Retirees Re-Elect Leibowitz;

3 Face Opposition at DC 37:
Retirees Re-Elect Leibowitz


The top officers of the District Council 37 Retirees Association were re-elected last week without opposition.

STU LEIBOWITZ: Vigilant on pension rights. Most vice presidents and associate officers were also elected without challengers, and ballots will be mailed out in early May for the three contested spots on the 22-person executive board.

Protecting the 'Unborn'

"We hope to continue our vigor in asserting the needs of the retirees," said President Stuart Leibowitz, "which include the retention of existing benefits and fighting back any attempts at reducing future benefits."

Pension benefits for current retirees are protected by the State's Constitution, but pension terms for future retirees can be negotiated and changed.

"We work with the active workers," said Mr. Leibowitz, who has served as president since 2001, "because any reduction in pension benefits would mean less for them when they retire tomorrow, and every active member hopes to live to be a retiree."

Maintaining health-care benefits is also a major focus for Mr. Leibowitz's slate, especially given the rising cost of health coverage. The board would work to increase the cost-of-living adjustments, which he said were not sufficient. "We're quite concerned that efforts are being made to reduce our health coverage," Mr. Leibowitz asserted.

A Seat But No Vote

The Association, which boasts 26,000 members, holds a non-voting seat on DC 37's executive board. Mr. Leibowitz currently occupies that seat and is also a member of DC 37's bargaining committee. The Association rents space in DC 37's main office building, but pays dues only to its parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, not to DC 37. Its members cannot vote on DC 37 contract deals.

As an independent group, the Association sets its own agenda and makes its own political endorsements. Retired DC 37 members pay $24 per year in dues. Board members do not receive a stipend for their service.

The Association's main activities revolve around legislative and political campaigns, both locally to improve DC 37 retirees' benefits and nationally to ensure that Social Security and Medicare benefits stay intact. The group also funds recreational and educational activities for members. Its annual conference April 14 drew dozens of members and political figures, including undeclared mayoral hopefuls City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Congressman Anthony Weiner and Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr.

'Training' the Actives

One of the highest priorities for the slate is reaching out to active members to educate them on the need to defend retiree benefits. "I like to refer to them as retirees in training," Mr. Leibowitz said of the active members.

Election results are expected by the end of May.

The top officers are: Mr. Leibowitz, Audrey E. Iszard, executive vice president; John Hardisty, secretary-treasurer and Rochelle Mangual, recording secretary.

The vice presidents are: Norman O. Davis, publicity; Julia Jorge, inter-union relations; Reginald Wing, education; Vasdev H. Advani, social security; Rosalita Green-Malia, health services; Mary Livingston, housing; Iona P. Allen, membership.

The associate officers are: Johnnie Ekpo, secretary-treasurer, Frederick A. Gordon, recording secretary; William Dworkin, publicity; Neal Frumkin, inter-union relations; Louis P. Albano, political action; Ronald Middleton, education; Roberta L. Garden, Social Security and Betty Anderson, housing.

Three challengers are running against incumbents from the Leibowitz-Iszard slate. Josephina Johnson is running against incumbent Nancy J. Yost for political action vice president, Seymour Levine is running against incumbent Donald Eisenstein for associate officer of health services, and Manny Friedman is running against incumbent Herb Zola for associate officer of membership.