Stick With Your Union
Local 848 retirees and our friends in the Mid-Cities are doing our best to keep our seniors' program going. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of June. Communications Workers Retiree President Bonnie Mathias was our speaker. There is so much going on in the retiree movement that we never run out of things to talk about.
For example, the Postmaster General and the President of the United States have joined forces against our right to vote. If states don't turn over all their voter information to Mr Trump, then the post office threatens to hold all vote-by-mail ballots! Texas isn't immediately threatened because political leaders here gladly surrendered all our information to the President as soon as he demanded it.
A pilot program named WISeR (should have been "DUMMER") is trying to undermine Medicare. Some Congresspersons are trying to stop it with new legislation.
The very best of the Congresspersons have joined the Alliance for Retired Americans in proposing to allow rich people to pay Social Security all year long the way we do. Currently, they stop paying after they "earn" pocket change of around $187,000. The rest of the year, they skate away from paying Social Security. Our program is called "Scrap the cap" and is probably the best way to mobilize senior voters this fall because the threatened cuts to Social Security affects everybody. Also, "scrap the cap" is easy to explain.
The UAW advanced far into progressive territory at their convention. They endorsed a candidate for U.S. Senate who would fight for better health care for everybody. At local 848, we can expect an election announcement soon.
Join us at the union hall, 2218 E Main in Grand Prairie, every 2nd Thursday at 11AM. We are also offering on-line participation for those who can't get to the hall. For the July 9 meeting, register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ywcfVVGSRguMmnE4Uq8l-A. For later months, still on 2nd Thursdays, contact genelantz@texasretiredamericans.org.
The Texas Alliance for Retired Americans also holds meetings in White Settlement, Dallas, and five other major Texas metropolitan areas.