The core issue is Mayor Adams' plan to shift NYC's 250,000 municipal retirees to Medicare Advantage, a privatized version of Medicare, aiming for cost savings. This plan is opposed by a group of retirees and some City Council members.
DC 37, representing 150,000 active city workers, initially supported the Mayor's plan. However, following Council members' introduction of a bill to maintain traditional Medicare for retirees, DC 37 took action. They rescinded their endorsement of Councilwoman Alexa Aviles and stopped donating to other council members supporting the bill.
The Council bill aims to legally mandate the city's provision of a traditional Medicare plan with city subsidies for retirees. DC 37 argues the bill lacks funding and would force active workers to pay higher premiums to subsidize it.
The Mayor's Medicare Advantage plan has faced repeated legal setbacks, with the latest appeal heading to the state's highest court.
DC 37's actions highlight the significant influence of unions in local elections and underscore the ongoing conflict between the Mayor's cost-saving efforts and the retirees' desire to retain their traditional Medicare coverage.