Dear Valued Member,
Your board of directors at the Association of BellTel Retirees is ready, willing and able to fight harder than ever in 2022 to fulfill our eternal core commitment to YOU: Protect and enhance YOUR pension and benefits.
As we all know, your healthcare, life insurance, and pension are earned benefits – not handouts. Most retirees agree that they traded higher salaries for a more comprehensive benefit package. Yet your earned benefits are under constant attack. The following details highlight just a few current matters that address our shared concerns.
During mid-2021 your Association invested in AT&T stock to ensure our eligibility to participate in future proxy campaigns. Our foresight proved fortuitous and here is just one reason why YOUR Association is MAD as HELL and why you should be TOO.
As of January 1, 2022, AT&T union retirees had their EARNED life insurance benefits CUT to $25,000, and AT&T management retirees to $15,000. It does not surprise us that NO similar reduction impacts AT&T executives. Further, the sickness and death benefit will be capped at $25,000 for eligible union and management retirees.
We are rightfully concerned that Verizon is likely considering the same despicable action. We must take a strong position to ensure that YOUR voice is heard throughout the corporate offices at both AT&T and Verizon.
I now shift your focus to share a very recent VICTORY in our ongoing proxy efforts to “help” Verizon behave ethically. YOUR BellTel legal team uncovered a glaring deficiency in Verizon Board of Director’s so-called “Human Resources Committee”. Until recently, this committee focused solely on compensation for Verizon executives.
In November 2021 your Association filed a shareholder proxy to mandate Verizon make the board directly responsible for workforce equity issues. In response, Verizon amended their HR Committee’s charter to take responsibility and to oversee Verizon’s, “…strategies, initiatives and programs related to human capital management, including with respect to employee diversity, equity and inclusion, talent acquisition, retention and development, employee engagement, pay equity and corporate culture.”
Yes, indeed. Your Association’s advocacy continues to “help” Verizon by shining a glaring light on their deficiencies in caring for their retirees AND current employees. Be assured, we will also assist AT&T, and others from our extended telephone and communications family, to identify and correct similar deficiencies in ethical and legal behavior.
Your Association is committed to continued partnership with like-minded organizations in 2022. This includes Retirees for Justice, Pension Rights Center, Pioneers, and many others. Strength in numbers gives us a LOUDER voice to protect the earned benefits for ALL retirees and workers. All retirees, retiree social and networking groups and associations need to work in unison.
Today, I call on YOU to join our Call to Action! Your past generosity has been incredible and we are grateful for all that you contribute to YOUR Association. Please continue to support yourself, your family and your fellow retirees. We stand tall as we proudly walk shoulder to shoulder with YOU.
You can send a check, make an online credit card donation and you can even set up automatic donations that recur monthly, quarterly or annually. There are other donation options such as a Qualified Charitable Distribution or you may consider including the Association of BellTel Retirees in your estate planning. We are a 501c(3) organization and your contributions are tax deductible. Feel free to call our office for more information
We enter 2022 wishing eternal peace to all your dearly departed. The Association of BellTel Retirees sends a special acknowledgement to our own Jack Cohen and Jack Brennan.
We Stand Strong Together,
Una Kelly, Treasurer
Apple Podcasts
Spotify