Molly Janczyk: Questions for Bill Leibensperger

From Molly Janczyk, November 23, 2006

Subject: Bill: Medicare: HCA
Bill, Perhaps you could personally address this email with patience and good will to answer what many feel. So many feel betrayed that their careers were not protected decades ago with better long term planning and securing revenue for HC when OEA and STRS knew in late 80's and early 90's there would not be HC without action though we were being told , we had nothing to worry about in consults. Please don't lay all blame on the stock market which was too heavily relied on and drastic HC costs soaring since you did know according to literature and Joe Endry's statements in '91 that HC was to be a crisis with no intervention. Dyer wanted out of the HC business and it was headed that way until we got involved. Membership wants to know where OEA was and yet we read OEA and STRS felt no intervention was necessary in early 90's. Please don't pretend that didn't happen. It was all recorded and sent to you years back.

It would go a long way to admit negligence and ask for all to help now-even though we all know it is too late to ever recover our losses. We have had our retirements robbed and it is only natural for us to be ever hurt knowing we work for the future retirees and will never realize meaningful upgrades to our own retirements.

We hope for a real response out of respect for retirees and for the future of all active educators. Denial only makes for insult to our injury.

Molly J.

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June Hughes to Molly Janczyk, November 23, 2006

Subject: Medicare: HCA

Molly, I realize and respect the choice that many actives and retirees are or have been members of OEA but the bottom line question for OEA is this:

What has OEA done in the past to help salaries, benefits etc for active teachers and along that same line, what are they doing now for anyone including the retirees. How is the money collected for dues being used? Has anyone checked? I saw nothing from OEA when I was actively teaching and I sure as heck don't see it now. I would like to see a list of their accomplishments that benefited teachers no matter their status.

Many of us could have made more money in other than teaching and if we had known how regardless retirees would become after our dedication, we could have kissed teaching goodbye. I quit a good retail job to return to teaching because I felt it would be more stable. Wow, what I wrong. I used to shop in the best stores but now I have a problem shopping at K-Mart. What a downward trend.

The national economy and STRS are causing us to fall below the low-middle income status. We all have not only taught those who became successful in many professions and employment but also paid our taxes at the same level as everyone else meanwhile paying a higher percentage into our retirement with the understanding of what we would have when we retire. Then -- the rules change and we are left out in the cold while as you said, free day care for OUR employees, cafeteria, free cars to drive, don't forget the credit cards, a palace with ambiance atmosphere in which to work (thank goodness some of these are improved to our benefit) while those of us taught in hot classrooms in fall and spring (sometimes summer), ate yukky unhealthy cafeteria food, came in early and left late to help students (with no extra pay), took test papers home to grade and make lesson plans, call parents, visit parents in their homes, etc (have I ever had a politician or STRS board member visit me at home or even call to see how I'm doing or how they are doing in their position? NOT!)

This list could go on and on. I'm again disgusted with words not being enough! The old saying is "Action speaks better than words." And there's one more saying, if the STRS board members are unable to perform in a reasonable manner without being rude then if he/she "can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen".

I think some of these board members want to be a board member so they can get a salary and not have to be in the classroom. They like the power and treat us like students who are to behave and shut up and take what they give us. Maybe we should all get together, pick out a different board member each holiday and go to his or her house where they really will do something for us -- feed us food bought with our money. Excuse me, I'm going to stop here to turn my heat off since the sun is shining into the windows and the kitchen is heating up with cooking.

I have always felt the legislature should no longer have any say about our retirement once we've earned our money with our work. If it's because it's tax money, then we tax payers should have a say so about politicians' salaries too! Tax money is no longer tax money once we've earned it. Why is it we're the only profession not treated as a profession and that we have to beg to get salary increases and bow and scrape when we do get one?

June