As requested, MSV is printing in its entirety a letter just received from the Hoboken Uniformed Fire Fighters Association, Local 1078:

Ms. Tripodi is lying right through her teeth with that statement!!!!!  The fire dept is scheduled to meet within a couple of days and we were just advised that she is on vacation in Puerto Rico.  When seeking to see if she was back, no one could confirm that.  We attempted to meet with the city several times as the letter in the Reporter states and it has been the city who has cancelled.  The union was even willing to meet under difficult circumstances (death to union members immediate family)  a few weeks ago and she cancelled anyway.  FURTHERMORE, a couple of years ago, the city and its powers to be switched Prescription Plans for all city employees through a broker agreement with Brown and Brown.  That resulted in massive problems and employees paying full price for they’re prescriptions and those which were on long term care pharmaceuticals had their health care jeopardized.  All this because the city NEVER sent a letter, memorandum or anything to notify the city employees the prescription plan they had is changing.  Today, I received in the mail notification from our NEW company, NOT THE CITY.  It seems the city again changed the plan with out any prior warning to its employees.    I called the new company and a representative had stated she has received NUMEROUS calls from individuals who were unaware of the change, which according to the contract must be equal to or better.  The representative stated many of the callers had many questions which were surprising to him/her because a general practice is most covered members are aware of changes to the health plans from  the respective towns.  The city of Hoboken would like to change health care plans (which the Fire Department is still open to) for all its employees going forward, yet, when the unions are apprehensible to do so, they wonder why.  Maybe this is a wake up call for the city.  Try to communicate better with the people who depend on such things as health care, long term care with prescriptions, etc etc. and perhaps there wouldn’t be so many problems or costs associated by not advising the work force you are changing plans and creating panic and mounting questions.     Read More...