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Association of Ameritech/SBC Retirees Blue Bulletin Vol. 1, No. 8.
(December 10, 2006)
Proudly
representing retirees from the new AT&T Midwest Region, SBC Midwest
Region,
Ameritech, as well as the five Bell Companies in
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin
Help Us Help You
Several months ago, I had asked all members
to research whether they might have saved old Blue or Yellow
bulletins; primarily from the periods of 1990 till 1999. There is
serious question whether the existing high deductible health plan is
in conflict with commitments made to Ameritech’s employees prior
it’s acquisition by SBC (ATT). However, to take even the smallest
step, there must be tangible evidence and it is our belief that
these bulletins may contain the information.
Our
attorneys had advised us that the statute of limitations is probably
two years from the date of inception of the current health plan. We
believe that date is June 1, 2005 and so we may have only six months
remaining.
I ask
that when you retrieve your Holiday Decorations, you also look to
see if you still have these old company documents stored away in the
basement or attic. Please contact me (pres@aasbcr.org)
or the VP-ATT relations, Ralph Kolderup (vp3@aasbcr.org)
if you believe you might have found something.
Bruce Beckman, President, AASBCR, Inc.
Membership Contest
WHO :
Your AASBCR Board
WHAT :
Membership contest.
WHEN :
Starting now and running through the end of January.
WHY :
To sign up more
members to assist AASBCR in having a stronger voice with
AT&T
as well as with
Congress as we work on benefit issues, especially healthcare.
HOW :
Here is how it will work.
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AASBCR members send
an email and pass on this Bulletin with the application to other
retirees from the Bell System, Ameritech, SBC Midwest and AT&T Midwest
who are not currently members of AASBCR.
-
You CC
vp1@aasbcr.org. That
will copy the message to me, Carole Lovell, Vice President and
Chairperson of Membership. Remember, have your friends use the
attached application and put in your name on the
REFERRED BY MEMBER
line.
-
For each person who joins, we will give YOU,
the member, 3 months FREE membership.
-
Each new member
will receive 15 months for their 1st year dues of $25.00.
A win-win for all.
Association of Ameritech/SBC Retirees
To All
Retirees from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin Bell,
Ameritech, SBC Midwest Region, or the new AT&T Midwest Region.
We would like
to introduce ourselves to you. We are the AASBCR - Association of
Ameritech / SBC Retirees. We are working to
preserve and enhance pension,
healthcare, and other benefits earned by retirees.
During the past year, we have accomplished the following:
·
Membership has nearly tripled. This gives us more weight when we deal
with SBC/AT&T.
·
We are
members of the National Retiree Legislative network (NRLN). There are
over 2 million retirees in NRLN. We began using the NRLN’s CAPWIZ
program for writing to our elected representatives.
·
We
continue to work with SBC/AT&T Senior Management – especially in Human
Resources. We have an ongoing dialog and are seeking benefit
solutions. They are listening to us.
·
We have
formed a coalition with the retiree associations of Pac Bell, SNET and
ATT. This coalition recently met with AT&T Senior HR Management in
San Antonio to explore our common needs.
·
The
Association is now an AT&T shareholder. We will be able to submit
Shareholder Proposals at future Stockholder Meetings. This gains the
attention of senior management to those items that are important to us
and AT&T. We have also established a Shareholder Proposal Committee
to implement the process.
There is a small yearly fee to help us defray the costs of postage,
keeping up the organization’s website, membership in the NRLN and
keeping membership informed through e-mail and mailings. It also
covers the expense of meeting with AT&T/SBC personnel, sometimes on
their own turf to get them to discuss the pension and healthcare
issues, including having representation at the annual AT&T/SBC
shareholders meeting. ASSBCR is a not for profit organization and
your dues may be tax deductible.
If you have access to a
computer such as at the library, please visit
www.aasbcr.org
and see what we are all about and how you can help. The AASBCR wants
to protect our pensions and, at minimum, stop the continued and
spiraling costs for healthcare coverage. It’s that simple, together
we can do it.
AASBCR, a non-profit organization, was formed in 2002 to represent
Ameritech retiree issues to SBC, renamed AT&T as part of the recent
merger of SBC and AT&T. For more information on the organization
please check the web site at
www.aasbcr.org.
Please share this newsletter by e-mail with your Retiree and
Near-Retiree friends. Send
them to
www.aasbcr.org
to join. We need volunteers to help carry out our work.
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APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERITECH/SBC
RETIREES
Member Contest 2006
In order to participate in this contest, you must fill out the
REFERRED BY MEMBER line. That confirms that both you, the new member,
as well as the AASBCR member who referred you to AASBCR BOTH receive 3
months FREE membership.
One membership
fee of $25 includes both spouses if he/she is also retired from an SBC
company. Being referred to join AASBCR during this contest provides
you with your first 15 months of membership for the cost of 12 months.
In 15 months, dues will be
payable for the next 12
months and every 12 months thereafter in the month of enrollment.
Please send
the member information below and your check ($25) to:
Association of Ameritech/SBC Retirees, Membership
P.O. Box
7477
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089-7477
REFERRED BY
MEMBER_______________________________________
LAST NAME___________________FIRST NAME____________ MIDDLE _______
SPOUSES LAST NAME___________FIRST NAME____________ MIDDLE_______
HOME ADDRESS___________________________________________________
CITY _______________________STATE _______ ZIP CODE________________
HOME PHONE___________________ HOME FAX__________________________
BUSINESS
PHONE___________________ CELL PHONE______________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS____________________________________________________
DATE OF RETIREMENT______________ STATE YOU WORKED IN ______________
COMPANY FROM WHICH YOU RETIRED / DEPT.__________________________
SPOUSES DATE OF RETIREMENT____________ STATE HE/SHE WORKED IN ________
COMPANY FROM WHICH SPOUSE RETIRED / DEPT. _______________________
Please check which of the following you would be interested in :
___Membership/ ___Legislative/ ___Communication/ __________________Other
Please
remember, send the member information above including the REFERRED BY
MEMBER line and your check ($25) to:
Association of Ameritech/SBC Retirees, Membership
P.O. Box
7477
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089-7477
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