News

Progress since May, 2009

We are developing our deliverables for the next three to six months  

On Friday, October 16 our EKRA leadership team spent the day developing our plans for the next three to six months.  The primary outcome is that we will focus on delivering options for replacement of dental and life insurance, establishing our relationship with Kodak, and surveying our members to clarify our future directions. We'll be establishing a regular newsletter to keep you posted in a more timely way. 

We're speaking with key legislators about our concerns

Meeting with Rep. Chris Lee (R) NY
Doug Dobson and Bob Volpe met with Rep. Chris Lee in his Rochester office recently. Discussion covered EKRA's mission and goals and a briefing  on some of the issues we're concerned about in Washington.  We discussed the need for  bankruptcy reform to give non-union employees protection in corporate bankruptcy proceedings, the NRLN legislative agenda, and opportunities to reduce drug costs in federal programs.  A follow-up meeting with Rep. Lee in September in Washington is being pursued.
 
Meeting with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) NY
Two EKRA leaders met with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) NY at a recent reception in Geneseo to inform her of EKRA's mission and goals and to brief her on some of the issues we're concerned about in Washington.  We discussed the need for  bankruptcy reform to give non-union employees protection in corporate bankruptcy proceedings, and opportunities to reduce drug costs in federal programs.  A follow-up meeting with the Senator's regional staff and another meeting in September in Washington are being pursued.

Meeting with Rep. Louise Slaughter (D) NY
EKRA representatives met with Rep. Slaughter in her Rochester office while Congress is on its summer recess in August.  Rep. Slaugher is Chairwoman of the House Rules Committee that decides what legislation reaches the House floor.  Rep. Slaughter's husband Robert is a Kodak retiree.  The meeting covered the origins of EKRA, our mission and goals, affiliation with NRLN, and several key issues including bankruptcy reform, prospects for the components of universal health care, including suggestions related to cost reduction opportuniites identified by NRLN.  A follow-up meeting will be scheduled for September with Congresswoman Slaughter's Washington staff who follow health care legislation.

Meeting with Rep. John Conyers (D) MI and Eric Massa (D) NY
At a spring  rally in Rochester  for support for Health Care legislation "Medicare for All"  HR676, Bob Volpe was able to spend time speaking with Rep. John Conyers, Jr.(D) MI, and with  Rep. Eric Massa, (D) NY.  Bob described the inequities in current federal bankuptcy laws that ignore the rights of retirees non-union employees when a corporation files bankruptcy.  Bob urged the members of Congress to support amendments that would give non-union employees and retirees the same rights as debtors, vendors, and union employees in bankruptcy proceedings. Rep. Conyers is the Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary that will hear proposals for the needed changes.  Reps. Conyers and Massa expressed their concerns for this inequity and their support for eliminating it.

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