Flashback: 1 year ago -- OEA Retirees sue OEA

If a union can do this to its own retirees, no one is safe."

Retirees challenge OEA for slashing benefits

Columbus Dispatch, Wednesday, January 12, 2005

In the past several months, the Ohio Education Association, a powerful education-employee labor union, took its place among the thugs of corporate America by illegally terminating health and prescription-drug benefits after age 65 for its retired employees. Those longtime benefits are vested and contractually guaranteed.

How can they do that? By just doing it and saying, "So, sue me." They’re banking on the fact that most retirees on fixed incomes cannot come up with the money to fight such a legal battle.

Every retiree, union member, legislator and education employee should be outraged. The association has sold memberships based on its support of education employee rights, all while treating its own retirees with ruthless disregard. An organization, the Coalition of Retired Employees of the Ohio Education Association, has been formed to fight the corporate deep pockets. The organization, whose Web site is www.coreofoea-.com, has been forced to sue the association, needlessly costing dues dollars and damaging its standing as the protector of employee benefits. Legislators and association members need to come to the forefront to help stop the elimination of retiree benefits. If a union can do this to its own retirees, no one is safe.

JOHN L. WARDELL

Coalition of Retired Employees president Circleville