Teeters Tidbits
Local 730, UAW Retiree Chapter
By Harold Teeter, Trustee
Hi,
Here we are floating along in May and having some nice weather, while I’ve been a little under the weather in the hospital. Hopefully, by the time this goes to print I’ll be home or maybe even at the cottage. I have some help this month getting the following information to you. There’s been some pretty important legislation that affects us all and some upcoming events to put on your calendars.
Drug company executives succeeded in their efforts to block a proposal to legalize imports of lower priced medicines from Canada. The FDA bill will not allow consumers to re-import prescription drugs. By a vote of 93 to 1, the Senate passed a bill May 9th that would give the Food and Drug Administration new power.
The Alliance for Retired Americans is all for rigorous safety standards when it comes to prescription drugs. “Where we draw the line however is shamefully using those standards as a shield to keep drug company profits sky high” said Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance.
Seniors Hit Hard by Bankruptcies
Personal bankruptcy filings by people 55 and older are growing faster than those by any other age group in part because of rising mortgage debt and medical expenses among seniors, states a study in the Washington Post. Government researchers compared personal bankruptcy records from 1994 to 2002 and personal filings doubled. The credit industry used that growth to persuade congress to pass legislation that makes it harder for individuals to wipe out debt through bankruptcy. Studies show older people increasingly rely on home equity loans and credit cards to pay for medical expenses. “I wish the government would get health care costs under control and prevent some of these circumstances from reaching this point” said George J. Kourpias, President of the Alliance for Retired Americans.
Mark your calendars for the following upcoming events:
June 16 Local 730 Picnic at Douglas Walker Park 12 to 5
June 28 Retirees meeting at noon
July 2-13 Plant shutdown. (Office will be closed too.)
July 26 Retirees picnic at Douglas Walker Park
September 3 Labor Day Parade
We would love to see you at the next retirees’ meeting June 28. As always, we’ll have coffee and donuts for you and your spouse. Local 730 would like to extend their deepest sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of our departed members: Erwin Hoseth (4-6-07), Bonnie J. Hoover (4-20-07), Marshall P. Collins (4-18-07), and George Pawloski (5-2-07)
Retired May 1, 2007
Terri Green, Cynthia Luyendyk, Robert J. McDougall, Gary Pinckney, Pedro Salazar, Ronald J. VanderBok, and David Wismer