From Rene Rodriguez, VCCCDRA President
Dear VCCCDRA Retirees,
Gary Johnson has just informed me that the District negotiator, as a result of the meeting with the AFT last Friday, has gone to the Chancellor recommending that they go to impasse. It is now our understanding that the reason for the EMERGENCY Board of Trustees meeting this Thursday is to request of the Board that the District go to impasse with the AFT on the question of negotiating for healthcare benefits.
The Chancellor appears to be wanting to rush the District into imposing a Medicare/CalPERS health plan for active employees and a Medicare and CalPERS supplemental plan on retirees, thereby replacing the current Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser plans.
THE CHANCELLOR’S PROPOSAL IS FRAUGHT WITH LEGAL OBSTACLES, AND THE BOARD SHOULD NOT GRANT THE CHANCELLOR THE DESIRE TO GO TO IMPASSE. THE CHANCELLOR NEEDS TO CHANGE COURSE.
WE ARE ASKING ALL RETIREES ABLE TO ATTEND TO MAKE A SPECIAL EFFORT TO ATTEND THIS MEETING ON THURSDAY, SEPT. 19, AT 6:30 PM, at 761 East Daily Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010
There are many problems connected with the CalPERS plans that the Chancellor is promoting. We pointed out some of these problems at the September 10 Board of Trustees meeting.
The Chancellor is wrong in trying to pursue this course of action because the District will have to breach longstanding contractual agreements with the AFT and the SEIU, as well as breach the settlement agreement reached with retirees in 2010.
Presentations at this EMERGENCY Board of Trustees meeting will try to help the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor understand how the District will be forced to breach contract language and settlement agreement language in order to move towards a CalPERS plan.
Presentations are limited to 3 minutes, and if you do not plan to make a presentation, you can still fill out a form and relinquish your time to someone who needs more time for their presentations. This helps the leadership have their say on behalf of retirees.
We will endeavor to publish individual presentations on here on the VCCCDRA blog as they become available.
Come early to assure yourselves a seat in the Boardroom. I hope to see as many of you as can make this meeting. Thank you.
Rene G. Rodriguez,
President, VCCCD Retirees’ Association
