Supreme Court takes away Case New Holland retiree benefits When Ron Crow retired from a 30-year career at Case New Holland in 1999, he thought he and his wife, Janet Crow, would keep their Case health care benefits for the rest of their lives. That’s allegedly what the company told them, anyway. Then Janet Crow saw a newscast on KWQC Monday night and learned that wasn’t the case. At least, not anymore. “That’s not what you want to hear at 10 p.m. at night,” she said. “That doesn’t make for good sleep.” On Feb. 20, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Case New Holland retirees no longer will get their health benefits. The court ruled the health care benefits were tied to the rest of the collective bargaining agreements and did not cover former workers for life. The decision reversed an appeals court ruling. After checking with her
attorney, Crow learned CNH likely will send out letters Monday with the details of the health care changes. Those benefits were part of a 1998 collective bargaining agreement that provided a group benefit plan to certain employees retiring under the pension plan. The agreement did contain a clause that said those benefits would terminate in May 2004. When it expired that year, a class of CNH retirees and surviving spouses filed a lawsuit seeking declaratory judgement that their health care benefits remain vested for life. “This is unethical, to take people this age and take away their health care,” Janet Crow said. The case has been volleyed between courts since then, until it finally reached the Supreme Court. Former Sen. Tom Courtney, also a CNH retiree, said those same benefits nearly were taken away by a court decision four
years ago, until the judge reversed their own decision. “It was a good benefit. They paid for everything. We felt the company agreed there would be lifetime benefits,” Courtney said. “A lot of management people were retiring and they (CNH) were telling us that if you retired now, you will have lifetime benefits.” Courtney, who retired in 2002, said the Supreme Court’s decision will affect a lot of employees who retired from Case New Holland in the 1990s and into the turn of the century, but noted most of them are old enough to be on Medicare. Many will be forced to buy insurance on the market, which Courtney estimates could add $100 to $400 to their monthly bills. “I’m not bitter about it. But a lot of people will be bitter about it, and rightfully so,” Courtney said. Courtney said he saw the writing on the wall when Donald
Trump was elected and appointed a Republican justice, turning the balance of the court against Democrats. Courtney is a staunch Democrat and former union leader. “This is why I and others like me have been screaming for universal health care,” he said. Janet Crow said her family will be OK, but she knows many retirees who have moved to Florida, and they have no idea what’s coming. Some of them are widows, and Crow isn’t sure if they will have enough money to live on once they start buying insurance. “If my husband died, half his pension and all his medical benefits would have went to me,” she said. “You have widows out there living on half their husband’s pensions.” Neither Courtney nor Crow know the exact details of what they will lose, but they should know soon. “It’s a mess,” Crow said.
Alliance congratulates Conor Lamb in his victory. Retiree issues, combined with a strong Get Out the Vote effort by Alliance for Retired Americans members and staff, helped propel first-time candidate Conor Lamb to victory in the special election for Pennsylvania’s 18th congressional district seat. The Alliance has more than 22,000 members in the 18th Congressional district, and used a variety of methods to educate and mobilize them and the general public on the stark differences between Lamb and Rick Saccone on retiree issues. Lamb campaigned on a commitment to strengthen and expand Social Security and Medicare for current and future generations and to tackle the
rising cost of prescription drugs. He also promised to protect and defend earned pension benefits through the Miner’s Pension Act. Saccone, in contrast, said that Social Security and Medicare were “going broke” and “needed reform.” Saccone was also closely linked to House Speaker Paul Ryan, who continues to actively work to cut our earned benefits. “Thank you to our Pennsylvania Alliance members for their all-hands-on-deck effort,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance. “We showed candidates across the country that putting retirement security issues like Social Security and Medicare on the front burner is a winning formula for November’s midterm elections.”
Direct mail Thousands of Alliance members received mailings outlining the differences between Lamb and Saccone on retiree issues. Tele-town Hall A week before election day, the Alliance gave its members an opportunity to hear directly from the candidate on senior issues. Thousands of Pennsylvania Alliance members who lived in the district joined the calls and asked him questions about Medicare, prescription drugs prices, Social Security cost of living increases and protecting miners’ pensions. Get Out the Vote Alliance staff and members helped with the Get Out the Vote effort. Executive Director Richard Fiesta visited the district several times to help the
campaign and Maureen Dunn, Field Manager for the Alliance, directed the Westmoreland County Central Labor Council’s effort. She led an operation that knocked on thousands of doors and made thousands of phone calls as a cornerstone of their work. Pennsylvania Alliance President Dwayne Thomas, who lives in western Pennsylvania, and board member Harriet Ellenberger, who lives in the district, volunteered dozens of hours of their time and recruited others to join in. Digital ads Independent expenditure digital ads in support of Lamb by the Alliance ran on the three main local newspaper websites as well as on Facebook.
Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans, Inc. • 94 Cleveland Street • North Providence, RI • 02904-3525 • 401-480-8381 riarajap@hotmail.com • http://www.facebook.com/groups/354516807278/