October Retiree Meeting

RETIREE MEETING LOCAL 2195

Monday, October 14 at 11:00 am

American Legion Post 15

6th Ave. Hwy 31 Decatur, AL

Retiree Meeting Monday

Addendum

I send this out with a heavy-heart, I was just informed this morning that my brother-in-law passed away.  Jim and I married sisters, he was seven years older than me, however we had been friends prior to our marriage growing up in the same Coal Town, Lynch, Ky.  I'm not sure at this time if I will be able to make the Monday meeting.  Our other officers will do a excellent job of handling the meeting.

1) The main reason I'm sending this addendum is to update you regarding some on going information regarding our health care.  We have been notified that at the start of 2025 Vanderbilt will no longer accept our Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage. However you do have options if you feel it is necessary for you to have Vandy as a part of your healthcare plan.

2)There will also be a change in the approval of the facilities where you obtain  lab-work.  This appears to be mandated by the Blue Cross of Alabama.  Although our coverage is Blue Cross of Michigan they have to conform to the Alabama guidelines.  This requirement is scheduled to take place on December 1, 2024.

There will be a Representative from Blue Cross at the meeting:

Director Jim Wixson, Director

UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust

There may also be a representative of the TRUST at the meeting to help guide you threw these changes.

Ken Garner our Vice Chairman will be handling the meeting if I'm unable to attend.

Please remember we are taken up food and necessary items for the victims of Hurricane Helene and very possibly Milton. Please continue to keep these people affected by these terrible Hurricanes in you thoughts an prayers.

I hope this finds all our members doing well.

In Solidarity, Chuck McDonald

256-874-0850

At this point I have no new info regarding the Christmas Bonus other than what I have previously share with you.

I hope this email finds all our members and their families doing well.

There is a lot going on in our Country and around the World.

Hurricane Helene has devastated so much of the United States it is impossible to name all the different areas that have been impacted. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who are suffering because of this terrible storm.🙏❤

We will be taking up donations at our meeting, any item you can provide in the area of water, paper towels, toilet tissues, diapers, or any paper products that would be necessary at a time like this.

We are asking for food products that are non-perishable or those which do not require refrigeration. 

November 5th will be election day, I have already decided who I'm voting for, I hope you have also. More especially, I hope we are voting for the same candidates who have always had our backs in our times of need.

I turned 78 this past July I have voted in every election since 1964.  Most of you know I'm the son of a proud coal miner.   My dad was born in 1905, he dropped out of school in the 8th grade and went to work most of his work life was in the coal mines.  My Dad was much smarter man than his level of education.  He stayed up to date on the news politics and world events. In his day that was, radio, newspapers, and at political rallies. He 1939 he became a proud member of the United Mine Workers of America. He worked to help organize while he worked the mines in Alabama which never came to pass at that time. He moved the family where he got his job working for the United States Coal and Coke Corporation.  A union mine represented by U.M.W.A.

All this was made possible by a caring Democratic President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the man who led us out of the Great Depression.  He got legislation passed setting up the National Labor Relations Board, which provided the legal right to organize form, and join a Union. He also helped pass and sign the Social Security Act, which provided an income for older Americans. To have a way of investing at work to help provide income in their golden years. One of the great things he did for the South sign what is known as The Rural 

Electrification Act which provided a way to move millions of Southern Farmers out of poverty and help to modernize and provide jobs for millions of Southern folks, T.V.A, and all of the magnificent Dams.

Working-class people have always needed influence in our government, most of us as individuals have never had enough money or influence to make the necessary changes needed to impact our health, welfare, and other necessities of our lives.

The one proof is that collectively together we can make a difference and we can influence important issues and needs necessary for working-class people and their families.

If you want to take a personal look at the difference in the impact of having the right people in government fighting the fight for all our co-workers and their families just pull out your UAW Trust Retiree Medical Benefit Card and take a look at it.

Every Republican in the Senate voted against the Bridge loans that made it possible for our pension and health care.  Every Democrat voted for the Bridge loans.

This action didn't only save our health care and pension it also saved the American Auto Industry and hundreds of thousands of related jobs.

I have provided this background to say this; No matter what you think about me, like or dislike I have committed my adult life to working with and helping working people, I have been doing this non-paying job since shortly after my retirement now 22 years.

I have always worked hard in the best interest of those I have been privileged to represent. This is why I take the time to provide information, I know is in the best interest of our membership.

A union saying, "The reason the I is in the middle of UNION, if you take care of the U the I gets taken care of in the process". 

We are all on the same ship, whether she sinks or not; We have some major influence when we work together.

Now we have a clear choice, do we stay with the people who make up the party that brought us through some of our darkest days of economic collapse or do you choose to go with a party asking you to vote for a man who led an insurrection against our great Country on Jan.6, 2021, a man who has been found guilty of sexual assault, found guilty of tax manipulation to defraud the State of taxes owed.  A man who has been indicted on several other serious criminal actions, from withholding very sensitive classified documents and hoarding and hiding them at his golf resort.

A man who has shown disrespect for our Military Heroes like John McCain, violated the rules at Arlington Cemetery by attempting to film a political commercial, (in so doing they shoved a guard attempting to enforce the rules of the Hollowed Ground, a man who called our soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice, "losers and suckers".

I don't believe a man of this low character belongs at the White House Representing our Great Nation. A man who said he believed KGB Russian Dictator Putin over our American Intelligence Agency.

I hope your votes are the same way.  I will leave with a quote from our late great President of the UAW.  Walter P. Reuther.

"THE BALLOT BOX AND THE BREAD BOX ARE ONE AND THE SAME".

I hope you see you at the meeting have a fantastic October.

Chuck McDonald, Chairman, 256-7-874-0850