As we embark upon the third year of our retiree Association, this seemed a prudent moment to pause and review a number of issues that will command the attention of our membership during the coming year.
While your Officers and Directors are fully committed to the future expansion, recognition and success of our Pacific Bell/Nevada Bell retirees’ association, your personal input to the plans and programs proposed for the coming year are essential.
National Retiree Legislative Network (NRLN)
This national organization is made up of over two million retirees from companies such as: General Motors, Detroit Power, IBM, Lucent, Delta Airlines, AT&T, Xerox, BellTel Association (Verizon), Hughes Aircraft, US West, John Manville, Southern New England Telephone (SNET), Raytheon, Ameritech and TelCo Retirees Association, Inc. We are proud to be a supporting member of this organization.
The 2005 agenda for the NRLN includes the following:
Passage of the revised legislation HR1322
A proposal to strengthen the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (P.B.G.C.). The NRLN supports the agency’s proposal to grant the P.B.G.C. the legal right to place liens on the assets of corporations in bankruptcy (who have Defined Pension Benefits). Currently, if a corporation files for bankruptcy, they are no longer required by law to fund the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation.
The NRLN has been actively seeking a modification of the Original HR1322 legislation to include Corporate Health Benefits under the protection of the federal government.
Your President will be attending the annual Officer/Director meeting of the NRLN in Washington, D.C. on February 11th and 12th. The agenda is full and wide ranging and focused on federal legislation impacting retirees’ health and pension benefits. (The results of this meeting will be placed on our Website under the “Members Only” site.
CPUC formal complaint status
(telephone concession service)
December 27, 2004
President Michael Peevy
California Public Utility Commission
155 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94102
Dear President Peevy:
On August 17, 2004, I executed and mailed a formal complaint to the California Public Utility Commission to request an order that SBC be required to conform to the published tariff schedule Cal. C.P.U.C. A5.
There are hundreds of retirees being financially impacted by the failure of the SBC Corporation to adhere to the filed and approved TELEPHONE CONCESSION TARIFF (Cal. C.P.U.C. A5). Since I have received no communication from the C.P.U.C. staff as to the status of the formal complaint, would you be kind enough to provide me with an update on this complaint.
Sincerely,
Sumner K. Emery, President
Skemery@pacbell.net
(In January, 2003, SBC sent a form letter to retirees living outside an SBC serving area stating that your reimbursement would change from $35.00 monthly to $25.00 monthly…paid quarterly. Since this was a violation of the existing tariff, I would like to ask any member who has a copy of that document to mail it to me at my residence address. S.K. Emery, 6168 Capri Dr., San Diego, CA 92120.)
Members Only Password
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Federal ruling on corporate health plans
A year ago, the Halliburton Company attempted to change the medical plans for its retired employees. The company sued three retired executives who complained about the company’s plan to stop providing health insurance benefits. (The case hinged on whether the 1998 merger agreement between Halliburton and Dresser Industries required Halliburton to keep paying benefits to 4,000 salaried retirees.)
As an aside, Dresser’s Employee Retirement Medical Plans were better than those of Halliburton employees.
THE FEDERAL JUDGE RULED THAT THE MERGER BETWEEN HALLIBURTON AND DRESSER CREATED A CONTRACT TO CONTINUE THE MORE FAVORABLE RETIREMENT PLANS FOR FORMER DRESSER EMPLOYEES!
(This federal ruling…if upheld, would set a precedent for Pacific Bell/Nevada Bell employees and SBC regarding our Pacific Bell health benefits.)
The Officers and Directors
TelCo Retirees Association, Inc.
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