&T Employees Eligible for a Death Benefit If Hired Prior to January 1, 1990. By Mike Neumann, District 6 Northern Area Director

If you were hired by AT&T Legacy

S prior to January 1, 1990 and

meet certain requirements you

are eligible for death benefits.

The Company you were hired by

may have been called South-

western Bell or SBC prior to

1990. This little talked about

death benefit can provide much

needed compensation to a

spouse or in certain cases de-

pendent children. The benefit

can be found in your benefit

binder under the pension section

on page PB 16. Employees and

Retirees that the death benefit

applies to, would be well served

in reviewing this benefit with the

appropriate relatives or persons,

and in keeping a copy of the ben-

efit with your other important

papers. If you believe you are

entitled to this Benefit you may

call the Fidelity Pension Depart-

ment at 800-416-2363 and they

can calculate the level of your

benefit . (To the right and below is a

scan from the benefit binder.)

P A G E 4

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Attention AT&T Retirees after 9/1/1992

Share the news and build the cause. If you know a CWA Retiree who does not

have internet access please print them a copy of this newsletter.

Problems or questions with your benefit plan?

You can contact the CWA District 6 Retiree Outreach Benefit Coordinator at 314.965.9024

or e-mail at D6Retirees@gmail.com

If you retired after September 1, 1992 and before April 6, 2009 you may have available to you an HRA that

was negotiated into the CWA/ATT Southwest Agreement of 2009. According to the terms of that agree-

ment Pre-Medicare CURRENT Retirees should have been funded Health Reimbursement Accounts in ac-

cordance with the terms listed below:

Pre-Medicare retirees that retired after September 1, 1992 will receive funded Health

Reimbursement Accounts (HRA’s), which can be used for reimbursement of premiums,

deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance as follows:

January 1, 2010 Individual $850 Family $1700

January 1, 2011 Individual $150 Family $300

Unused HRA money will roll over from year to year until it is depleted.

If you are unsure if you have used this benefit in the past or have a remaining balance you can call 800-283-

3211 and speak with an advisor to verify your eligibility. You may also go online at myspendingac-

count.adp.com as well. Do not confuse this with any HRA Benefit you may be receiving through the AON

Process.

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We Must Build A Movement !

News from around the web

GALLUP POLL SHOWS AMERICANS’ OPINION OF LABOR UNIONS GROWS MORE FAVORABLE

http://www.cwa-union.org/news/entry/

gallup_poll_shows_americans_opinion_of_labor_unions_grows_more_favorable#.Vd4fzvm6eM9

22 arrested in senior citizen protest on Mag Mile

http://wgntv.com/2015/08/24/22-arrested-in-senior-citizen-protest-on-mag-mile/

Corporate America Saves $3 Trillion by Putting Retirees on Obamacare

http://www.thestreet.com/story/13260975/1/corporate-america-saves-3-trillion-by-putting-retirees-on-

obamacare.html

ing America comes in different forms many of our members don’t understand. Whether it is voter suppression, age,

gender, racial discrimination, or discrimination because of whom you choose to love or the lifestyle you choose to live.

As your Vice President, I have worked tirelessly to bring CWA into these coalitions and build support for us outside of

the traditional CWA boundaries. I have worked hard to gain support for CWA and working men and women through-

out our District and our Country. With asking support from other coalitions comes the Quid Pro Co of offering our sup-

port on their issues. Some may try to level criticism that these are not union issues, I disagree, I think anywhere we

can lend support to fight injustice or fight for equal treatment we must, that is a core belief of what we do as a union

everybody deserves equal treatment as well as equal pay for equal work. Brothers and Sisters the challenges we face

ahead are many and daunting but together I am confident we will be successful.

(Continued from page 2)

Saint Louis Retirees Phonebanking to stop Right to Work

On Monday August 24 St Louis Retiree Activist gathered at CWA Local 6300 to help the Local phone bank

Members and Retirees about the upcoming Missouri Legislatures Veto session and the opponents of Work-

ing Americans attempt to override Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of so called “Right to Work” legislation. CWA

along with Organized Labor and several Community based organizations are working hard to keep the state

from becoming a Right to Work for Less State.

Photo Left Retiree Activist Patricia Wil-

liams, Patricia Butler and Leola Beard.

Photo Right Patricia Butler with CWA Local

6300 Secretary Vickie Jordan

P A G E 6

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“AMERICA’S JOURNEY FOR JUSTICE” COMING TO THE NATION’S CAPITAL ON SEPTEMBER 16

If you know a fellow CWA Retiree who is not receiving this newsletter please have

them got to the District 6 Website at http://district6.cwa-union.org/ and hit the

For Retirees Tab to subscribe.

Aug 20, 2015

It's Destination Washington, D.C., as members of the NAACP, CWA and many other allies continue the 860-mile-long

trek of the "America's Journey for Justice." The march will end in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 16, with a rally and lobby

day.

CWA District 6 Vice President Claude Cummings is leading CWA's participation in the campaign.

Along the way, teach-ins and rallies are focusing public attention on the fight to restore voting rights. In Raleigh, N.C.,

CWA Director of Democracy Programs Tova Wang; Rev. William Barber, president of the North Carolina NCAAP and

leader of the Moral Mondays movement; and other activists will participate in an Aug. 31 teach-in at Pullen Memorial

Baptist Church.

For more information go to: http://www.democracyforus.org/news/

joinus91610amamericasjourneyforjusticearrivesindc

A special Thank You goes out to Houston Retirees

Chapter 6222 who assisted their Local in hosting

the recently concluded District 6 Conference in

Houston

P A G E 7

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Benefit Plan Contact Numbers

Verizon 855-489-2367

AT&T 877-722-0020

Avaya 800-526-8056

Lucent Aetna POS 800-872-7136

Blue Cross/Blue Shield (Oklahoma) 800-661-0083

HMO Medicare Option 888-232-4111

AON Retiree Health Exchange 800-928-8027

Editors Note This newsletter is published for the purpose of keeping CWA District 6 Retirees

informed and educated on issues you may face in retirement as well as to keep

you current with CWA. IF you have an article or story you would like to see pub-

lished please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to meet you

request. You can send your request or comments to D6retir-

ees@gmail.com or you can leave a message on our phone line at 314-965-9024.