The story about Trimet union employees that is not getting told

Trimet retirees had the expectation of some excellent health care coverage when they retired.
 That was the one thing that Trimet offered its union employees, some of the best health care coverage available.

As we all know now, those promises were false and Trimet management right now is devising ways to end all of the post employment medical coverage thereby guaranteeing their work force will never be able to retire before medicare. Bascially Trimet union employees will become slaves to Trimet.


But Trimet retirees and employees have had some serious cuts to their pensions and pay which has gone completely unreported by the media and Trimet public relations. The employees can absorb some of these cuts but the retirees are in big trouble.

In my personal case I was expecting retirement of $950/mo and no  concerns over medical issues that may arise.

Now, my pension has been cut to $800 (it had been cut to $730 but the rates actually went down this year) but I have to meet $150 deductible then $1500 co-pay for medication and $1500 co-pay for hospitalization/medical services.

I was expecting a pension of 11,400 a year, now the gross amount is $9600 less $150 less $3000 if I actually need medical attention.

That makes the total cash value of my pension $6,750 which is a cut of  41% of what I was promised.

That cut is higher than the workers in Greece have suffered yet the media has totally ignored it.
(more evidence of the complicit media)

The oligarchs have successfully manipulated the public into thinking that we are not deserving of any of this and since the public doesn't have what we have its easy to turn the public against union employees.

While Mcfarlane tries to 'market adjust' his own salary and the salaries of his pals upward, (people who work 9-5 in a nice secure environment, get regular sleep and regular vacations and already make six figure incomes) he is trying to 'market adjust' union employees salaries down.(people who never get to sleep on regular schedules, exposed to the elements and public)

Forcing  people pay for benefits is the same as a pay cut.

The hypocrisy of the Trimet management is obvious to anyone who is willing to see it.