Keynote speakers include:

• John Rowley Sr., Business Manager, IBEW Local 2324, which commissioned an investigation by New York University & Boston College scientists of lead toxicity that impacts workers’ and our fellow retirees’ health and safety.
• Attorney Edward Stone, Executive Director of Retirees for Justice and legal counsel for fellow retirees in several important corporate pension spinoff lawsuits. Mr. Stone is fighting to protect retirees’ earned pension benefits from the unknown investment risks when our pension assets are offloaded by former corporate employers.

You may listen using your computer, iPad, smartphone or Smart TV via Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

You can also watch the meeting video on our YouTube channel!

The post “The Bell Effect” Podcast, Episode 40: BellTel’s 2026 Annual Meeting appeared first on Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc..

Your fellow retirees, current employees, union leadership, and the BellTel board participated in Your Association’s 30th-anniversary meeting in Stamford, Connecticut, to discuss important topics that are actively jeopardizing retirees today.

Hear crucial insights from:

– BellTel board members, including Chairman Tommy Steed, CFO Frank Bruzek, Secretary Don Kaufmann, and Director Thomas Dougherty

– John Rowley Sr., Business Manager, IBEW Local 2324, who, with his local, championed a vital Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA) study of lead toxicity and the health impact this has on communication workers and retirees like YOU

– Attorney Edward Stone, Executive Director of Retirees for Justice, who is actively working to protect retirees’ earned pension benefits from Pension Risk Transfers, delivers the latest updates regarding ongoing legislation

Watch it below or on our YouTube channel!

The post Watch Our 2026 Annual Meeting Today! appeared first on Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc..

Such risks were recently highlighted in a study by the IBEW, with leading medical and environmental health scientists from Boston College and New York University.

You may read the full story from Thomas Steed below:

Opinion: For a Ma Bell lineman like me, OSHA consequences last a lifetime

The post Chairman Tom Steed: “OSHA consequences last a lifetime” appeared first on Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc..

Joining us to speak about this very issue is Edward Stone, BellTel’s Special Legal Counsel and the Executive Director of Retirees for Justice!

Stone joins us to discuss the failure of a major regional insurance company that recently filed for liquidation. He walks us through what policy and annuity holders should expect, what caused the issues in the first place, and what retirees and policyholders from other insurers should keep in mind moving forward.

You may listen using your computer, iPad, smartphone or Smart TV via Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

The post “The Bell Effect” Podcast, Episode 39: When Big Insurers Fail appeared first on Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc..

Association of BellTel Retirees Inc.

Media Contact: Butler Associates, LLC. 212-685-4600

Tom Butler – tbutler@butlerpr.com – 646-213-1802
Colleen Strowbridge – cstrowbridge@butlerpr.com – 646-213-1366

Association of BellTel Retirees Earns 4-Stars for Transparency from Charity Navigator

COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY — The non-profit Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc. is honored to once again receive a 4-star rating from Charity navigator, a tool that uses data analysis and research to rank philanthropies reliability and inform donors. The ranking focuses on 501(c)(3) organizations accountability, financial health, and transparency.

“Integrity is key to the Association’s success and is what helps drive our mission forward,” says BellTel Chairman Tommy Steed. “We are honored to once again receive this recognition as a
testament to the organization’s transparent line of communication and shared trust with its members and donors.”

Charity Navigator is a reliable organization that partners with Candid for data collection. The Association has been recognized with Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency for the past five years. As a 501(c)(3) organization themselves, Charity Navigator does not charge the philanthropies they evaluate in order to remain unbiased.

Founded in 1996, the Association of BellTel Retirees advocates for 134,000 retirees from Verizon and the Bell System to protect their earned pensions and benefits. The organization will continue to provide reliable information and open communication with the donor community as it works to protect and restore the benefits retirees earned in their working years.

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The post Press Release: BellTel Earns 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator appeared first on Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc..

Association of BellTel Retirees Inc.

Media Contact: Butler Associates, LLC. 212-685-4600

Tom Butler – tbutler@butlerpr.com – 646-213-1802

Verizon’s Retiree Shareowners Call for Action Following Major Layoffs

COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY — Members of the non-profit Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc. are calling all those impacted by the recent layoffs at Verizon to join their movement to promote the protection and enhancement of the earned benefits and pensions of all retirees and current employees of companies derived from the original Bell system.

In November 2025, Verizon announced the layoffs of 13,000 individuals as part of a new plan to “reorient” the company. The announcement came just one month after Dan Schulman stepped into the CEO position. In a letter from Schulman to the staff, he explained that the layoffs are intended to change the company’s cost structure and enable them to invest further. The 13,000 individuals account for about 20% of the company’s management workforce, who are not unionized, making this the largest round of layoffs in the company’s history.

Thomas Steed, BellTel Chairman and a former telecommunication technical associate at Verizon said, “To announce these massive layoffs as we enter the holiday season is a cruel example of yet another telecommunications company failing their own. I urge all of those impacted by these job cuts to join the Association of BellTel Retirees as we continue to fight back against failed promises and commitments from the corporations we gave our life’s work to.”

The Association of BellTel Retirees was initially founded in 1995 by seven retirees of companies derived from the original Bell system. The organization now advocates for 205,000 Bell Atlantic, NYNEX, GTE, MCI, Idearc, AT&T and Verizon union and management retirees and retirees who were transferred to Idearc/SuperMedia, as well as active employees with regard to retirement issues. The association has over 134,000 former union and management members.

Chairman Thomas Steed said, “Over the past three decades, we have banded together thousands of retirees and current employees to fight corporations who fail to deliver on their firm commitments to us. We have successfully passed legislation and won multiple shareholder proxies for our members and hope to continue this fight for all future retirees and beneficiaries.”

The Association of BellTel Retirees released an open letter to the individuals who were impacted by the layoffs to urge them to join their association.

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The post Press Release: Verizon Shareowners Call for Action Following Layoffs appeared first on Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc..

On this episode of “The Bell Effect,” we are joined by Una Kelly, one of the first women in New York City to work in electronic switching.

The post “The Bell Effect” Podcast, Episode 38: How to Fight the Corporate Erosion of Earned Benefits appeared first on Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc..

Dear honored members, retirees & active employees,

Giving Tuesday began in 2012 as a simple idea: a global day dedicated to giving back. It takes place annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, part of a Season of Giving dedicated to generosity, kindness, and gratitude.

For retirees and active employees and their families, Giving Tuesday is an opportunity to strengthen organizations that work tirelessly to protect rights, preserve dignity, and secure the futures that they earned.

We anticipate that our members will make a donation to the Association of BellTel Retirees during the 2025 season of giving. Your support is critical: our work to defend the pensions, healthcare, and benefits to retirees cannot continue without financial contributions from members like you.

Corporate obligations are only as strong as our ability to hold companies accountable, and that requires resources. Every gift, no matter the size, empowers the Association to fight for your rights and ensure that the commitments made to you are honored. Please join us on or even in the weeks that follow Giving Tuesday to stand up for what you have earned and deserve!

Know that your board of directors at the Association understands and shares your same burden of increasing costs: energy, insurance, rent, etc. In fact, our current donations are lagging by 19% compared to this same time last year. In response, your board has reduced expenses where reasonable to do so without compromising our mission or service to you, our valued members.

Our mission is simple: to protect the benefits you’ve earned. We fight on your behalf through proxy proposals, annual letters requesting COLA adjustments, and legislative efforts against pension stripping. But our work goes far beyond advocacy.

We keep you informed with a quarterly newsletter and timely updates through print, social media, and our hotline. Every year, we answer hundreds of calls from retirees needing help with healthcare benefits, death benefits, pension concerns, or simply knowing who to contact when issues arise.

Our office is your go-to resource—backed by a dedicated board and staff who work tirelessly for you. But this support only continues with your help. Don’t let it disappear—donate today and ensure we can keep fighting for you.

We know that our members will respond generously because you understand that your donations enable a vital and powerful Association.

With that in mind, we have set a challenging, but surely reachable, $75K goal for our 2025 Giving Tuesday campaign. You can depend on your board of directors to donate generously!

For those who are able and have already been donating, we thank you. I hope you are able to be generous again this year. For those who have not donated in a while, we really would appreciate your generosity now!

How You Can Help:

·      Donate: Visit our donation page on our website to contribute. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us in our mission to protect you.

·      Stay Informed: Read our newsletters and social media pages to see the impact of our efforts.

·      Spread the Word: Encourage fellow retirees, current employees, and friends to support our cause.

In addition to your typical generous donation, consider your Association during your current and future planned giving. This includes estate planning, your annual required minimum distribution (RMD) to a qualified charitable distribution (QCD), and adding the Association as a beneficiary. We recommend you seek advice from your financial or legal advisor on planned giving. You should also discuss “use and purpose” when naming the Association as a beneficiary.

Not everyone wants to commit to making a gift in their wills or estates. Some prefer the increased flexibility that a beneficiary designation provides by using: IRAs and retirement plans; Life insurance policies; Bank Accounts; Certificate of Deposit (CDs); Brokerage Accounts.

It is very simple to name the Association as a beneficiary. Start by requesting a change-of-beneficiary form from your policy administrator or download the form from your provider’s website. Make your desired changes and return the form to establish your gift.

Qualified charitable distribution (QCD) is a mutually beneficial way to donate. Not only does it count toward required minimum distribution (RMD), but the distribution is completely tax-free. That means you can still take the standard deduction on your taxes instead of itemizing to get the charitable contribution deduction.

The IRS reminds those aged 73 and older to make required withdrawals from IRAs and retirement plans by Dec. 31. We recommend you seek advice from your financial or legal advisor.

We are better and stronger together in solidarity!

Una Kelly, Treasurer and Laura Whitlock, Director

The post Giving Season 2025: Help Us Hit Our Goal! appeared first on Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc..

Our latest episode of “The Bell Effect” podcast introduces you to Laura Whitlock, who has become an active and dynamic volunteer with the Association of BellTel Retirees, serving as a board director of our Association for the past two years and counting.

Laura speaks about the rich history of the Pioneers as well as why retirees in the telecommunications community may want to support the Association with a qualified charitable distribution — an action that benefits both the retiree and the organization.

These episodes can be heard via computer, iPad, your smartphone and on many smart TV sets on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

CLICK HERE to listen on Apple Podcasts.

Or CLICK HERE to listen on Spotify.

The post “The Bell Effect” Podcast, Episode 37: How Retirees Can Band Together appeared first on Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc..

In our latest episode, we hear from your Association’s leaders about the fallout from Verizon’s massive 2024 pension risk transfer deal, a $5.9 billion transaction that offloaded the pensions of 56,000 retirees to Prudential Insurance Co. of America and Reinsurance Group of America Inc.

First, Board Secretary Don Kaufmann provides a brief refresher course on the issue, followed by legal analysis from Edward Stone, General Counsel of the Association of BellTel Retirees. We will learn about who was affected by this pension-stripping deal, the questionable motives of the corporate players involved, and where things currently stand with litigation against Verizon and its partner in the deal, State Street Global Advisors.

These episodes can be heard via computer, iPad, your smartphone, and on many smart TV sets on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

CLICK HERE to listen on Apple Podcasts.

Or CLICK HERE to listen on Spotify.

The post Rebooting Our Podcast “The Bell Effect,” Episode 36: The Fallout from Verizon’s 2024 Pension Deal appeared first on Association of BellTel Retirees, Inc..