Letter from Michael Mulgrew, UFT to Harry Nespoli, MLC regarding withdrawal of support for Medicare Advantage program.
June 23, 2024
Harry Nespoli, Chairperson
Municipal Labor Committee
125 Barclay Street
New York, NY 10007
Dear Chairperson Nespoli,
The United Federation of Teachers withdraws its support for the Medicare Advantage program for New
York City Medicare-eligible retirees as well as for the current health care negotiations for in-service and
pre-Medicare retirees.
For nine years, the Municipal Labor Committee has worked to maintain high-quality, premium-free
health care coverage for city workers while at the same time working with the city to achieve billions of
dollars in savings despite the increasingly difficult national landscape.
It has become apparent that this administration is unwilling to continue this work in good faith. The city
has delayed our current in-service and pre-Medicare retiree healthcare negotiations for months, and we
no longer feel that it is in the interest of our members to be part of that process. This administration has proven to be more interested in cutting its costs than honestly working with us to provide high-quality health care to city workers.
As always, we are willing to do the hard work of fighting to maintain our benefits and keep high-quality,
premium-free health care for all our members, but we need a willing partner. We will not let the city
keep wasting our time, and we will demand they put workers first.
Sincerely,
Michael Mulgrew
President
United Federation of Teachers