OSA Newsline - June 29, 1998

The main news is our new dental plan, called Metrodent. Self-Insured Dental Services (SIDS) has combined a number of union dental panels into one large panel.

The new panel has many more dentists available which is good, and also provides for no out-of-pocket expenses at all, which is even better. Previously, members had a $50 co-pay for crowns but no longer — if your dentist has chosen to join the Metrodent panel.

If your dentist belonged to the prior OSA Welfare Fund dental program and has chosen not to join Metrodent, you are still able to retain him/her, since our own panel will continue on unchanged. Most participating dentists have chosen to join the new Metrodent list and you will be sent a copy of that list in July. The change is in effect as of July 1.

OSA Newsline - June 15, 1998

A meeting of the bargaining team was held last week to dot the i's and cross the t's on the equity part of our 1995 to the year 2000 contract.

By last Tuesday, the City had promised to give us the cost to our settlement of establishing a five year or an eight year or a 25 year longevity. Again it did not occur.

One branch of the City did not, apparently, agree with the numbers generated by another branch of the City, and as a result they need more time.

We would have no problem with giving more time, since the equity piece would not be paid until next year at the earliest, except for one thing. Until the equity part is concluded, the City won't pay the July 1st raise. We will, of course, get every penny retroactively but we still would have liked it on time.

OSA Newsline - June 8, 1998

The Organization of Staff Analysts' Retirees Club is one of the more successful offshoots of our union. OSA now has hundreds of retired members and most of them belong to our retirees club. The annual luncheon held by OSARC will be this Wednesday at 12 noon. El Quijote restaurant is the site, on 23rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.

Bernice Stevens, president of OSARC, has asked that the newsline extend an invitation to any members who are considering retirement.

The cost is $15, give or take a buck and you are most welcome. Please call Marzie at 686-1229 if you plan to attend.

There will be meetings of the negotiating team and the Department of Corrections Chapter this week. Otherwise it looks like a quiet week.

OSA Newsline - June 1, 1998

Members responded generously to the petition enclosed in the recent mailing. Over one hundred signatures have been received. Angel Rivera of Bellevue Hospital gets the award for the most signatures -- thirteen.

A number of OSA members outside of HHC have asked if they are eligible for the current buy-out, and the answer is no. On the other hand, some OSA members working in HHC have asked if they are in danger because our title has been made eligible for severance. Again no. The redeployment system has accommodated all of our troops with offers and we do not now anticipate any layoffs.

The City is due to give us the final equity numbers next week. Even so, members should not assume that we will be paid our 3 percent raise on time. We are due 3 percent on July 1st of this year, but given the delays so far, we will probably be paid at least a month late, although with full retroactivity

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