GNY Employer News - Spring 2009

1199SEIU Family of Funds 330 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036-6977

Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID New York, NY Permit No. 3700

Spring 2009

During this economically

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

difficult time, we at the Family of Funds are diligently pursuing new strategies to hold the

During this economically difficult time, we at the Family of Funds are diligently pursuing new strategies to hold the line on administrative costs, to rein in the cost of health benefits and to provide your workforce with the benefits your contributions support. Inside this edition of 1199SEIU Greater New York Employer News, you will read about all of our efforts.

line on administrative costs, to rein in the cost of health benefits and to provide your workforce with the benefits your contributions support.

IN THIS ISSUE . . .

Lean Greater New York Benefit Fund Budget Reins In Administrative Spending . . . . . 2 Building on Past Cost-Savings Successes With New Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1199SEIU Student Nichole Forde Receives Nursing Scholarship at Child Care Corporation Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Service Improvements Allow 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Fund to Serve Even More Members . . . . . . . . . . 5

You’ll read about the lean administrative budget that the Trustees have approved for the Benefit and Pension Funds and how our staff, mindful of the challenges facing our members and industry, has renewed their already strong commitment to ensuring that every available dollar goes toward your employees’ benefits. You will find out more about the Greater New York Benefit Fund’s latest set of cost-savings initiatives and read about the stock market’s effect on our Pension Funds.

Of course, even in the midst of all the economic turmoil, there is a great deal of positive work being produced by the Greater New York Funds. Our Training and Employment Funds are positively impacting the bottom line in our nursing homes. The Child Care Fund is reaching out to more members than ever, raising awareness of the important programs and services that your contributions pay for. The Child Care Corporation, the non-profit subsidiary of the Child Care Fund, is working on strengthening our future workforce one student at a time.

As always, we appreciate your comments and feedback, and look forward to working together to support your employees – our members – through these tough and trying times.

Sincerely,

Training Programs Strengthen the Workforce and Our Facilities . . . . . . . . . 6 If You’ve Got Benefit and Pension Questions, We’ve Got the Answers . . . . . 7

Mitra Behroozi Executive Director Benefit and Pension Funds

Deborah King Executive Director Training and Employment Funds

Vivian Fox Executive Director Child Care Funds

Lean Greater New York Benefit Fund Budget Reins In Administrative Spending The Trustees of the 1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds, which include the Greater New York Funds, have passed a lean 2009 administrative budget which reflects the dire economic times facing the healthcare industry and our country.

This disciplined budget is the result of months of work across all of our departments, with multiple layers of review to identify every area where spending could be managed more tightly or cut back.

The 2009 administrative budget holds the line on spending with only a 3.3% increase, the lowest annual budget increase since 2004. The increase is largely driven by a higher reallocation to the Benefit and Pension Funds for Strategic Support Division costs – the consolidated unit that accounts for all the back office administrative support services for all of the Benefit and Pension, Training and Employment and Child Care Funds. Exclusive of Strategic Support Division costs, the Benefit and Pension Funds’ portion of the administrative budget actually represents a 0.2% decrease over 2008.

Greater New York Pension Fund Annual Returns 18.6%

20

11.2%

10

8.1%

TO REACH THE OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR YOUR INSTITUTION:

9.1%

Outreach Department: (646) 473-6930

1.9%

0 -5 -10

FOR MEMBERS:

-4.0%

Greater New York Member Services: (646) 473-9200

-7.6%

MEMBER SERVICES OFFICES AND SATELLITE LOCATIONS

-15 -20 -25 -30 -33%

-35

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Greater New York Pension Fund Hit By Economic Crisis Like so many other labor-management funds around

With the budget finalized, the Benefit and Pension Funds assembled all of our staff in February to present the realities of the current economic picture and how it will affect our industry, members and benefits. Although we have always kept our administrative costs low, the meeting reinforced for each staff member that our administrative spending, now more than ever, has an even greater impact on the number of dollars available to underwrite the cost of benefits. And in 2009, we will work even harder to ensure that every possible dollar goes toward supporting our members.

2 EMPLOYER NEWS Spring 2009

We work hard to provide good customer service to 1199SEIU members – your employees – where they work and where they live. Our Benefit Fund Outreach Coordinators can assist them at the worksite and are also available, along with our Member Services representatives, by phone and in person at walk-in Member Services offices in New York City, Westchester, Long Island and Rochester. You can also schedule a time for your Coordinator to come to your facility to answer questions or explain Fund benefits.

14.1%

15 5

If You’ve Got Benefit and Pension Questions, We’ve Got the Answers

the country, the recent stock market crash has taken a steep toll on the 1199SEIU Greater New York Pension Fund, which lost millions during the closing months of 2008. By December 31, the Greater New York Pension Fund had experienced an enormous decline, causing the Fund to lose $177 million. In fact, the actuaries have informed us that the collective bargainers must take definitive steps in the near future to rebuild the assets of the Greater New York Pension Fund and be in compliance with the Pension Protection Act.

MAIN BENEFIT FUND OFFICE 330 West 42nd Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10036-6977 (646) 473-9200 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday All satellite offices are open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, unless otherwise indicated Bronx 2501 Grand Concourse, 3rd Floor Bronx, NY 10468 (718) 561-0234

Long Island 100 Duffy Avenue 3rd Fl Hicksville NY 11801 (516) 229-6700

Brooklyn 25 Elm Place, 1st Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 643-8567

Rochester 225 West Broad Street, Suite B Rochester, NY 14608 (585) 244-0830 ext. 318

Queens 97-45 Queens Blvd., 7th Floor Rego Park, NY 11374 (646) 473-8565

White Plains Berkeley College Building 99 Church Street, 4th Floor White Plains, NY 10601 (914) 997-2811

Staten Island 790 Port Richmond Ave. Staten Island, NY 10302 Monday to Thursday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Child Care Questions (212) 564-2220 Training and Employment Questions (212) 494-0534 Spring 2009 EMPLOYER NEWS 7

Training Programs Strengthen the Workforce and Our Facilities As our industry faces some of the toughest challenges of our time, maintaining a highly skilled workforce is essential to making your mark as a competitive facility. That’s why the 1199SEIU Greater New York Education Fund trustees have recently approved programs to offer employees training in the industry’s most pertinent skills – the skills that can make a big difference in quality indicators.

The Education Fund will shortly be notifying institutions about the availability of such funding at Greater New York institutions in New York City, Westchester County and Long Island for onsite training programs in gerontology, palliative care, clinical skills and customer service.

In addition, the ability of supervisors, Union delegates, and Union staff to creatively problem-solve issues can make a huge difference in staff morale, turnover

and resident satisfaction. The Worker Participation Fund has therefore initiated a Joint Leadership Development program to build stronger working relationships between Union leaders and management at Greater New York facilities.

Building on Past Cost-Savings Successes With New Programs One of the most proactive ways the Greater New York Benefit Fund is managing our assets is through our ongoing, collectively bargained cost-savings

variety of areas, including prescription

programs. These programs fulfill our goal of providing

savings through The 90-Day Rx Solution

quality healthcare to your employees while holding 1199SEIU and Greater New York employers are also working together to address the urgent LPN shortage. The Worker Participation Fund has contracted with the Center for the Study of the Healthcare Workforce at SUNY to report on vacancy rates and the availability of LPN training programs.

This information will be used to develop strategies to address the shortage.

down the cost of benefits. Since they began in late

(our mail-order program for long-term

2004, we’ve continued to refine these programs to

medications), an expanded Preferred

realize the maximum savings and ensure that each of the dollars you contribute is used as effectively as

Drug List and prior authorization

possible while getting members the care they need.

programs, preferred lab and radiology

Our cost-savings initiatives cover a variety of areas,

vendors, a Medicare Advantage Plan for

including prescription savings through The 90-Day

New York City and Nassau retirees and

Rx Solution (our mail-order program for long-term These projects emerged from the New Directions and Innovations Committee (NDIC), which was established last year to address common concerns between employers and the Union.

medications), an expanded Preferred Drug List and prior authorization programs, preferred lab and radiology vendors, a Medicare Advantage Plan for New York City and Nassau retirees and our Health Coaching service and 24-Hour Nurse Helpline. By the end of 2008, these programs had saved the

As our industry faces some of the toughest challenges of our time . . .

Our cost-savings initiatives cover a

our Health Coaching service and 24-Hour Nurse Helpline. By the end of 2008, these programs had saved the Greater New York Benefit Fund $30.3 million.

Greater New York Benefit Fund $30.3 million.

The area that gives us the greatest opportunities for

the 1199SEIU Greater New York Education

savings is our prescription program. In January, we

Fund trustees have recently approved

added more prescription drug classes to our Preferred

programs to offer employees training in

a member tries a less-expensive, clinically equivalent

the industry’s most pertinent skills

drug first and “steps up” to a costlier brand – for

Drug List, and began requiring step therapy – where

some medications, and prior authorization for others.

Now, in May we will add five more classes to the Preferred Drug List for savings totaling over $90,000.

And we will add five new medications to the list of those requiring prior authorization, and several more to those managed under our quantity duration policy, ensuring that members are getting the most clinically effective dosages of the medications they need. In total, these prescription programs will save the Greater New York Benefit Fund over $300,000.

6 EMPLOYER NEWS Spring 2009

Spring 2009 EMPLOYER NEWS 3

1199SEIU Student Nichole Forde Receives Nursing Scholarship at Child Care Corporation Gala

Service Improvements Allow 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Fund to Serve Even More Members

The 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation’s

The 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Fund supports the industry by supporting your employees with affordable child care, and children and youth programs from infancy through their teen years. It is the Fund’s goal to make your employees more aware of the valuable programs it offers them and their children. Over the past year, the Fund has made a number of improvements to get the word out to a larger number of parents and make it easier for them to register their children for programs.

Third Annual “Care for Kids” Gala in December successfully raised funds for child care benefits for low-income families without access to affordable, collectively-bargained child care benefits. It also highlighted another important aspect of the Corporation’s work – supporting a new generation of healthcare workers.

One of the evening’s highlights involved an aspiring nurse, 1199SEIU WorkForce 2000 Pre-RN student Nichole Forde. During the gala, Nichole was presented with a four-year nursing scholarship from Hunter College to pursue her career dreams.

Through the Child Care Corporation’s Pre-RN program, Nichole and other students are gaining the academic and financial support to achieve their dream of becoming RNs. In this way, the Funds are growing a pool of qualified nurses for shortage positions within our institutions and strengthening the ability to deliver quality care.

Nichole explained to Gala guests just how important the WorkForce 2000 Pre-RN program is to her. “This program helps me realize that I do not want to be anywhere else but in the nursing field, making a difference in people’s lives,” she told the crowd.

Also honored during the night’s festivities was Jennifer J. Raab, president of Hunter College, who received the Champion for Education award. Brenda Blackmon, co-anchor of My9 WWOR-TV’s 10:00 pm newscast, received an award for Excellence in

Nichole explained to Gala guests just how important the WorkForce 2000 Pre-RN program is to her.

“This program helps me realize that I do not want to be anywhere else but in the nursing field, making a

1199SEIU parents with additional resources and information on a broad range of children and youth parenting issues. Staff distributed seminar enrollment information both at registration sites and through member communications, which resulted in increased seminar attendance.

Given these service enhancements and new program offerings, the Child Care Fund has been able to successfully increase the scope of services offered to members, children and youth.

During the 2009 registration season, nearly 1,681 Greater New York members registered for child care benefits. In the fall of 2008, the Fund expanded its registration efforts, sponsoring an additional Registration Kickoff. Members unable to attend the Kickoff traditionally held at Fund headquarters in Manhattan could participate in the Kickoff at the 1199SEIU office in Hicksville, Long Island. The Fund also opened more in-person registration sites for the duration of the registration period: one in Hicksville, one upstate in Rochester and additional sites in Rockland County and in Albany.

To promote easy online program registration and increase electronic outreach, the Fund collected scores of valid member e-mail addresses and assigned a dedicated team to assist online registrants.

The results were unprecedented: nearly one-third of the members registered online.

To increase member awareness of youth programs newly incorporated under the Child Care Fund umbrella, flyers and other materials pertaining to sleep-away camp, scholarship and mentoring programs were disseminated at registration sites.

Journalism and Community Service. Stanley S. Litow, president of the IBM International Foundation, received the Corporate Leadership for Education and Youth Service award.

4 EMPLOYER NEWS Spring 2009

difference in people’s lives,” she told the crowd.

In addition to its enhanced registration support services, the Fund also continued working to promote its parenting seminars, which provide Spring 2009 EMPLOYER NEWS 5

1199SEIU Student Nichole Forde Receives Nursing Scholarship at Child Care Corporation Gala

Service Improvements Allow 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Fund to Serve Even More Members

The 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation’s

The 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Fund supports the industry by supporting your employees with affordable child care, and children and youth programs from infancy through their teen years. It is the Fund’s goal to make your employees more aware of the valuable programs it offers them and their children. Over the past year, the Fund has made a number of improvements to get the word out to a larger number of parents and make it easier for them to register their children for programs.

Third Annual “Care for Kids” Gala in December successfully raised funds for child care benefits for low-income families without access to affordable, collectively-bargained child care benefits. It also highlighted another important aspect of the Corporation’s work – supporting a new generation of healthcare workers.

One of the evening’s highlights involved an aspiring nurse, 1199SEIU WorkForce 2000 Pre-RN student Nichole Forde. During the gala, Nichole was presented with a four-year nursing scholarship from Hunter College to pursue her career dreams.

Through the Child Care Corporation’s Pre-RN program, Nichole and other students are gaining the academic and financial support to achieve their dream of becoming RNs. In this way, the Funds are growing a pool of qualified nurses for shortage positions within our institutions and strengthening the ability to deliver quality care.

Nichole explained to Gala guests just how important the WorkForce 2000 Pre-RN program is to her. “This program helps me realize that I do not want to be anywhere else but in the nursing field, making a difference in people’s lives,” she told the crowd.

Also honored during the night’s festivities was Jennifer J. Raab, president of Hunter College, who received the Champion for Education award. Brenda Blackmon, co-anchor of My9 WWOR-TV’s 10:00 pm newscast, received an award for Excellence in

Nichole explained to Gala guests just how important the WorkForce 2000 Pre-RN program is to her.

“This program helps me realize that I do not want to be anywhere else but in the nursing field, making a

1199SEIU parents with additional resources and information on a broad range of children and youth parenting issues. Staff distributed seminar enrollment information both at registration sites and through member communications, which resulted in increased seminar attendance.

Given these service enhancements and new program offerings, the Child Care Fund has been able to successfully increase the scope of services offered to members, children and youth.

During the 2009 registration season, nearly 1,681 Greater New York members registered for child care benefits. In the fall of 2008, the Fund expanded its registration efforts, sponsoring an additional Registration Kickoff. Members unable to attend the Kickoff traditionally held at Fund headquarters in Manhattan could participate in the Kickoff at the 1199SEIU office in Hicksville, Long Island. The Fund also opened more in-person registration sites for the duration of the registration period: one in Hicksville, one upstate in Rochester and additional sites in Rockland County and in Albany.

To promote easy online program registration and increase electronic outreach, the Fund collected scores of valid member e-mail addresses and assigned a dedicated team to assist online registrants.

The results were unprecedented: nearly one-third of the members registered online.

To increase member awareness of youth programs newly incorporated under the Child Care Fund umbrella, flyers and other materials pertaining to sleep-away camp, scholarship and mentoring programs were disseminated at registration sites.

Journalism and Community Service. Stanley S. Litow, president of the IBM International Foundation, received the Corporate Leadership for Education and Youth Service award.

4 EMPLOYER NEWS Spring 2009

difference in people’s lives,” she told the crowd.

In addition to its enhanced registration support services, the Fund also continued working to promote its parenting seminars, which provide Spring 2009 EMPLOYER NEWS 5

Training Programs Strengthen the Workforce and Our Facilities As our industry faces some of the toughest challenges of our time, maintaining a highly skilled workforce is essential to making your mark as a competitive facility. That’s why the 1199SEIU Greater New York Education Fund trustees have recently approved programs to offer employees training in the industry’s most pertinent skills – the skills that can make a big difference in quality indicators.

The Education Fund will shortly be notifying institutions about the availability of such funding at Greater New York institutions in New York City, Westchester County and Long Island for onsite training programs in gerontology, palliative care, clinical skills and customer service.

In addition, the ability of supervisors, Union delegates, and Union staff to creatively problem-solve issues can make a huge difference in staff morale, turnover

and resident satisfaction. The Worker Participation Fund has therefore initiated a Joint Leadership Development program to build stronger working relationships between Union leaders and management at Greater New York facilities.

1199SEIU and Greater New York employers are also working together to address the urgent LPN shortage. The Worker Participation Fund has contracted with the Center for the Study of the Healthcare Workforce at SUNY to report on vacancy rates and the availability of LPN training programs.

This information will be used to develop strategies to address the shortage.

These projects emerged from the New Directions and Innovations Committee (NDIC), which was established last year to address common concerns between employers and the Union.

As our industry faces some of the toughest challenges of our time . . . the 1199SEIU Greater New York Education Fund trustees have recently approved programs to offer employees training in the industry’s most pertinent skills

6 EMPLOYER NEWS Spring 2009

Building on Past Cost-Savings Successes With New Programs One of the most proactive ways the Greater New York Benefit Fund is managing our assets is through our ongoing, collectively bargained cost-savings programs. These programs fulfill our goal of providing quality healthcare to your employees while holding down the cost of benefits. Since they began in late 2004, we’ve continued to refine these programs to realize the maximum savings and ensure that each of the dollars you contribute is used as effectively as possible while getting members the care they need.

Our cost-savings initiatives cover a variety of areas, including prescription savings through The 90-Day Rx Solution (our mail-order program for long-term medications), an expanded Preferred Drug List and prior authorization programs, preferred lab and radiology

Our cost-savings initiatives cover a variety of areas, including prescription savings through The 90-Day Rx Solution (our mail-order program for long-term medications), an expanded Preferred Drug List and prior authorization programs, preferred lab and radiology vendors, a Medicare Advantage Plan for New York City and Nassau retirees and our Health Coaching service and 24-Hour Nurse Helpline. By the end of 2008, these programs had saved the Greater New York Benefit Fund $30.3 million.

vendors, a Medicare Advantage Plan for New York City and Nassau retirees and our Health Coaching service and 24-Hour Nurse Helpline. By the end of 2008, these programs had saved the Greater New York Benefit Fund $30.3 million.

The area that gives us the greatest opportunities for savings is our prescription program. In January, we added more prescription drug classes to our Preferred Drug List, and began requiring step therapy – where a member tries a less-expensive, clinically equivalent drug first and “steps up” to a costlier brand – for some medications, and prior authorization for others.

Now, in May we will add five more classes to the Preferred Drug List for savings totaling over $307,000 in the Greater New York Benefit Fund alone, and $800,000 in both the National and Greater New York Benefit Funds. And we will add five new medications to the list of those requiring prior authorization, and several more to those managed under our quantity duration policy, ensuring that members are getting the most clinically effective dosages of the medications they need. Doing so ensures quality care for our members – as well as saving benefit dollars.

Spring 2009 EMPLOYER NEWS 3

Lean Greater New York Benefit Fund Budget Reins In Administrative Spending The Trustees of the 1199SEIU Benefit and Pension Funds, which include the Greater New York Funds, have passed a lean 2009 administrative budget which reflects the dire economic times facing the healthcare industry and our country.

This disciplined budget is the result of months of work across all of our departments, with multiple layers of review to identify every area where spending could be managed more tightly or cut back.

The 2009 administrative budget holds the line on spending with only a 3.3% increase, the lowest annual budget increase since 2004. The increase is largely driven by a higher reallocation to the Benefit and Pension Funds for Strategic Support Division costs – the consolidated unit that accounts for all the back office administrative support services for all of the Benefit and Pension, Training and Employment and Child Care Funds. Exclusive of Strategic Support Division costs, the Benefit and Pension Funds’ portion of the administrative budget actually represents a 0.2% decrease over 2008.

Greater New York Pension Fund Annual Returns 18.6%

20

11.2%

10

8.1%

TO REACH THE OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR YOUR INSTITUTION:

9.1%

Outreach Department: (646) 473-6930

1.9%

0 -5 -10

FOR MEMBERS:

-4.0%

Greater New York Member Services: (646) 473-9200

-7.6%

MEMBER SERVICES OFFICES AND SATELLITE LOCATIONS

-15 -20 -25 -30 -33%

-35

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Greater New York Pension Fund Hit By Economic Crisis Like so many other labor-management funds around

With the budget finalized, the Benefit and Pension Funds assembled all of our staff in February to present the realities of the current economic picture and how it will affect our industry, members and benefits. Although we have always kept our administrative costs low, the meeting reinforced for each staff member that our administrative spending, now more than ever, has an even greater impact on the number of dollars available to underwrite the cost of benefits. And in 2009, we will work even harder to ensure that every possible dollar goes toward supporting our members.

2 EMPLOYER NEWS Spring 2009

We work hard to provide good customer service to 1199SEIU members – your employees – where they work and where they live. Our Benefit Fund Outreach Coordinators can assist them at the worksite and are also available, along with our Member Services representatives, by phone and in person at walk-in Member Services offices in New York City, Westchester, Long Island and Rochester. You can also schedule a time for your Coordinator to come to your facility to answer questions or explain Fund benefits.

14.1%

15 5

If You’ve Got Benefit and Pension Questions, We’ve Got the Answers

the country, the recent stock market crash has taken a steep toll on the 1199SEIU Greater New York Pension Fund, which lost millions during the closing months of 2008. By December 31, the Greater New York Pension Fund had experienced an enormous decline, causing the Fund to lose $177 million. In fact, the actuaries have informed us that the collective bargainers must take definitive steps in the near future to rebuild the assets of the Greater New York Pension Fund and be in compliance with the Pension Protection Act.

MAIN BENEFIT FUND OFFICE 330 West 42nd Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10036-6977 (646) 473-9200 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday All satellite offices are open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, unless otherwise indicated Bronx 2501 Grand Concourse, 3rd Floor Bronx, NY 10468 (718) 561-0234

Long Island 100 Duffy Avenue 3rd Floor Hicksville NY 11801 (516) 229-6700

Brooklyn 25 Elm Place, 1st Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 643-8567

Rochester 225 West Broad Street, Suite B Rochester, NY 14608 (585) 244-0830 ext. 318

Queens 97-45 Queens Blvd., 7th Floor Rego Park, NY 11374 (646) 473-8565

White Plains Berkeley College Building 99 Church Street, 4th Floor White Plains, NY 10601 (914) 997-2811

Staten Island 790 Port Richmond Ave. Staten Island, NY 10302 Monday to Thursday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Child Care Questions (212) 564-2220 Training and Employment Questions (212) 494-0534 Spring 2009 EMPLOYER NEWS 7

1199SEIU Family of Funds 330 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036-6977

Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID New York, NY Permit No. 3700

Spring 2009

During this economically

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

difficult time, we at the Family of Funds are diligently pursuing new strategies to hold the

During this economically difficult time, we at the Family of Funds are diligently pursuing new strategies to hold the line on administrative costs, to rein in the cost of health benefits and to provide your workforce with the benefits your contributions support. Inside this edition of 1199SEIU Greater New York Employer News, you will read about all of our efforts.

line on administrative costs, to rein in the cost of health benefits and to provide your workforce with the benefits your contributions support.

IN THIS ISSUE . . .

Lean Greater New York Benefit Fund Budget Reins In Administrative Spending . . . . . 2 Building on Past Cost-Savings Successes With New Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1199SEIU Student Nichole Forde Receives Nursing Scholarship at Child Care Corporation Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Service Improvements Allow 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Fund to Serve Even More Members . . . . . . . . . . 5

You’ll read about the lean administrative budget that the Trustees have approved for the Benefit and Pension Funds and how our staff, mindful of the challenges facing our members and industry, has renewed their already strong commitment to ensuring that every available dollar goes toward your employees’ benefits. You will find out more about the Greater New York Benefit Fund’s latest set of cost-savings initiatives and read about the stock market’s effect on our Pension Funds.

Of course, even in the midst of all the economic turmoil, there is a great deal of positive work being produced by the Greater New York Funds. Our Training and Employment Funds are positively impacting the bottom line in our nursing homes. The Child Care Fund is reaching out to more members than ever, raising awareness of the important programs and services that your contributions pay for. The Child Care Corporation, the non-profit subsidiary of the Child Care Fund, is working on strengthening our future workforce one student at a time.

As always, we appreciate your comments and feedback, and look forward to working together to support your employees – our members – through these tough and trying times.

Sincerely,

Training Programs Strengthen the Workforce and Our Facilities . . . . . . . . . 6 If You’ve Got Benefit and Pension Questions, We’ve Got the Answers . . . . . 7

Mitra Behroozi Executive Director Benefit and Pension Funds

Deborah King Executive Director Training and Employment Funds

Vivian Fox Executive Director Child Care Funds