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| Push for low-rate
credit cards To the Editor: Recently I received a solicitation for a credit card that carries a permanent rate of 4.99 percent. The company has also advertised this rate on television, making it clear that it intends to offer the low rate to customers with good credit ratings. Union members contending with the prospect of no pay raises for the next year or two could benefit from a union-sponsored card that carried a lower interest rate than the current one. The Union Plus card carries a rate of almost 10 percent, unchanged in many years during which the prime interest rate has dropped substantially. PEF should make it a priority to push for a lower interest credit card for its members. This would really be a valuable help to our struggling members, many of whom are paying off large credit-card debts. ROBERT FISHER Albany “Rule of 80” is fairest standard To the Editor: I am writing in response to Alice M. Czarnikiewicz’s letter advocating a “Rule of 80” standard for retirement for all New York state workers. I wholeheartedly agree the standard should be years of service plus age to total 80, for the purpose of retiring “early” without penalty. I work at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, and have spoken to numerous co-workers who agree the “Rule of 80” standard should be implemented. I am one of many Tier 2 and 3 state workers who have more than 25 years of service, and who are not yet 55 years old. Why should I, or anyone else in this position, be penalized for retiring “early?” Do my many years of service, dedication, and impeccable record mean nothing? I think not! No one with a total of 80 should be penalized. Since the governor has not chosen to give us any substantial contractual enhancements, the least he can do is be fair and recognize the hard-working 50-plus-year-olds with 25, 30 or more years of service. The addition of a “Rule of 80” standard is well deserved and needs to be negotiated into our contract for the benefit of all state workers. LOU MARCANO Bronx Editor’s Note: Instituting the Rule of 80 would require changing state retirement law. It can not be changed via the PS&T contract. U.S. should train its own students To the Editor: Legislators all over the country are taking a look at job migration to foreign lands. State legislatures are reacting to the loss of 2.6 million US manufacturing jobs since the year 2000. The article says millions of service jobs will move abroad in the next decade. Congress is considering a bill that would change the formulae for student loans and reduce funding for American students. It should be the unions’ position that we encourage grants to deserving American students in the technology field. This is no time to change the formulae for our college grants program. We need our own trained technology workers in the US, if we are to remain competitive in the international market place. Henry Woitscheck Perry The Communicator Letters policy We welcome letters to the editor about union issues and events relevant to PEF's diverse membership. All letters are subject to editing for space, fairness and good taste. Please keep them brief (up to one page, double-spaced or a maximum of 250 words), and please include your name and phone number for verification. Send letters to: The Communicator Public Employees Federation P.O. Box 12414 Albany, N.Y. 12212-2414 email Denyce Duncan Lacy, Executive Editor The Communicator - Director of Public Relations dduncanlacy@pef.org Sherry Halbrook, Editor of The Communicator- shalbrook@pef.org |
