Fund to Assist EMS Activist In Union Suit

By ARI PAUL

Friends of outspoken 9/11-responder advocate and Uniformed FDNY EMS Retirees Association President Marianne Pizzitola have set up a fundraising campaign for her defense fees against a lawsuit brought by her former union.

MARIANNE PIZZITOLA: Target of former union.

"We believe that in an attempt to silence her speech on the poor treatment former [Emergency Medical Service] professionals receive when they become disabled in the line of duty or due to their 9/11 illnesses and not getting the benefits they need, our former union sued her," the Web site www.defendhealthprivacy.com states, referring to Local 2507 of District Council 37, which represents Paramedics and EMTs.

Raise Privacy Issue

It goes on, "Working as a consultant to the union then, Marianne helped many EMTs and Paramedics retire and assisted them or their attorneys in securing their benefits. Now, the union wants those private medical files and is suing her to get them. The people she helped have many diseases and illnesses. We believe no one should have their private medical records used by their former union, especially when they are no longer dues-paying members."

Claiming that the suit is without merit, the Web site asks supporters to send checks for her legal defense made out to "Defend Health Privacy" at PO Box 33, Lindenhurst, NY 11757-0033.

Ms. Pizzitola is now a pension consultant for Local 3621 of DC 37, which represents EMS offices. While Locals 3621 and 2507 bargain together and have worked on many of the same campaigns for EMS workers, they have been at odds over the officers' union's objection to a provision of a bill granting Federal money for 9/11 treatment that would bind EMS employees to an FDNY monitoring and treatment program.