Letter from our Business Manager Jamie Gniadek emailed out on 10/31

Good afternoon, and Happy Halloween,

Earlier today, I sent the letter below to all of our legislators in Central Massachusetts in response to the message mailed out by Eric Dickson, CEO of UMass Memorial Health. Within minutes, State Representative David LeBoeuf reached out to explain what is actually going on.

It appears that BCBS and UMass are currently in the middle of their annual contract negotiations over rates. Unfortunately, Mr. Dickson decided to make the situation public, which has caused a great deal of confusion. Representative LeBoeuf, along with other legislators from the Worcester area, is aware of the letter and has already contacted both parties to encourage them to return to the table and stop airing this dispute publicly.

I have also notified the company of the issue and am awaiting a response should the worst-case scenario occur. Representative LeBoeuf believes the matter will ultimately be resolved.

Below is the letter I sent earlier today for your reference:

Dear [Recipient],

My name is Jamie Gniadek, and I am the Business Manager of IBEW Local 2325 in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Attached is a letter written by Eric Dickson, President and CEO of UMASS Memorial Health. I strongly urge you to review this letter, as it outlines an issue that will significantly impact not only our members but also the citizens of Worcester County and beyond.

At a time when our nation faces an ongoing healthcare crisis, it is deeply troubling that major players in this situation feel the need to “warn” us of potential actions such as dropping our coverage, increasing costs, or limiting benefits. Preliminary estimates suggest that nearly a quarter of a million residents in Central Massachusetts could be affected.

For our membership—whose open enrollment conveniently ended before this letter was distributed—this situation is both unacceptable and deeply concerning. We are gravely worried about what will happen to our coverage if these two entities cannot reach an agreement.

I urge you, as our elected representatives, to contact Mr. Dickson and work to bring both sides together to prevent this outcome. The well-being of countless working families depends on swift and cooperative action.

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,
Jamie Gniadek
Business Manager, IBEW Local 2325

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween,

Fraternally,

Jamie